Bruntcliffe Academy’s GCSEs mark major improvement

The news marks a remarkable turnaround for the Bruntcliffe Lane School, which was beleaguered by controversy and chaos 12 months ago amidst poor results and parents’ mutiny over the leadership of head teacher Heather Scott.

The saga culminated in Mrs Scott’s departure, with new principal Anne-Marie Garnett taking over this summer following the interim reign of David Gurney.

Last year, the number of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs including English and Maths jumped from 32 per cent to 53 per cent, marking the school out as one of the most improved in the Leeds area.

Miss Garnett said: “It has been an overwhelming positive start to the new academic year. Staff and students have returned to the academy buoyed by a massive improvement in this summer’s examination results and excited, and inspired, by the new regime.

“Behaviour around the academy is first class and there is a real thirst for learning in all classrooms.”

The school, which converted into an academy this summer, has an open day for Year six pupils and their parents on October 8, at 6pm.

Miss Garnett, who was formerly principal at Morley Academy, added: “We look forward to welcoming students and parents to our Open Evening in October so that they can see for themselves the radical changes that have already taken place. It should be an exciting evening for us all.”