DARWEN Aldridge Community Academy is celebrating an amazing turnaround after posting a massive increase in its GCSE pass rate.

Last year, DACA was criticised for attaining worse exam results than its predecessor, Moorland High School.

Then only 23 per cent of pupils gaining five or more A* to C grades including English and maths.

Moorland achieved 31 per cent in 2008, and 2009’s results were lower than the Government’s targets of 30 per cent of pupils to gain five A*-C grades including English and maths.

But now 49 per cent of DACA pupils achieved that level of qualification, while 90 per cent got five or more GCSE grades A*-C in total - up from 68 per cent last year.

One hundred per cent of all entrants achieved one or more qualifications graded from A*-G.

Teachers said the change was due to 'a positive attitude and determination to succeed', as well as a more targeted approach to identifying which students need help and making sure they get it.

Academy principal Brendan Loughran said: “Our students deserve the highest praise for achieving our best ever GCSE examination results.

"Their positive attitude and determination has secured this success.

“As always, the support of the parents and carers has been greatly appreciated.

"Credit is also due to all of the staff for their commitment and dedication in supporting our students to do so well.”

Chairman of the Aldridge Foundation, and lead sponsor of the academy, Rod Aldridge, has also congratulated the students and staff.

He said: “The students have achieved something extraordinary, all their hard work is really paying off and I am really pleased for them all.

“This has been a period of great change for everyone, which makes this achievement even more impressive.”

The new academy building in Redearth Road will open on Thursday, September 2. A ceremony will take place between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

Exam results

D Abbott e E, dt/t C, J Ainsworth bi C, ch C, e D, hi D, mu B, ph C, re B; A Ali e C, hi F, ma E, ms C, sc E; N Ali eC, hi C, ma C, pe B, scs D;J Almond e E, ma E, scs E, S Ashton ard C, e C, ma C, pe C, scs E;C Aspden dm F, fa C, ma E, ms C,pg C, scs E;A Atkin bi C, ch C, e B, hi C, ma C, pe A, ph D, ss D;J Atkinson ard C, e D, pe C, dt/r D, scs E;K Banks bi B, ch B, e B, hi C, ma A, pe A*, ph B, ss B;S Barker e G, fa B, pg C, dt/g F, dt/f U;B Beeke scs U;S Birch ard D, ma U, scs F;C Bottomley e C, ma B, ms C, pe B, asc C, scs E, ss C; S Bourke bi C, ch C, cc E, e C, hi D, ma C, ph C, re D; A Buckley bs EF, cc F, e E, scs F; A Burton dm E, e C, fa C, Ms C, pg C, scs E; K Byrom e C, ma D, ms C, scs F; E Campbell dm E, e E, hi G, ma D, scs E; T Chambers e F, ma F, pe C, dt/g D, scs F; G Clarke bi B, ch C, e C, fa B, ma C, pg A, ph C, re B, dt/t A, ss C; M Cork e D, ma E, scs G; L Cotton cc E, e D, fa C, ma D, pg C, dt/t C, scs F; B Cowell bi D, ch C, e D, hi C, ma C, pe B, gh C, ss C; J Cunliffe bi A, ch B, e C, fr B, hi B, ma A, ph A, re B, ss C; O Davies cc B, e B, hi C, ma C, scs D; A Dickinson e F, ma F, dt/g D, scs E; Q Doe ard C, e C, ma C, scs D; S Duckworth ard C, bi C, bs BB, ch D, e D, ma C, ph C, ss C; K Duerden ard B, bi B, ch B, e C, gg C, ma A, ph B, re B, ss C; R Eccles e D, ma E, pe B, dt/r D, scs F; H Elsworth e G, scs F; J Entwistle cn B, e C, hi D, ma C, pe A, ph D, dt/r B, scs D; C Ewen dm U; M Fern bi D, ch C, e C, fa C, hi B, ma C, mu B, bg B, ph C; R Finley ma F, scs U; J Freeman ard C, cn B, e C, ma C, dt/r C, scs E; L Graham e E; G Grice bi B, ch B, dm B, e C, fa B,ma C, mu C, pg B, ph C, ss D; R Guy e C, ma D, ms D, pe D, dt/r Cscs E; K Halliwell e C; ma C, ma A*,scs D; L Hannah bi B, ch B, e B, gg C, hi B, ma B, ph B ss B; N Hargreaves dm F, e F, ma F, scs F; B Harperbi D, bs BC, ch C, e B, ma B, mu B, pe A, ph D; L Harris cc D, e D, ma C, dt/f G, scs E; G Hassan bi A, ch B, e B, hi A, ma B, pe A, ph C, ss B; N Haworthe D, hi G, scs C; R Haworth bi Cch D, dm C, e B, fa C, hi C, pg B, ph C; S Healey bi C, ch D, e C, ph c, dt/f C; K Heyes bs BB, dm C, e C, hi D, ma C, scs D; V Howarth e C, fa C, hi D, ms A*, pg B, scs D; K Hull e D, gg F, ma D, dt/f E, scs E; J Hurstbi C, ch C, B, e A, fa B, ma B, pg A, ph C; M Iqbal e B, hi Cma C, ms B, scs C; J Jayne bi D, e C, hi D, ma C, scs D; D Jewitt bi C, ch C, e B, hi C, pe A, ph C; M Jolly ard C, e C, ma C, mu C, scs D; S Kauser e C, hi C, ma C, scs C; S Kay cc F, e D, fa C, ms C, pg C, scs F; S Kelly bi C, ch C, cn C, e C, e C, fr D, gg C, ma B, ph C, dt/r C, ss C; C Kerrigan bi C, ch C, e B, hi D, pe A, ph D; A Kirwan bi C, ch C, e C, fa A, hi C, ma B, pg A, ph D; A Lang e D, ma C, ms C, scs D; Y Leecc D, fa C, ma C, pg B, dt/t B, scs E; S Lightbown e C,ma C, ms Cscs F; S Liveseyard B, e C, ma Dscs E; G Lukusae B, fa C, ma C, pe A*, pg C, ph D, scs D, ss C; N Madin cc E, e C, ma C, dt/f F, scs E; R McDonald e E, fa C, pg C, dt/f E; A McKeown bs FF, ma D, dt/f F; S L McPhee bi A, ch B, e A, fa B, fr A, ma B, pg A*, ph B, re A, ss C; S Mills e C, hi D, ma C, dt/f C, scs D, ss U; T Mullarkey bi D, ch C, e E, hi D, ma D, ph D, dt/f E; A Murray bi B, e B, gg B, ma B, pe A; Y Nisar dm F, e E, ma E, dt/g D, scs D; S O'Neill bi C, ch C, cc B, e C, fa B, hi B, ma B, pg B, ph C, re A, ss C; L Parkinson bi B, ch C, e B, fa B, hi A, ma B, pg A, ph A, ph C, re A, ss B; H Patel e D, ma C, ms C, scs E; A Patterson scs E; T Pickering e E, ma F, dt/f G, scs F; J Pye e D, ma E, scs F; Shane Reilly ma F; G Rice bi D, ch C, e C, ma C, ph D, dt/f C; H Riding bi D, ch C, e C, fa A, ma C, pg A, ph D, dt/f B, d/t A*; M Riley e G, ma G, scs F; L Roberts e D, fa D, ma D, pg C, scs E; K Rushforth bi D, ch D, cc D, dm D, e C, ma C, ph C; M Rustidge bs BC, e D, ma C, pe C, scs E; M Saleh bs BC, e C, ma C, ms A, scs D; Y Shafiq bs EE, e D, ma D, ms C, scs D; A Shazad bs CD, e D, ma C, dt/g D, scs D; E Smillie cc G, e E, fa D, hi F, ma G, pg C; C Smith ard C, e D, scs E; W Southern bs AB, dm C, e C, hi E, ma C, scs D; K Staines ard C, bi E, ch D, e C, ma c, ph E; J Sterling cc C, e C, ma D, dt/f E, scs D; N Stirling cc E, dm U, e C, fa C, ma E, pg C, scs E; N Storrie-Pickup ard C, cc U, dm U, e D, ma C, scs E; A Suleman bi C, ch C, e B, hi B, ma C, pe A, ph C; ; S Taylor bi D, ch D, e C, gg D, ma C,pe D, ph D, ss C; ; S Thomsonard C, bi C, ch C, e C, ma B, ph C, re B, dt/t A, ss C; ; J Tomlinson bi E, ch C, cc E, e C, ma C,pg B, ph E; ; S Varey e C, fa B, hi D, ma D, pg A, scs E; ; W Walsh ard Be E, scs E; ; J Waring ard D, cn U, ma C, dt/r C, dt/ F, scs D; ; A Wastell cc U, ma G; ; D West cc G, e F, hi G, ma F,scs E; ; W Whittaker e D, fa B, ma C, pe A, pg B, ph C, dt/g C, scs D; ; K Williams ma E; ; K Williamson e E, ma E, dt/f U, scs F; ; I Wood ard C, bi C, ch C, e Cms B, ms A, ph C, ss C; ; L Wood ard B, bi C, ch C, e C, fr C, ma B, ph C; ; C Woodcock pe F; ; C Yates cc F, e E, ma U, dt/f G; ; R Yatese E, hi E, ma C, scs C. ;

D Abott ma E; J Ainsworth ma C; J Atkinson ma E; S Barker ma G, B Beeke el E, ma G; S Birch el G; A Buckle ma F; A Barton ma C, B Cowell el C, S Duckworth el C, H Elsworth ma F, C Ewen el E, ma G, R Finley el G, L Graham ma F; N Haworth ma C; R Haworth ma C; S Healey ma C; D Houston ma G; V Howarth ma C; D Jewitt ma C; C Kerrigan ma C; R McDonald ma F; A McKeown el E; A Patteron el E, ma G; C Smith ma E; W Walsh ma F; J Waring el C; A Wastell el C; C Woodcock ma G; C Yates ma G.

Click below to see our GCSE results gallery