Pocklington School Newsletter Lent Term 2020 | Page 6

ECO Committee
The Eco Committee has continued to grow in
strength this term with many new projects
underway and some exciting plans afoot.
After attending the BIEA ‘Stop the Tide of
Plastic’ conference in January, we began the
year by focusing on how we use and dispose of
plastic here in school. The conference brought
together educators, scientists and CEOs from
major companies, sharing some concerning
matters about plastic pollution. On our return to
school, we met with our colleagues in the Prep
School to discuss a whole Foundation beach
clean this coming summer. The ‘Waves of Waste’
events, hosted by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, run
regular clean up events, helping preserve the
habitat of local sea life on our shores. We look
forward to running this event as soon as is
practicable, and hope to gain volunteers from
across the foundation to join YWT on their
mission.
Our Clockmill Lane “Garden” project has been
enhanced by donations from Greener
Pocklington and Rob Peel, former teacher at the
school. We look forward to continuing work with
our conservation group, doing what we can to
offset some of our carbon footprint in this way.
We have also introduced a trial Terracycling bin
to encourage students to recycle crisp packets
and used stationery that would usually go to
landfill. We have our Eco Committee to thank for
all of their great ideas here; small changes can
make a big difference!
Olivia Morris & Nikki Robertson
Environmental Champions
Sixth Form Tops Progress Tables
Government figures have revealed that
Pocklington School’s Sixth Form students make
more progress than any others in the East
Riding.
League tables released by the Department for
Education show our Sixth Form ranks
considerably higher than other schools and
colleges in the local education authority area, in
terms of the progress made by students who
took their A levels last summer.
Our students made an “above average”
improvement of +0.34 per exam grade over the
two year period after their GCSEs. This is
equivalent to each student scoring one A level
grade higher than expected – so a pupil
expected to achieve AAB could in fact secure a
final outcome of AAA. Students at the school
which ranked second in the table made +0.17
progress per exam grade.
We were also ranked as the highest-performing
independent Sixth Form in the East Riding, Hull
5
and North Yorkshire, in terms of the ‘value
added’ progress ratings.
Headmaster Toby Seth said: “Our Sixth Form
accepts a broad range of abilities so these
figures are particularly pleasing. Judging pupils’
performance by the progress they make is the
best indicator of what a school can offer. Thanks
to staff, students and their families for working
together to achieve this.”