School facing closure trumps neighbours in league tables (From News Shopper)

Blackheath Bluecoat School trumps neighbours in league tables

7:40am Friday 10th February 2012 in Lewisham By Mark Chandler

PUPILS at a school facing closure have outperformed others in the area, league tables show.

Recently published statistics for Blackheath Bluecoat School show 50 per cent of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at A* to C including English and Maths last year.

The figure puts it above schools like Eltham Foundation, Corelli College and Crown Woods – which recently moved into a new £50m building.

Figures for pupils making expected progress in English and maths put the Blackheath school in a similarly strong position.

Last month, Greenwich Council’s cabinet agreed to close the school because of its spiralling debts – a projected deficit of £1.5m this year. Closure will cost around £1.61m.

Cabinet members had argued Bluecoat would not be able to maintain its improved academic performance while spending less.

But executive headteacher Jeffrey Risbridger said: “One does have to question the wisdom of closing a school which is clearly and irrefutably out-performing several others in the borough.”