Students and schools across Southend are celebrating yet another impressive set of provisional GCSE results.

Over 2,000 young people were entered into GCSE’s at schools in Southend-on-Sea, with pupils performing above the national average in English and maths measures.
 
Last year the Government introduced rigorous new GCSE’s in English and maths, graded on a new numerical (9 to 1) system, with 20 further subjects being reformed this year.
 
Provisional results indicate that 71.9% of students in Southend-on-Sea achieved grade 4 or above in English & maths combined, an improvement of 1% on 2017. Grade 4 is the threshold considered to be a ‘standard pass’ by the Department for Education and the bottom of this grade aligns with the bottom of the previous C grade.
 
Provisional data from 10 schools suggests 60.5% of Southend-on-Sea students achieved a grade 5 in English and maths, which is considered a ‘strong pass’ by the Department for Education. This is above the 2017 figure of 54.1%.
 
Southend-on-Sea results were also above the national average for 16-year-olds in English and maths subjects.  According to the Department for Education*, 71.8% of pupils in England achieved a grade 4 in English, compared to 82.4% in Southend and 71% achieved this standard in maths compared to 72.3% in Southend (based on results from 10 schools).
 
Councillor Helen Boyd, cabinet member for children and learning, said: “Very well done to all pupils for this excellent set of provisional results. You should be rightly proud of your achievements. This early set of results indicates that schools in Southend-on-Sea are continuing to improve in maths and English, which are so important for work, training or further education, and our results continue to be above national averages.
 
“There is always work to do, and through our education board, we will continue to support and challenge schools to ensure that every child has a the opportunity of a good education in this Borough.”
 
*https://www.gov.uk/government/news/gcse-pupils-gaining-knowledge-and-skills-for-future-success

Southend students are celebrating today after achieving A-level results well above the national average. 
 
Figures from eight out of the borough’s ten schools indicate the number of A*/A grades and A* to E grades were both above the national average.
                                                                                    
Around 1,000 students at Southend sixth forms took A-level exams, with indicative results back so far showing that 99.4% achieved A*- E grades, compared to a national average of 97.6%.
 
Of these indicative results, 11.1% of entries were A* compared to the national average of 8%. Furthermore, 35.9% of entries achieved A* or A grades, compared to national figures of 26.2%.
 
The figures do not include results from Belfairs Academy or Cecil Jones Academy, who had not provided their results as yet.
 
Cllr Helen Boyd, cabinet member for children and learning at Southend Council, said: “Southend students can be rightly proud of another set of excellent A-level results. Once again it appears that the borough is likely to have achieved above the national average and continue its general trend of improvement. 
 
“I would like to wish our young people the very best as they now prepare for the next stage in their life, be it with further education, training or in the workplace.
           
“For those who did not achieve the results they hoped for, I am confident that they will be supported in their search and in finding a course that is right for them.
 
“We are as committed as ever to providing our schools with the support needed to give pupils the best possible education and we will continue to work as hard as we can with local schools and colleges to ensure that we continue to achieve that.”

Visitors to Old Leigh will be able to find out about how they can do their bit to reduce marine pollution this week.
 
Members of Make Southend Sparkle – a campaign that involves volunteers in activities that make Southend a greener, cleaner place – will be at Bell Wharf of Friday 17 August along with representatives of Anglian Water to highlight the impact on our seas of flushing cotton buds and wet wipes down the toilet and pouring fat down the drain.
 
They will also be explaining how even small items like discarded cigarette butts and small plastic items can damage our seas and the wildlife in them. The Council’s stop smoking team will also be on hand to give assistance and advice to anyone who wants to quit.
 
Cllr Mark Flewitt, cabinet member for public protection, said: “This event will be an eye-opener for many and will demonstrate how simple things you do in your home every day can have a knock-on effect for our waterways.
 
“We are inviting people along to have a chat - get some information. There will also be some free giveaways and the opportunity to sign up for volunteering around the Borough.”