STUDENTS, staff and parents at Greenfield Academy are celebrating “significant” improvements in the school’s GCSE results.

The school, in Newton Aycliffe, was taken over by the Advance Learning Partnership (ALP) last September, and new Head of School, Amy Aspland, said: “We’re thrilled with the progress that’s being made.”

She added: “As a proud and ambitious school, we are committed to fostering an environment where every child has every opportunity to achieve their full potential, and these results reflect the hard work and dedication of our children and staff.

“This continued improvement is a testament to our collective effort and determination to excel, with more than 130 of the grades awarded to the children at Grade 7 or higher."

A new building is planned for the school next year, and Amy paid tribute to ALP, saying the trust’s “positive support and guidance is already paying dividends for our children”.

On average, there is a quarter of a grade improvement per child, per subject, across the school. There has been a particularly strong improvement in English, with results half a grade higher on average.

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Wendy Marsh, Chair of Governors, paid tribute to Ms Aspland for her dedication since becoming Head of School, saying: “I’m really proud of what’s been achieved under her leadership because progress has exceeded our expectations and given us confidence that we can build on solid foundations.”

Executive Head Teacher, James Keating, added: “We are delighted to see the improvements being made at Greenfield Academy – it is a really positive story. Congratulations to the pupils, staff and parents on an outstanding performance.”

Calum Faulkner was one of the school’s top performers, with a full suite of Grade 9s, and he now plans to go on to Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form, in Darlington.

(Image: Peter Barron)

He said: “I’m really happy because my grades are better than I expected. I’ve really enjoyed being at Greenfield and I’m looking forward to going to college before pursuing a career in the sciences.”