Exam Results 2022/23

Leeds West Academy has once again secured an overall Progress 8 score in line with national expectations for our students.

This exam series is a reversion to a pre-pandemic grade distribution model. Whilst it is important to ensure that grades are distributed appropriately and the boundaries across subjects reflect this, this reversion does not allow for the significant impact to learning during critical phases of their education that this 2023 cohort, unlike that of 2019, were impacted by through the pandemic. Through the following context, 2019 data is being used as a comparative benchmark but should be treated with caution and, at all times, within the aforementioned context as it does not aggregate the indefinable impact of the extended absence from school, education and critical development support or indeed any of the post-pandemic issues students have experienced with a particular spotlight on absenteeism post-pandemic. Nationally, results have fallen in attainment following changes to grade boundaries and this is the same at Leeds West academy but despite the challenges, we are delighted that Leeds West Academy students continue to make progress in line with national expectations.

Students who attended examinations at Leeds West Academy have achieved results that are above 2019 results in attainment and national progress sets. A small but significant number of students failed to attend any examinations in 2023 and this has affected overall headline figures in these two measures meaning that the overall attainment figures are broadly in line with 2019.

In 2022 our progress score was -0.21. In 2023 we have secured a progress score of -0.26 for all students. This overall figure includes non-attending students who completed no examinations and our cohort who attended examinations achieved a Progress 8 score of -0.02 This clearly indicates that in spite of huge national challenges children at Leeds West Academy continue to make progress in line with national expectations and when students attend they achieve above.

The Year 11 cohort who collected their GCSE results in 2019 had a better attendance of more than 10% in comparison to the students within these results.  This reflects the national trend for lower attendance. Progress 8 for using the same attendance figure as 2019 produces a Progress 8 score of +0.32 clearly indicating again the huge improvement the school have made in curriculum design and implementation in this time. Our biggest challenge exacerbated post pandemic, continues to be attendance and a full Trust strategy is being implemented to support improvement in this area. Review through School Improvement Partners and our Ofsted visit in September 2022 supported that leaders are doing everything to improve this area.

Context 

• There have been decreases in attainment nationally as a result of the change in methodology to awarding GCSE and equivalent grades and the reversion to grade distribution in line with 2019.
• Indications are that the proliferation of higher grades since 2020 continues to decrease nationally and whilst there are some indications that this has happened at Leeds West Academy, most subjects remain above 2019 levels in Grade 7 or above.
• Prior Key Stage 2 attainment on entry for this cohort is significantly below the national average and lower than last year’s cohort. The 2023 cohort have significantly lower prior attainment than the national average benchmark, based on Key Stage 2 assessment.
• Cohort size at LWA has grown significantly from 2019 with a 30% increase including 7% growth from 2022; meaning comparison across data sets should be treated with caution.
• Disadvantaged students account for 46% of the cohort significantly above the national average.
• Significant growth in students who are Disadvantaged (+3%) and SEN (+5%). These increased numbers again make comparison across datasets difficult and therefore results for these cohorts comparatively, should at this stage be treated with caution.
• Attendance overall for Year 11 at Leeds West Academy was 10% lower than that of the 2019 cohort.
• 74% (193) of all students in the cohort had attendance of 80% or above and achieved progress in line with 2019 national (+0.23)
• 88% (225) of all students in the cohort had attendance 50% or above achieved progress above 2019 national expectations (+0.06)

Key Strengths 

For the 237 students who attended the GCSE exam series, the headline measures demonstrate significant improvement in comparison to 2019. These include:

• Progress 8 remaining at 0.00 (national average) with a small improvement to results in 2019, the last time students sat a full suite of terminal examination.
• All Basics measures show improvement in comparison to results in 2019, the last time that students sat a full suite of terminal examinations.
• The Maths department continue to achieve results above national average. This includes Maths P8 at +0.24 and 71% of students achieving a pass or better (grade 4+).
• The English department have sustained in the English (best of) measure. This includes 64% of students achieving a pass or better (grade 4+).

For the first set of terminal exams since 2019, Leeds West Academy has once again secured the best set of results in its history in key performance and attainment measures. The picture within English, Maths and Science shows the largest number of students in the academy’s history achieving pass grades 9/4 and 9/5. Additionally, the number of students achieving the highest grade possible, such as a Grade 9 in a GCSE or Distinction* in BTEC, is the highest it has ever been.

This year the academy continued our upward trajectory of results and achieved the highest attainment in the school’s history. This also contrasts national figures where outcomes decreased following a period of Centre Assessed Grades.

• When including the whole cohort of students, it is important to identify that there is a significantly larger cohort (258 students in 2023 compared to 199 in 2019). Most measures demonstrate similar performance in 2023 compared to last time students sat full terminal exams in 2019. Whilst there are national forecasts of over 300,000 fewer top grades being awarded, a larger number of students at Leeds West Academy are passing GCSE qualifications. These include:
  • A larger number (171 students in 2023 compared to 121 students in 2019) are achieving a pass grade in Maths.
  • A larger number (151 students in 2023 compared to 127 students in 2019) are achieving a pass grade in English.
  • A larger number (137 students in 2023 compared to 107 students in 2019) are passing both English and Maths (Basics 4+).
  • A larger number (90 students in 2023 compared to 73 students in 2019) are passing both English and Maths with a strong pass (Basics 5+).

• Several Curriculum Areas have secured a positive Subject Progress Index (SPI) which demonstrates results better than the national picture. These include the GCSE qualifications in Photography, Art, Biology, Computer Science, Drama, Geography and Spanish as well as vocational qualifications in Child Development, Digital IT, Engineering, Enterprise, Hair & Beauty, Health and Social, PE BTEC, and Music Rock School.
• For most non-core GCSE qualifications, the average grade achieved in 2023 is the same, or better, than 2019. These include:
  • Increased average grades for students in Art (+2) and Photography (+1) from 2019
  • Sustained average grades for students in Biology, Chemistry, Drama, Geography, Physics and Combined Science.

• The results of SEND students demonstrates an increase in attainment 8 (23.23) as well as a progress 8 figure in line with national averages (-0.71)
• The results of disadvantaged students demonstrate a progress 8 figure of –0.59 which is in line with national averages. For disadvantaged students who attended the exams, the figure increases to –0.21 which is significantly above national average. 

 Key Strengths:

• All Basics measures, which are the number of students achieving a strong pass (Grade 5 or above) or pass (Grade 4 or above) in both English and Maths, have improved in comparison to the last time students sat in exams in 2019. Students securing a pass (4+) in both English and Maths has increased from 54% to 62%. Students securing a strong pass (5+) in both English and Maths increased from 38% to 44.8%.
• All Basics measures show improvement in comparison to results in 2021, where teachers inputted grades. This shows the continued journey of improvement that the academy is on as well as complete integrity in the Teacher Assessed Grade (TAG) process from 2021. Students securing a pass (4+) in both English and Maths has increased from 60% to 62%. Students securing a strong pass (5+) in both English and Maths increased from 38% to 44.8%.
• The Maths department continue to achieve results significantly above national average. This includes 70% of students achieving a Grade 4 and 57% Grade 5 resulting in a progress measure of 0.14 and an attainment 8 figure of 8.80.
• The English department have shown vast improvement in the English (best of) measure. The number of students securing a pass (Grade 4) and strong pass (Grade 5) has increased in comparison to 2019 results. The number of students achieving a Grade 4 has increased from 64% in 2019 to 68% in 2022. The number of students achieve a Grade 5 has increased from 47% to 51%.
• The Science department have shown significant improvement in the number of students securing a pass (Grade 4) and strong pass (Grade 5) in comparison to 2019 results. The number of students achieving a Grade 4 has increased from 52% in 2019 to 57.7% in 2022. The number of students achieve a Grade 5 has increased for 30% to 35.2%.
• The number of students achieving a Grade 9 in all GCSE qualifications have increased significantly. The academy has secured 45 Grade 9s across 15 different subjects in comparison to 14 Grade 9s in 7 subjects in 2019. Additionally, 25 students achieved the top grade in BTEC or equivalent vocational qualifications.
• Significant improvements have taken place in numerous Open basket subjects such as GCSE Art, GCSE Photography, GCSE Drama and Music Rock School.

Further information about Leeds West Academy is available on the performance tables site.  Please follow this link; https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/135935