Find out about the approaches one school is using to raise girls' achievement levels at KS3, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Paignton Community and Sports College, Torbay, has over 1,800 students from mixed social and academic backgrounds. The school has had particular success at SATs with KS3 girls on free school meals. Results have consistently improved over the past four year thanks to a series of measures introduced to raise achievement throughout the school.
They have seen a rise in attainment of level 5+ for girls taking free school meals by 33 per cent, which is 21 per cent higher than the national average.
Principal, Jane English, thinks raising girls' self-esteem is one of the most important factors in this success, and believes that the range of support initiatives in place at the school contribute to these results.
