Poynton High School is looking forward to an exciting year ahead, building on its positive successes in 2019, including its best ever GCSE results. Local MP, David Rutley, met with the school’s headteacher, to discuss its plans for the future.

David was very pleased to hear about Poynton High School’s GCSE success. Mr Waugh explained that the school is proud that, in 2019, the students’ results were the best in Cheshire East for: Attainment 8 (a student’s average grade across eight subjects), the percentage of students achieving 9-4 grades in English and Maths; and the EBacc average points score. David offered his warmest congratulations to students and staff on this excellent achievement and heard more from Mr Waugh about how the school will develop this positive progress further.

Poynton High School is also focused on expanding the TRUE Learning Partnership Multi-Academy Trust, which it launched in 2018, along with Lostock Hall Primary School. Mr Waugh highlighted the many benefits of forming the Trust, including the potential for more integrated and effective working and the benefits of pooling resources in the interests of improving educational outcomes for all the young people served by the Trust. Poynton High School will be working hard in the coming year to encourage other local schools to participate in the partnership.

This is also an exciting year for Mr Waugh, who has been nominated by his peers in the teaching profession to be the 2020 National President of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the leading professional association and trade union for all school and college leaders, which supports and represents over 19,000 school and college leaders of primary, secondary and post-16 education from across the UK. Mr Waugh, who is the current Vice President of the ASCL, said that he is looking forward to taking up his position and the great responsibility that this will entail.

Speaking after his visit, David said, “2020 has got off to a bumper start for Poynton High School, with a record crop of GCSE results and exciting and important plans to further develop the TRUE Learning Partnership Multi-Academy Trust. I congratulate all the students and staff at the school on the excellent progress they are making. I look forward to keeping in touch with the school as it takes forward these initiatives, and also offer my congratulations to Mr Waugh on his election as ASCL National President.”