SENIOR staff at one of the region’s most successful educational trusts have won the highest of praise after being invited to meet the Prime Minster and Education Secretary.
A delegation from Carmel Education Trust travelled to a special reception for leading educationalists at Number 10 Downing Street to mark their significant achievements in education.
The party included Maura Regan, Chief Executive Officer at Carmel Education Trust and Principal of Carmel College, Anthony McGeeney, teacher at St Augustine's Primary School, Melanie Kane, Assistant Head and Curriculum Leader for Art at Carmel College, Jane Bower, science teacher at Carmel College, Michael Tiplady and Deputy Head at St Bede's Primary School.
They were greeted and addressed by Prime Minister David Cameron, Education Secretary Michael Gove, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Schools Lord John Nash, Chief Executive for the National College for Teaching and Leadership Charlie Taylor and Schools Commissioner Frank Green.
Miss Regan said: “They thanked us for our valuable contribution to the success of education policy, which is an incredible honour and high praise indeed for everyone who works tirelessly to ensure the continued success of Carmel Education Trust.
“We strive relentlessly in every lesson, every day, to ensure our students receive the very best education imaginable. We will not waver from this aim but to receive recognition from such esteemed company cannot fail to encourage and enthuse us in all our endeavours.”
The trust comprises Carmel College, St Michael’s Academy, Billingham, Holy Family RC Primary School and St Augustine’s RC Primary School, Darlington, St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School, and St Bede’s Primary School, Stockton. St Bede’s Primary, Darlington is a strategic partner within the Teaching School Alliance.
The GCSE results league tables sees Carmel College vying for the top position in the region and in the leading cohort in the country.
Last year students recorded an incredible pass rate of 90.4 per cent in the benchmark five GCSEs grade A*-C including maths and English, securing 8th place in the country from 4,000 schools.
The capped scoring, which takes the top eight GCSE marks including English and maths, was 1006.9, the best in the region and among the top one per cent in the country.
The value added score – the difference the college makes to students from primary school to GCSE results – which measured 1034, is one of the best in the region.
These results make Carmel College the best performing Catholic school in the region. It also has the highest added value score in the region for English and maths.
In the past year Carmel College has also received an outstanding across-the-board Ofsted inspection and won acclaim from Minister of State for Schools David Laws after it was rated top by the similar schools measure of the School Performance Tables.
Miss Regan added: “More important than anything is the creation of a Trust-wide culture of happy and fulfilled staff and children, where everyone achieves their very best.”
