We congratulate the students of 2022 for a very good set of GCSE results, which reflect the cohort’s strong work ethic and determination to succeed in spite of difficulties and set-backs.  We are delighted that all of them achieved the grades they need to enrol at one of their sixth form college or school choices to do A level, BTEC or other courses.    

Our performance analysis

Comparative performance analysis is less straightforward this year as we move back to the pupils sitting exams rather than the 2021 teacher assessed grades.  Our Religious Studies GCSE was assessed last year under Teacher Assessed Grades, which means that the RS results (generally a very high achieving set of results at CFS) are not admissible for inclusion in this year’s Attainment 8 calculation.  To enable some comparison with previous years, we have calculated two figures for the Attainment 8 measure - one including the 2021 RS results and one without. 

Progress against school targets

The DfE does not accept or publish SATS data from independent schools and does not calculate a Progress 8 score for independent schools.  However, we carefully analyse and evaluate our pupils’ progress internally by measuring their progress at KS4 against the CAT tests taken in Y8.  These provide an initial baseline indicator of cognitive abilities and predicted GCSE grades which we sometimes calibrate against other relevant data to give a school Minimum Expected Grade (MEG).    

Using this internal measure, our overall progress score this year (including the 2021 RS grades) was 1.14 compared with 1.46 last year, 1.04 in 2020, 0.93 in 2019 and 0.40 in 2018.  This means that on average students achieved more than one grade higher than their Minimum Expected Grades in their eight best GCSE subjects (following the methodology used for Progress 8 scores in the school performance tables).  Progress scores above 0.5 are generally considered very good.

The majority of our Y11 students worked phenomenally hard both during lockdown and subsequently to catch up.  Some battled through significant difficulties, making their achievements all the more note-worthy.  

The table shows subjects offered as part of the schools’ provision both in core and flexi-ed contexts.  Some subjects that are studied under our Flexi-Ed arrangements have not been included to avoid identifying individual students when courses are taken by just one or two pupils.  

The table shows subjects offered as part of the schools’ provision both in core and flexi-ed contexts.

Students performing at or above their target grade (MEG)

Attainment 8 score

As a school, we are committed to offering a good education to pupils with high academic potential and also to pupils who are gifted and talented in other areas.  This means that some cohorts have more academically able students and others have students with giftings and abilities in non-academic fields.  In most years all students are on the main academic pathway; occasionally, one pupil might be on a completely alternative curriculum pathway or on a hybrid academic/vocational pathway with the opportunity to take part-time vocational qualifications with an external provider.  This can result in some variation in attainment results from year to year, which is why we always take into account the progress measures when evaluating our attainment results.  

Our Attainment 8 score (based on the best eight eligible GCSE grades) was 66.7 last year.  This year our Attainment 8 score without GCSE RS grade is 58.7; if we factor in our Y11 pupils' RS grades our Attainment 8 score rises to 63.7.  This compares with 68.7 in 2019 - the last year of published performance figures.  That year saw us ranked highest in Liverpool’s non-selective schools (8.6 points above the next school).  It is difficult to know what the impact of OFQUAL’s admissibility rules will be on published figures from other Liverpool schools as this will depend on how many students each school entered early for different subjects, so comparative analysis will be of less value this year.

These Attainment 8 scores indicate that pupils and staff have continued to work hard to ensure each pupil fulfils their potential.  We are encouraging our more able pupils to achieve high standards while still providing a relevant curriculum and appropriate support for less academically able pupils.  

This year 77% of our students achieved strong passes (5 or above) in English and Maths compared with 77% in 2021, 82% in 2020, 100% in 2019 and 83% in 2018.  This figure rises to 85% if we only include students on the full academic pathway.

EBacc

This year 77% of students were entered for the EBacc suite of subjects (two sciences, a modern foreign language and a humanities subject, in addition to English and Maths) - compared with 62% in 2021, 76% in 2020, 88% in 2019 and 83% in 2018.   This figure rises to 85% if we only include students on the full academic pathway.  Our anticipated average EBacc point score (including all pupils in the cohort) is 6.0, compared with 6.7 in 2021, 7.1 in 2020, 6.8 in 2019 and 5.9 In 2018 .  (For comparative purposes, in 2019 CFS’s average point score of 6.8 was the highest average point score in non-selective schools in Liverpool.)   As indicated before, valid comparisons cannot reasonably be made this year due to the varying impact of inadmissible grades on different schools.  

All core subjects (% with passes at Grade Grade 4/5 or higher)

In analysing our performance in the core subjects, we note that each year’s cohort is numerically small compared to most other schools, meaning that one pupil can make a significant difference of several percentage points.  This makes year on year comparisons less valid than in schools where student numbers are greater and the cohort profiles less variable.   

These percentages are comparable with previous years, taking into account the impact of just one pupil not achieving Grade 4 or Grade 5. These numbers also do not show exceptional achievement, for example, one pupil with English as a second language, who arrived in Y10 and achieved a grade 9 at English language GCSE.

The figures marked with an asterisk are based on the percentage of students who studied the subject.

Flexi-ed Subjects

This cohort contained some particularly able students who challenged themselves by taking on extra subjects. In particular, the Level 2 Certificate in Further Maths was attempted by two pupils after taking GCSE Maths in November. They both achieved Grade 9 in GCSE Maths and Grade 9 in Further Maths, although their Further Maths grades are not admissible for performance measures. We also had a pupil take on two different languages at GCSE, achieving a Grade 9 in each one. 

Finally

We are thankful to God for the excellent work ethic that prevailed in this cohort.  We are enormously proud of the way the students handled themselves in the most trying of circumstances over the last two years, maintaining their focus to prepare for the next stage. We wish them the very best in the new challenges and opportunities of their new settings.  We gratefully acknowledge the crucial role played by the love and prayers of the parents and the rest of the school community, in supporting the students throughout their time in CFS. 

Y10 Religious Studies GCSE

As in previous years, year 10 sat the GCSE RS exam. This is to enable us to deliver the full Christian Life Studies programme (which is a core element of our distinctive offering in Y11) without taking curriculum time to revise for Religious Studies.  100% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above with 91% of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above.

Y10 Food Preparation and Nutrition

In 2020, we introduced this course which was examined for the first time this year for two pupils in year 10. Both pupils passed the course and were pleased with their results.