Hetton Academy achieves high pass rates for working-class pupils

Hetton Academy, a school in the former mining town of Hetton-le-Hole in Sunderland, England, achieved an 80% pass rate for pupils taking maths and English GCSEs.

Despite a student body where nearly half of the pupils receive free school meals and most come from white, working-class backgrounds, the school outperformed the national average. This result places the academy among a small group of non-selective schools in England that hit such high benchmarks.

Principal Vicky Pinkney attributes these results to a school culture that prioritizes inclusion and community connection. The school provides extra study hours four days a week and hosts events like Revision Sundays, where students eat roast lunches while preparing for exams. Staff also engage in morning quizzes and hold Fish and Tips evenings for parents to provide revision resources and advice. These efforts aim to build a sense of belonging, which research suggests helps students achieve higher grades.

While Hetton Academy serves as a success story, education experts note that many schools in similar circumstances struggle to improve. Professor John Jerrim from University College London states that the likelihood of children from the poorest families passing these exams has barely changed since 2010. Additionally, an inquiry led by Baroness Morris found that many white, working-class families have lost faith in the school system, often prioritizing immediate life readiness over academic qualifications.