Cumbria Community Foundation - Furness: Opportunities and Challenges 2021

F U R N E S S – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 23 But by the time young people take their GCSEs, Furness has fallen behind. The Key Stage 4 (GCSE) average point score per pupil 2 is 351.9, below the average for England of 366.3. Once again, there are wide local variations. The worst-performing wards are all in Barrow – Central (average score: 209.7 points per pupil), Barrow Island (269.5), and Hindpool (279.8). The best performers are in Barrow too – Roosecote (426.5), Hawcoat (412.7) and Newbarns (383.7). There are initiatives in the pipeline to enhance educational opportunities for young people. The University of Cumbria plans to open a campus in Barrow by 2024. It has signed a partnership agreement with Lancaster University and is working closely with businesses, including BAE Systems and Furness College. Meanwhile, Furness College has launched the South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust and is inviting schools to join. Chetwynde in Barrow is the first to sign up. The trust aims to improve education by sharing staff knowledge and expertise and making available college facilities. It will stand alongside and complement the success of Furness Education Trust which was formed in September 2019 through the merger of Furness Academies Trust and the Inspired Learning Trust. Currently composed of four academies, one secondary and three primary, it aims to develop best practice in each school across the Trust. The Key Stage 4 (GCSE) average point score per pupil - 2014 national average is 366.3 Barrow Island Central Ormsgill Parkside Risedale Roosecote Dalton North Ulverston East Walney North Furness Peninsula Dalton South Ulverston West Walney South Broughton & Coniston Hawcoat Newbarns Hindpool 500 400 300 200 100 0 269.5 209.7 357.1 356.8 412.7 279.8 343.1 352.1 325.0 426.5 333.9 347.1 338.3 376.0 381.0 GCSE results, by ward Source- Department for Education (DfE) (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-neighbourhood-absence-and-attainment ) 378.5 383.7