Heading up the science department at a school in east Manchester, one of the most deprived inner city areas, proved to be one of the most rewarding yet toughest years I have had.
The catchment area is challenging; nearly 60 per cent of pupils have been eligible for free school meals (FSM) at some point in the past six years, 13 per cent of pupils have English as an additional language and 10 per cent of pupils have SEN. The school strives to be a safety net that allows students to be themselves and succeed.
Our 2011 cohort studying GCSE double/triple award science was the largest we had ever had, with the majority of boys eligible for FSM. Edexcel had introduced a new specification and had also introduced extended writing questions within the exams. Added to that, new rules restricted the number of times pupils could re-sit their exams.
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