This article looks at A Level performance for Kent and Medway schools in the summer of 2018. It is difficult to make comparative judgements at this level as schools vary so much in the pattern of their intake into Year 12 that the Achievement tables in particular are of limited value. However, Progress from GCSE to A Level can be revealing, with good non-selective schools tending to better than many grammar schools for their students, so may be a useful contribution to decisions on where to follow one's studies.
The highest performer is Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School followed by, in order: Valley Park; St George’s CofE, Gravesend; Longfield Academy; Bennett Memorial; Herne Bay; Oakwood Park Grammar; Holcombe Grammar; and Weald of Kent Grammar. QEGS is one of nine schools whose students who have made 'Above Average' progress over the two years in the Sixth Form.
Dane Court Grammar has the lowest grammar school performance and is the only selective school in the ten graded 'Well Below Average' for progress.
There are four alternative measures for determining attainment. Highest across the board in all four measures is The Judd School. Then come Tunbridge Wells Girls, Skinners and Rochester Grammar; with Norton Knatchbull by some way at the bottom of the grammar schools list. Four schools top the non-selective list, unsurprisingly Bennett Memorial and St Gregory’s, along with two Gravesend schools: St George’s CofE; and St John’s Catholic. These four are amongst the six church schools in the top ten non-selective schools.
| Kent & Medway High A Level Progress Scores 2018 | |||||
| Grammar | Non-Selective | ||||
A Level Progress | Progress 8 GCSE | A Level Progress | Progress 8 GCSE | ||
| Queen Elizabeth's | 0.26(AA) | -0.32(BA) | Valley Park | 0.22(AA) | 0.22(AA) |
| Oakwood Park | 0.16(AA) | 0.17(A) | St George's CofE | 0.21(AA) | 0.04(A) |
| Holcombe | 0.14(AA) | 0.17(A) | Longfield | 0.19(AA) | -0.17(A) |
| Weald of Kent | 0.10(AA) | 1.01(WAA) | Bennett Memorial | 0.18(AA) | 0.97(WAA) |
| Skinners | 0.10(A) | 0.68(WAA) | Herne Bay | 0.18(AA) | -0.33(BA) |
| Sir Joseph Williamson's | 0.06(A) | 0.49(AA) | Leigh UTC* | 0.35(A) | -0.82 |
| Chatham Girls | 0.05(A) | 0.6(WAA) | Wilmington | 0.13(A) | 0.06(A) |
| Simon Langton Girls | 0.04(A) | 0.39(AA) | St Gregory's | 0.12(A) | 0.37(AA) |
| Gravesend | 0.01(A) | 0.45(AA) | Homewood | 0.07(A) | -0.4(BA) |
| Maidstone Grammar | 0.00(A) | -0.12(A) | Northfleet | 0.07(A) | -0.43(BA) |
*Leigh UTC appears out of band order, possibly as a function of the small number of candidates, (13).
You will find the Progress Grades for every individual Kent school here, and Medway here, compiled and updated by me as time permits. If you wish me to complete a table please let me know.
The ten schools with Well Below Average Progress performance also include: the three Swale Academies Trust schools – Meopham, Sittingbourne Community, Westlands; the two Brook Learning Trust schools offering A Levels – Hayesbrook and High Weald; and Medway UTC; along with Dane Court Grammar School.
| Kent & Medway High A Level Attainment Scores 2018 | |||||
| Grammar | Non-Selective | ||||
| School | APS | Progress | School | APS | Progress |
| Judd | 46.75 | Average | Bennett Memorial | 33.75 | Above Average |
| Tunbridge Wells Girls | 43.71 | Average | St George's CofE | 31.44 | Above Average |
| Skinners | 41.66 | Average | St Gregory's Catholic | 30.9 | Average |
| Weald of Kent | 40.21 | Above Average | St John's Catholic | 29.97 | Average |
| Rochester | 39.92 | Average | Hillview | 28.82 | Average |
| Sir Joseph Williamson's' | 39.14 | Average | Valley Park | 28.32 | Above Average |
| Invicta | 38.9 | Below Average | Leigh UTC | 28.00 | Average |
| Highworth | 38.26 | Average | St Simon Stock Cath | 27.49 | Average |
| Cranbrook | 37.83 | Below Average | St Anselm's | 27.43 | Average |
| Queen Elizabeth's | 37.6 | Above Average | Folkestone Academy | 27.43 | Average |
It is quite difficult for the 'super selective' schools to make above average progress, starting in the Sixth Form with very high GCSE Grades, but no problem with Attainment. Invicta Grammar had an appalling record of illegally 'expelling' pupils who weren't going to achieve the highest grades at A level at the end Year 12, and losing them at the end of Year 11, in its chase to the top. However, since I exposed the practice, the school appears to have reined back on this for 2018. The school's 'Below Average' Progress grade relates to previous years' actions in years 11 & 12 as pupils who might not provide top grades were weeded out.