THE RESULTS!!!

Following speeches in assembly and campaigning over the last two weeks the children of the school voted today. There was a polling station in Room 2 and special ballot boxes made for the election.

The candidates were as follows :

Rob Barrow - Labour
Joel Inchley - Liberal Democrat
Oliver Dovey - Conservative

Their supporters and election officers were : Luke Coxon, Courtney Buckland, Gursimaran Rana & Pavanraj Jhita

They were assisted by staff members : Mrs Binder, Mr Monk, Mr Manton and Ms. Gladman.

The number of votes cast were : 264

Votes recorded as follows :

Conservatives : 159
Liberal Democrats : 78
Labour : 23
Other : 4

Oliver Dovey of the Conservative Party.

Congratulations and well done to everyone who helped in the election. See below for photos from the day's event :

Ex-Head remembered as a huge inspiration

A highly-respected former school head has died after a long illness. Roger Simper, who was head of Wigston's Abington High School for 14 years, died at his home, aged 66.

He was head teacher between 1981 and 1995, with colleagues and friends describing him as "a very popular figure in the local community" who worked tirelessly for young people. Current school head Alex Green said Mr Simper was "a great head teacher who guided and inspired many teachers and children". He said: "Roger was also a very talented director of school plays and productions and fully involved himself in helping all children reach their full potential.

"He became the head teacher of Abington in 1981, whereupon the school became a large part of his life. "He was a man of the greatest integrity and worked tirelessly with total commitment and passion to ensure that all children were successful and received the highest quality education possible."

Mr Simper was born in North Walsham, Norfolk, in 1943 and was educated at primary and secondary schools in the area before studying at and graduating from Peterhouse College, at the University of Cambridge. He then trained to be a teacher at the London Institute of Education and began his teaching career in Birmingham. He later moved to Richard Aldworth Comprehensive School, in Basingstoke, Hampshire, as head of maths and later as senior teacher.

Mr Simper established himself nationally as an education expert, working on many Government initiatives, particularly on curriculum organisation and timetabling. His book, Practical Guide to Timetabling, written in 1980, remains the standard text for teachers. In Leicestershire, he also worked with the local education authority on many issues and was chairman of Leicestershire Secondary Head Teachers' Association for many years.

On his retirement in 1995, he walked across England from the town of his birth to Wallingford, in Oxfordshire, and more recently found a love of gardening at his new home in Whitchurch, Shropshire. He travelled widely both at home and abroad and continued to advise schools in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Leicester Mercury

Pupils in the county are among UK's best

Fourteen-year-olds in Leicestershire have retained their place as one of the best performing groups of schoolchildren in the country. For the first time, attainment has been judged solely on teacher assessment, following the scrapping of Sats tests for the age group last year.

But the change of format has not altered the county's position as one of the best. Leicestershire is ranked fourth among authorities across the country – Rutland is top. Leicestershire, where the results mean more than elsewhere because most pupils change school at 14, was consistently in the top five before the tests were scrapped.

Tony Mulhearn, assistant director of the Children and Young People's Service at Leicestershire County Council, said: "It's great news for the young people of Leicestershire and all credit must got to the staff and pupils for these outstanding results. "We want people to be reassured that although tests have finished, standards are just as high, which helps inform young people, parents and schools when they're looking towards key stage four (GCSE)."

Tests at 14 – known as key stage three – were scrapped last year after problems with marking caused delays in children getting their results.

Alex Green, head teacher of Abington High School, in Wigston, said: "There's no doubt about it, having assessments instead of tests is less stressful for the children. "The information has been collected over time, rather than just being a one-off, which gives more time for high schools and upper schools to share data which helps plan for GCSEs."

Because of the high and upper school system in Leicestershire, results at 14 come under more scrutiny than in most parts of the country. For the high schools, where pupils do not take GCSEs, these are the main assessments used to rate them.

Some people have suggested that this artificially inflates the figures – because 11-16 secondary schools focus on GCSEs. The figures show that 86% of 14-year-olds in Leicestershire are at the Government's expected level in English, 87% in maths and 87% in science. This compares to a national average of 78%, 79% and 78%. In the city, 131st out of 151 local authorities, 69% achieved the expected level in English, 72% in maths, and 71% in science.

The Leicester Mercury

National Award for Abington

I am pleased to announce that Abington High School has been recognised by the National College of School Leadership.  Our school has been given the status of National Support School.  One of only one hundred secondary schools in England and the only secondary school in Leicestershire to receive this award.

Abington has been given this prestigious honour for its success over many years.  Being a National Support School means that the staff of the school will be asked to help other schools who are not so successful.

My congratulations to everyone at the school for being acknowledged in this way by the National College which is an important Government institution designed to raise standards in schools.

I would also like to congratulate Mr Green on becoming a National Leader of Education.  This is also a prestigious award and he became one of only one hundred secondary school Headteachers in the country to become a National Leader in Education.  Local Authorities across the East Midlands will ask Mr Green to help other schools and he will be asked for advice on education policy by the Government.

I am very pleased to tell you this news.  I and all the Governors of the school are very proud to say that Abington’s success continues.

Yours sincerely

                                                                Dr G Hall

                                                                Chair of Governors