Exams

With the UK having returned fully to more stringent examination processes post-pandemic, many schools across the UK have seen an impact on their results when compared to recent years. Despite this, at TCES we have had some very positive results. 

THE GAPS

The learning journey for our older pupils often begins in Key Stage 4 in all our schools and services: TCES East London and TCES North West London schools and Create in the Community (CiC) and our National Online School (NOS). A significant percentage of our school pupils and an even higher percentage of CiC and NOS pupils start with us late in their two-year GCSE programme, putting them at further disadvantage and having to play catch up with their mainstream peers, despite already having a SEND gap to contend with. Pupils at our two in-person schools and students at CiC and NOS have on average experienced three prior exclusions or managed moves and have been out of full-time group education for an average of 15 months. Our older pupils across all four of our schools and services arrive with Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA) under a clinically diagnosed or undiagnosed anxiety condition, often co-morbid with ASC and/or SEMH. 100% of all pupils are placed at TCES with persistent absence (under 90% attendance) whilst large numbers arrive with the label severely absent (under 50% attendance). These pupils already have very significant gaps in their education and often arrive after the disruption of exclusion or self-exclusion, and from no education or from part-time education.  

Our Cohort

Except for our National Online School, where our pupils do not need an EHC Plan, all other pupils come to TCES with an EHCP and a wide range of learning abilities and differences. The range spans from those pupils who can achieve GCSEs and A Level qualifications to those who will need significant and potentially life-long support beyond TCES.  Pupils profiles at TCES have changed significantly from pre-pandemic referrals, when we had an abundance of pupils with Social, Emotional, Mental Health needs (SEMH) with smaller numbers diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC). Additionally, a significant percentage of pupils were involved in the criminal justice system. Post-pandemic, the profile of pupils referred to and placed at a TCES school or service are neurodiverse pupils with clinical levels of anxiety, pre-dominantly classified as Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA). These pupils arrive with the majority being classified as severely absent and all of our pupils being persistently absent. 

Our Offer

In view of their learning gaps, we provide a wide range of opportunities for all our students to gain qualifications in A Levels, GCSEs, BTEC Level 1 and 2, Functional Skills Levels 1, 2 and Entry-Level, English-Speaking Board, Sports Leadership Awards, AQAs, Asdan, Arts Awards, Prince's Trust, LIFE, and peer mentoring qualifications.  There are also lots of opportunities for our pupils in the world of work.  

Our Promise

We demonstrate high expectations for our pupils, level the playing field, and offer them equal opportunities to mainstream pupils. We want to ensure that new pupils are given time to work at their own pace - to engage and stabilise in learning and be able to follow a full two-year GCSE programme irrespective of which year they start their TCES placement between year 10 and year 13. This ensures that pupils who achieve Foundation levels (Grades 1 to 3) at the end of the first year of their two-year GCSE programme, will be on the journey to passing their GCSEs and are celebrated for the success they have already achieved. 

TCES Group Overview 

• One pupil achieved two A-Levels 
• Nine pupils achieve GCSEs at pass grade 
• 70 pupils (out of 84 entered) achieved at least one Functional Skills pass grade between Entry Levels and Functional Skills 3.

School and Service Highlights: 

Highlights From TCES East London 

• In all, 41 pupils entered for accreditations between Functional Skills, GCSEs, and A-Levels
• GCSE pass grades (grade 5s) achieved in Physics and Chemistry
• Of the 40 pupils entered across all levels of Functional Skills (between Entry Level to Level 2), 88% achieved at least one pass grade, of which:
  • Five Functinal Skills Level 2 passes in English and Maths
  • Twelve Functinal Skills Level 1 passes in English and Maths.

Highlights From TCES North West London:

• In all, 38 pupils entered for accreditations across Functional Skills, BTECs, and GCSEs
• 11 GCSE pass grades (level 4 or above) in all subjects, of which:
• GCSE passes at grade 5 in Physics and Statistics – first year these subjects have been delivered in North West London
• GCSE pass at grade 5 in English Literature
• Two further pupils achieved a grade 4 in GCSE Maths
• Twp pupils achieved grade 6 passes in Physical Education, with two further pupils achieving pass grades in this subject
• Eight pupils passed BTEC Home Cooking Level 1, and two pupils passed BTEC Home Cooking Level 2
• Of the 34 pupils entered across all levels of Functional Skills (between Entry Level to Level 3), 100% of pupils achieved at least one pass grade.  

Highlights From TCES Create in the Community

• Outstanding result for one year 12 pupil who achieved grade 7 in GCSE Religious Studies
• Grade 5 pass in GCSE English
• Passes in English Functional Skills Levels 1 and 2.

Highlights From TCES National Online School 

• First A-levels completed for National Online School, with these undertaken in English Literature and Psychology – passes in both subjects.
• GCSE pass (grade 5) in English Language
• Pass grades at Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths.    

We are immensely proud of our staff's ‘high expectations’ and of our pupils' ‘hard work’, in line with our community values. These results do not define the amazing young leaders that they are becoming, but they provide our pupils with the opportunity to develop academic identities and succeed in moving on to education, employment, or training to further develop their skills.