Best ever GCSE results for Liverpool

LIVERPOOL has smashed all records in this year’s GCSEs – and looks to have surpassed a major national milestone.   Provisional figures show a massive nine per cent jump in the number of pupils achieving five or more A*- C grades including English and Maths - up from 44 per cent in 2009 to 53 per cent this year.

Although the national results for A*-C including English and Maths will not be released until October, with last year’s national average being 50.4 per cent, it is highly likely that Liverpool has surpassed the national average for the first time.

Liverpool’s provisional figures also show the number of pupils gaining five or more A*-C grades overall has increased by an incredible 10 per cent, to 83 per cent. The number of pupils nationally achieving A*-C overall is reported to be 69.1% this year – up from 67.1% in 2009.

Liverpool surpassed the national GCSE average for the first time in 2008 and this year’s success means it’s a hat trick.

Councillor Jane Corbett, cabinet member for children's services, said:- "These are absolutely incredible results. To be so far ahead of the national average and to be outstripping the national rate of improvement is simply fantastic news for our city.  This achievement is down to everyone who has worked so hard throughout the year – pupils, teachers, support staff, parents, carers and governors. The city is very proud of them and they deserve a huge amount of credit for their efforts.  We can look forward to a bright future for our young people. By working together, we are delivering a first class education service here in Liverpool.”

Successful schools include Alsop High in Walton, which has seen a 10 per cent increase in pupils achieving A*-C grades, up to 84 percent; and Holly Lodge Girls College, West Derby, which increased its overall A*-C rate from 59% to 86 and it’s A*-C rate including English and Maths from 34% to 51%.

Notre Dame Catholic College, Everton has seen an increase in A*-C including English and Maths, from 31% in 2009 to 46% this year. Archbishop Blanch, L7, has seen A*-C including English and Maths rise from 67% to 83%.

Other schools which have achieved impressive increases in A*-C including English and Maths include New Heys, Allerton, which jumped from 25% to 49.6%; Childwall which increased from 36% to 44.4%, and Broadgreen, which went up from 27% to 36.5%.

Liverpool City Council's Executive Director for children's services, Stuart Smith, said:- "Education in Liverpool has come a very long way indeed in recent years and these results are testament to the fantastic progress being made. To reach such levels sends out a very clear message about education in this city. Whether you go to school in North, South or Central Liverpool, or whether you attend a local authority or church school, you will get a great education. I’d like to thank students, staff, parents and governors for their hard work. To achieve our best ever GCSE results - and to improve so dramatically on the national average is a special achievement. This is great news for our young people, and bodes well for the future of Liverpool.”

Invite to Hospital Trust's Annual General Meeting

THE North Sefton and West Lancashire at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust would you like to invite ou to find out what your hospital has achieved in the last 12 months and what it plans are for the future. The Trust will be letting you have the chance to ask hospital managers about a new health organisation for North Sefton and West Lancashire at Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust's annual general meeting on 6 September 2010. NHS organisations in Sefton and West Lancashire announced in March plans to ensure local people benefit from faster, better health care with the creation of an "integrated care organisation" (ICO). Trust Chief Executive Jonathan Parry said:- "I look forward to explaining in more detail plans at our annual general meeting and answering any questions people may have about this exciting development. The new organisation has support from clinical leaders and will bring together services that are currently separate. It will create a more seamless, productive and efficient service that ensures financial resources continue to be targeted at patients." Everyone is welcome to attend the Annual General Meeting of Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust on Monday, 6 September 2010, at 6.00pm in the Clinical Education Centre at Ormskirk & District General Hospital. The centre is behind Ormskirk and District General Hospital and is best reached using the Ruff Lane entrance to the hospital site. The lecture theatre is wheelchair accessible.

ARRIVA LAUNCHES NOVEL TALENT SEARCH

ARRIVA North West is launching a search for a talented young writer in Liverpool.  The company is urging children aged 16 and under to get their thinking caps on and come up with a bus themed short story.

Debra Mercer, marketing manager for Arriva North West, said:- “A lot of children start using the bus for the first time when they go to secondary school. We really want to encourage them to use their journey time for reading as people tell us they really value the time they get with their books on the bus.   That’s why we’d like children to come up with a short story about a memorable bus journey. The winning entry will then be given to other young people who catch the bus. The story could be about the first time they went on a bus, a special trip, or completely made up - it's up to them!”

As well as having their story shared with other young bus users and published on the Arriva website, the winner will also get a laptop and free bus tickets. 3 runners up will also get free Arriva bus tickets. 

The deadline for entries is Sunday 19 September and the story must be bus themed and between 500 and 1000 words. Anyone who wants to enter should email their short story and contact details to shortstory@arriva.co.uk or post them to:-

Arriva Short Story Competition
HTPR
1 Wrens Court
53 Lower Queen Street
Sutton Coldfield
B72 1RT.

Arriva North West’s reading campaign comes after the Arriva School Bus visited five primary schools across the UK to give children a lesson about travelling safely and the environmental benefits of public transport. 5 buses were turned into mobile classrooms, visiting primary schools in Luton, Manchester, Leeds, Burton-on-Trent and Stockton-on-Tees. Year 6 pupils were given entertaining and educational sessions about using the bus.

Forum criticises plans to tax small firms on staff parking

A small business support group has reacted to reports that a controversial tax on private parking spaces is set to be extended.  It is thought that councils across the UK plan to introduce a workplace parking levy (WPL) scheme, which will see businesses being taxed on parking provisions they provide for staff.

The Forum of Private Business is deeply opposed to the scheme and believes it will provoke fury among business owners, who could be forced to pay tens of thousands of pounds each year simply for providing their employees with somewhere to park their cars.

Forum spokesman Chris Gorman said:- “When the Nottingham WPL scheme was given the go-ahead last year, we said at the time that it would only be a matter of time before it spread to other towns and cities. Sadly, it appears those fears will soon be realised.  In our view, and in the view of our members, it’s simply a stealth tax which will have a disproportionate impact on small businesses. It’s the equivalent of charging homeowners to park on their own driveways and will increase parking problems in town centres and cities.  Businesses already contribute enormous amounts to public services through existing taxes such as business rates. Whatever its supposed justifications, the danger is that the WPL could open the floodgates to a raft of new taxes and charges being levied onto companies to pay for things which were previously paid for through general taxation.  And while councils’ finances are under pressure, this is a very short-sighted idea as companies are likely to avoid areas with a WPL scheme in operation, meaning jobs, investment and therefore tax revenue will end up elsewhere.”

Mr Gorman added:- “This proposal comes as small businesses are battling with economic uncertainty, public spending cuts and worrying levels of inflation.  We would urge any businesses whose local authorities are considering implementing a WPL scheme to oppose it in every way they can.”