You report that 34 per cent of pupils at the King’s academy, Middlesbrough, achieved five or more A*-C GCSEs (TES, September 3). May I congratulate the pupils and staff on that achievement?
However, the following needs to be taken into account.
At least 40 per cent of the pupils of Coulby Newham school, which the academy replaced, were expected to achieve this benchmark in the 2004 examinations based on excellent Sats results and the YELLIS (Year 11 information system) predictions in 2002.
Gordon Potter
Ex-deputy headteacher
Coulby Newham school
16 Whickhope
Washington
Newcastle
