Student Success with the Aylesbury Push Project

Creation has awarded two Aylesbury young people with prizes for their fantastic GCSE performance last year. Samantha Territt and Baker Kamara attended the Aylesbury Push Project, which supports students as they prepare for their GCSEs. The annual 250 pound awards from Creation are given to the pupils who progress most between their predicted and actual GCSE results.

The awards were presented at InSpire by resident Creation Trustee Tracey Bankinson in front of this year's cohort of Aylesbury Push students. Tracey congratulated Samantha and Baker for their hard work and commitment, and encouraged the current GCSE students to follow their example and persevere with their studies, opening up new exiting opportunities for their futures. Samantha and Baker have been inspired by the project's support and their achivements and are continuing their learning at college studying Legal Administration and English/Mechanics.

The Aylesbury Push Project was established with NDC funding three years ago and since then has provided homework support to almost 150 GCSE pupils. Based at Walworth School and InSpire, the project provides academic and study skills in a neutral supportive non-school, non-home environment. In 2008, 63% of the Aylesbury estate's GCSE students got five or more grades A* to C, just below the national average – a massive increase from just 17% in 1999. The Creation Trust is continuing to fund and support the project alongside other interventions for young people.

Aylesbury Push project manager, Emma Vine said 'I am delighted to see our hard working students congratulated and celebrated through the Creation Grant. They put in many hours of extra work, attended regularly and were committed to improving their results. It was a pleasure to work with them and I am very proud of their achievements.'

Last year 59% of the Aylesbury Push year 11 students achieved 5 GSCEs at C or above (up from 42% last year and 32% at the predecessor school) and 45% achieved 5 GCSEs at C or above including English and Maths (up from 35% last year and 26% at the predecessor school).