More than half of all A-level grades at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby were A*-B this year.
Fifty-four per cent of grades were A*-B, 24 per cent were A* or A and 80 per cent were A*-C – a five per cent improvement on 2025 results.
The average points score was 35.48 which represents further improvement for the fourth successive year and the average A-level grade is now a B.
There were some particularly strong performances across individual subjects. Sociology, Geography and History all achieved 100% A*-C, while History and Drama achieved 100% A*-B. Psychology also recorded excellent outcomes, with almost four in five entries achieving A*-B.
Students studying vocational qualifications have enjoyed considerable success too. Across Applied Science, Applied Business and Sports Studies, every student achieved a qualification, with 87% of entries achieving the equivalent of a B grade or higher.
The results also include some outstanding individual achievements, with students securing exceptional combinations of A and A* grades and progressing towards their chosen universities, apprenticeships, employment and further training.
Acting Headteacher, Steve Brogan, said: “Today is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our young people.
“What is particularly pleasing is the clear and sustained improvement we are seeing in the sixth form. This year’s results continue a four-year upward trajectory and demonstrate the hard work, determination and resilience of our students, who have been supported by our staff and their families so well.
“We are incredibly proud of every student who has received their results today. Behind every grade is a young person who has worked hard, overcome challenges and taken another important step towards their future.
“It is also important to recognise the breadth of success across the sixth form. We have students achieving outstanding A-level grades, alongside students achieving excellent vocational qualifications and securing the destinations that are right for them.
“I would like to congratulate our students and thank their families and our staff for the support, encouragement and commitment they have provided throughout their sixth form journey.
“At Saint Benedict, we want every young person to leave us equipped with the knowledge, skills, confidence and character to fulfil their potential. These results are a reflection of that ambition, and we are incredibly proud of the Class of 2026.”
Jacob achieved A* in Maths, A in Physics and B in Geography and has secured an engineering apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce.
He said: “I did a week’s work experience at Rolls-Royce and it went really well. They talked about the apprenticeships during that week. The apprenticeships are very competitive. I think there were 10 places on the one I went for. At the time I thought it was a fantasy and too good to be true. At first I didn’t get accepted but then they rang me in July and said that there had been a change in circumstances and a place had come open. I’m so excited and really happy.”
Titus achieved As in Geography, Physics and Maths and will go on to study Computer Science at Loughborough University.
Jaylen achieved a Distinction * in Media, a Merit in Business and a Merit in Applied Science and will go on to study Accounting and Finance at Leicester.
“I drove to school and at 8am I looked at my emails and found out that I had been accepted at Leicester. I was really happy. I have been able to relax over the summer and have kept busy,” he said.
Carissa achieved three As in Sociology, Religious Studies and Politics. She is going on to study Law at the University of Nottingham.
She said: “After my exams I felt mixed emotions as I thought some had gone terribly and some were ok. I didn’t feel amazingly confident. I did manage to switch off over the summer and it was only in the last week that I started to struggle to sleep. I needed 3 As. I was ok last night and felt calm. I got up at about 7am and logged in online. I was so relieved when I saw I had got in. I feel quite drained now after all of the adrenaline but I am excited – and I passed my driving test a week ago too.”
Ryszard achieved an A in Biology, a B in Chemistry and a B in Geography. He will go on to study Nutrition at the University of Nottingham.
He said: “I was nervous but I checked my email and knew that I had got into Nottingham. I spent last night watching the meteor shower so I wasn’t really thinking about my results.”
Sophia achieved a C in Religious Studies, a D in English Literature and an A in Drama and Theatre Studies.
She said: “Drama is what I really want to study and if I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it. I have appeared in seven school shows in a row and got the lead role of Elle in Legally Blonde, the last school show. I have been thinking about results quite a lot over the summer and particularly in the last week, that’s when it hit me.”
Matin is off to Keele to study Medicine after achieving an A in Physics, a B in Biology and a B in Chemistry.
“I woke up at 8am and logged in online. I was waiting for it to load up and then found out I had been accepted to Keele. I felt really happy, my dad was with me and he started jumping around. I want to go into dermatology or cardiac surgery, helping people means a lot to me,” he said.
Primary pupils across St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust have achieved excellent outcomes in this year’s statutory tests, with many results exceeding national averages.
The Trust is pleased to report another year of strong academic performance, with improvements seen across a number of key indicators, reflecting the dedication of pupils, staff and school leaders throughout its family of 20 Catholic primary schools.
In 2026, the Trust’s combined Reading, Writing and Mathematics expected standard reached 66%, outperforming the national average of 63% and representing a four percentage point increase on the Trust’s 2025 result.
Performance at the higher standard in Reading, Writing and Mathematics also remained strong, with 9% of pupils achieving this measure, compared with a national average of 8%. This continues the Trust’s above-national performance achieved in 2025.
There was also positive progress in other key areas of primary education:
- Year 1 and Year 2 Phonics outcomes improved to levels above the national average.
- The proportion of children achieving a Good Level of Development at the end of Early Years Foundation Stage increased by five percentage points from 2025, reaching 76%, compared with a national figure of 72%.
Lisa Walton, Chief Executive Officer of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, said:
“Clearly, the children have worked very hard this year, but I would also like to recognise the extraordinary work that all staff continue to do in our schools to ensure that the teaching and learning strategies deliver excellent outcomes for all children.
“This, of course, is made possible by the highest expectations of standards, effort, behaviour and attendance, driven by school leaders.
“As a Catholic Trust we are committed to a fully inclusive education and therefore inclusion and support for all pupils is at the heart of what we do.”
The St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust comprises of 20 primary schools and five secondary schools across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, the High Peak and Stockport.
A pupil at Saint Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Glossop is celebrating after winning a national Primary Engineer competition.
Kaiya was one of two winners in the East Midlands region in her age group and she was awarded with a plaque and a badge at a presentation held at the University of Lincoln.
The Primary Engineer competition is open to all pupils across the country aged from 3 to 19, judged by professional engineers.
Saint Mary’s also had two other pupils shortlisted for the finals, George, who designed a mini robot for exterminating termites, and Nina, who designed a spoon that heated chilled food to the correct temperature. George and Nina were both awarded Highly Commended.
Entrants were asked to answer the question ‘If you were an engineer, what would you do’ by identifying a problem and drawing their solution.
Kaiya, who is a science ambassador and helps to run science club at St Mary’s, in Gladstone Street, created a design inspired by her love of football.
She said: “I came up with the WAAP which is the Womens’ Athletic ACL preventer. Female athletes are more likely than men to get an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury so I came up with the idea of a long sleeve that is worn on the leg, from the knee to the hamstring. Inside there is a circuit that massages the hamstring. The idea is that the massage helps to strengthen the hamstring and this can help to prevent injury to the ACL.
“I found out that I had been shortlisted for the final in assembly. I was really happy and really shocked. I went to the presentation but I didn’t think that I would win it. My family was really proud. We were given a framed picture of our design, a plaque and a badge.
“My dream is to be a footballer, I play for a local club where I am a goalkeeper. If I can’t be a footballer then I’d maybe think about being an engineer or doing something to do with sports science.”
Sarah Rudd, Head of School, said: “As a school, we are extremely proud of Kaiya for receiving this award, and also to Nina and George for their achievements. At Saint Mary’s, we really foster a love of science amongst the pupils, and hope that their interest in the subject area will inspire them to continue to take an interest in this field as they move through the school and onto their secondary education. We all know about Kaiya’s love of sport, particularly female football, so for her to receive this award based on a design that really matches her passion and interests, is wonderful, and just demonstrates what she can achieve in the future.”
A pupil at English Martyrs’ Catholic Voluntary Academy has been named as a runner-up in a national poster competition which attracted over 500 entries.
A picture drawn by nine-year-old Onadi was one of three runners-up in the inaugural Catholic Young Artist Award, which asked entrants to draw a picture based on the theme of forgiveness.
Onadi’s picture portrays two people hugging.
She said: “When I thought about forgiveness, I thought about two people hugging. I found out I had been chosen as a runner-up in front of everyone at school. I feel happy and proud of myself. I was surprised when I heard the news that I was a runner-up.”
Lisa Oldershaw, class teacher at English Martyrs’, in Long Eaton, congratulated Onadi.
She said: “We are extremely proud of Onadi. We thought the picture was beautiful, especially as one of the people in the picture has the rosary beads in their hand, that was a nice touch.”
Margaret Mizen MBE, Founder of the Mizen Foundation, and competition judge, was overwhelmed by the pictures drawn by primary school aged children on the theme of Forgiveness.
She said: “There were so many unique and wonderful pictures, all drawn with care and attention. I was incredibly impressed by all the artwork submitted, with each piece reflecting the theme of forgiveness in a beautiful way, so selecting a winner was no easy task. Art is a great way to express our emotions and communicate such vitally important messages including those of forgiveness.”
Professor Peter Hindmarsh, Chair of the Catholic Union Charitable Trust, said: “I am delighted that so many children took part in the award. Margaret had an impossible task to select the winner and we are very proud of all the children.”
Headteachers from across the Trust gathered at the Diocesan Centre in Derby for a day of prayer, reflection and strategic collaboration.
The day began with Mass celebrated by Father Andrew Cole before leaders came together with CEO Lisa Walton and members of the Executive Leadership Team, to help shape the future strategic direction of the Trust.
During the day, Mrs Walton was presented with a beautiful religious icon by Father Andrew, which he had brought back from the Lourdes pilgrimage. The icon depicts Mary, Our Mother, holding the infant Jesus and surrounded by the Archangels. In the bottom corner is the Guardian Angel, a powerful reminder that we are never alone and are always held in God’s loving care and protection.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for such a wonderful occasion. We are especially grateful to Father Andrew for celebrating Mass and for his thoughtful and meaningful gift, which will serve as a lasting reminder of faith, hope and our shared mission.
Pictured right are Mrs Walton and Father Andrew, parish priest of the St Ralph Sherwin parish, with the religious icon.
Pupils and staff, past and present, joined in the celebrations for Holy Rosary Catholic Voluntary Academy’s 60th anniversary.
A picnic was held in the school grounds, in Winshill, Burton, with parents joining their children to mark the special day.
After the picnic, the Bishop of Nottingham celebrated Mass and blessed the school’s new prayer garden.
One current staff member who enjoyed the celebrations was Annette Batchelor, who attended the school as a pupil and has worked there as a Teaching Assistant for 31 years.
She said: “I had the privilege to be part of a wonderful and joyous celebratory Mass. This was led by Bishop Patrick from the Nottingham Diocese, together with local priests, as we marked the 60th Year since Holy Rosary opened its doors to young pupils.
“This was even more special, as this was also my mum’s anniversary of what would have been her 100th birthday. She was very much part of the Holy Rosary parish family.
“Holy Rosary staff both past and present came together in prayer to celebrate this special occasion. From when the school opened 60 years ago, I believe that in a similar way, the vision has always been to support and nurture our children, allowing them to grow in faith, within our school family and reach their true potential.”
Annette and Lucy Copeland were in the very first class at Holy Rosary in 1966 and share fond memories of their time there.
Lucy said: “I can remember the day I started Holy Rosary on the day it opened. It’s amazing how some of those that I started with, are still in my life. To still be friends after more than 60 years is incredible. When we moved on to senior school, we made even more friends, and we still meet up to this day. We were a very close year group and genuinely care for each other.”
John Marley, a former Year 6 teacher at the school, said: “I really enjoyed the celebrations, meeting staff and many past pupils. There were lots of chats about humorous and fond memories.”
Marie Dyche, Headteacher at Holy Rosary, said: “In celebrating this milestone for Holy Rosary we also celebrated our shared faith, our community and the vision of our school that we hope to continue to build together. Events such as these only succeed because of the acts of kindness, teamwork and willingness to go the extra mile contributed by all in participation. Thanks again to Bishop Patrick for leading Mass and all who joined us to mark this joyful and prayerful occasion.”
The Trust’s IT Support Team has been nationally recognised with an award at a leading UK education technology event.
The team took home the Outstanding IT Professionals Award at the Edufuturists Uprising 2026 event.
The recognition reflects several years of sustained work and collaboration across the Trust and judges highlighted the team’s innovation, efficiency and long-term strategic approach.
Joe Redmond, Trust IT Manager, said: “We were honestly not expecting this. It’s just one evening against the backdrop of a really challenging time in schools. But it is important to share because everything recognised has only been possible thanks to the support and trust shown by our headteachers and staff over the past four years.”
The award was presented by Dave Leonard, of the Association of Network Managers in Education.
He said: “The judges thought it rare to see a team with such initiative. The succession planning through their apprenticeship scheme, recruiting five apprentices every 18 months, is genuinely innovative, removing reliance on external parties and delivering clear financial savings. They completed a full cloud transformation in two years against a five-year estimate and maintain satisfaction above 97 per cent across thousands of support tickets.”
The work of the IT Support Team has focused on enabling schools to operate smoothly and efficiently, helping reduce operational pressures on staff.
Joe added: “We know it isn’t easy out there at the moment. If a well-functioning IT service is one less thing for schools to worry about, then we feel we’re doing our job.”
Students were given a taste of what life is like in Saint Benedict Sixth Form.
Students from Saint Benedict and schools further afield joined the school, in Derby, for its Sixth Form Taster Day.
In the morning, students were given a choice of lessons to attend and in the afternoon they took part in a series of team-building exercises.
These included a murder mystery activity, a challenge called ‘the floor is lava’, which involved team members using rubber mats to get to a finish line without touching the floor. The third activity was called ‘night flight’ and students had to form a chain and navigate a rope course whilst wearing blindfolds. The final activity was ‘pipe dream’ where students had to use sections of pipe to move a ball from the start line to the finish in a bucket.
Angela King, Senior Assistant Headteacher and Head of Sixth Form at Saint Benedict, said: “Our Sixth Form Taster Day was a fantastic opportunity for students to experience life as a Sixth Form learner and explore a range of exciting subjects and activities.
“Throughout the day, students demonstrated excellent attitudes to learning, working hard and applying themselves fully in every session they attended. They embraced new challenges with enthusiasm, engaged thoughtfully with staff and peers, and showed a genuine commitment to making the most of the experience.
“In addition to the academic sessions, students took part in a variety of team-building activities designed to develop communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. It was encouraging to see students supporting one another, sharing ideas, and working together effectively to complete tasks. Their positive approach, resilience, and willingness to step outside their comfort zones made the day a great success.
“We were extremely proud of the maturity and dedication shown by all students and look forward to welcoming them into Sixth Form in the future.”
Alison Bateman, Pastoral Head of Sixth Form, said: “This year’s taster day changed format in that students got an hour-long taster session to gain a better insight into their subject choices and adding in the team building supported in building upon essential soft skills. We were delighted to welcome back so many of our existing Year 11s as well as meeting some new faces who settled in so well.”
Pupils at St Alban’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby have rallied to support their teacher who is about to embark on a trip of a lifetime to help transform a school in Africa.
Becky Tomlinson, Year 5 class teacher, is preparing to head out with Derby County Community Trust on their Rams in Kenya trip for two weeks.
Accompanying Becky on the trip will be her husband and the couple will be based in Nakuru, at Cherish School. They will be helping in the classroom, getting crops ready for harvest, tiling and building a new toilet block and possibly a new classroom.
Becky and her husband wanted to go on an adventure after he beat cancer a couple of years ago.
She said: “My husband was very poorly with cancer and one of the things he said at the time was that he wished he’d seen more of the world. I thought this trip would be a great opportunity as my husband has experience in building and I am a teacher. He’s in remission now and is doing a lot better.”
Becky and her husband attended a presentation about the trip and were hooked.
She said: “I think it’s going to be amazing and will really take me out of my comfort zone. It will be great to get involved and give something to people I’ve never met.”
Pupils, staff and families at St Alban’s have helped to raise £850 to buy a slide and school resources for the children at Cherish School by holding a Kenya Sale in the school hall. The children in Year 5 were selling bracelets, bookmarks, crocheted items, paintings, pictures, wooden and clay sculptures that they had made themselves. The event also offered the sale of toys, books and collection cards along with various games.
Becky said: “It’s been so lovely to see the children across the school, so enthusiastic to help and wanting to get involved. I will also be taking over shoelaces and 120 school jumpers that have been donated. It doesn’t matter if they have our school logo on them, the children over there just need jumpers. We have employed someone in Nakuru to build the slide that we’ve raised money for.
“I would definitely like to get involved in classroom activities. The school has about 107 pupils aged from three to 12. I would love to create links between the children at Cherish and our children here.
“Our pupils have been so compassionate. When we told them how much money we’d raised, it meant the world to them. They wanted to make a difference and they really have done that.”
Since 2012, African Adventures has facilitated the trip to Kenya, in conjunction with Derby County Community Trust, taking over 500 volunteers to transform partner schools.
Pupils and staff at Saint Benedict Catholic Voluntary Academy in Derby are celebrating after receiving a prestigious platinum Artsmark Award.
Artsmark is the only creative quality standard for schools, accredited by Arts Council England. It transforms teaching through creativity, empowering teachers with the skills they need to embed arts, culture and creativity across the whole curriculum, and is proven to support pupil outcomes and wellbeing.
To achieve their Artsmark Award, Saint Benedict had to develop their arts and cultural provision to embed a broad and ambitious curriculum. This was achieved by creating an overall plan that was committed to and delivered across the whole school.
During their two-year journey, Saint Benedict received professional support through an immersive learning programme from Artsmark’s delivery partner, Goldsmiths, University of London, who are world-renowned leaders in creative pedagogy and cultural placemaking.
The Artsmark Assessor commended Saint Benedict and said: “Saint Benedict CVA has delivered a confident and purposeful Artsmark journey that places creativity and cultural learning at the heart of its ethos, pedagogy and strategic vision. The arts are used not simply to enrich school life, but to advance core educational aims around equity, identity, wellbeing and academic progress.”
On receiving the award, Anna West, Director of Performance and Creative Arts at Saint Benedict, the everyone was extremely proud to have achieved Artsmark Platinum Award.
She said: “We are committed to delivering a high-quality arts and cultural education because we believe every child deserves the chance to be inspired, to discover who they are and to find something that helps them shine. Our Artsmark journey has transformed our school by placing creativity and culture at the heart of school life, not as an extra, but as something every young person is entitled to experience.
“Having worked at the school for 18 years, I have had the privilege of seeing the extraordinary impact that the arts can have on generations of children who have come through our doors. I have seen children find their confidence, discover talents they did not know they had, and experience moments of real pride and belonging through music, drama, art and performance. Those experiences stay with them. They shape how young people see themselves and what they believe is possible.
“Just as importantly, this journey has also had a powerful impact on our staff and wider school community. It has given colleagues the confidence to be creative, to work in partnership, and to see the arts not as an add-on, but as a vital part of how we engage, inspire and connect with young people. That shared belief has helped build a culture in which creativity is valued, championed and lived across the school.
“More recently, we have been able to deepen that impact even further, reaching beyond our own school through meaningful partnerships with organisations such as Derby Theatre and our feeder primary schools. Through this work, the arts have become more than something enriching or enjoyable; they are now recognised as an essential part of every child’s entitlement. We want all young people to leave school not only with knowledge, but with the creativity, confidence, communication skills, resilience, empathy and collaboration they need to flourish in an ever-changing world.
“I am immensely proud of this journey and the difference it continues to make. What has been most powerful is seeing the arts move from being valued by some, to being embraced by all as part of the very identity of our school and our hopes for the children and community we serve. At its heart, this is about making sure that every child, whatever their background, can experience beauty, wonder, self-expression and success, and leave school believing that their voice, their ideas and their creativity matter, and that they can step forward into the world with confidence.”
Dr Darren Henley OBE, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, said:
“I would like to congratulate Saint Benedict on their Artsmark Award. Creative activities and cultural experiences enrich our lives, open our minds to new possibilities and help us make sense of the world around us. As an awarded Artsmark school, you’re demonstrating that by offering a broad, ambitious and creative curriculum, your young people will develop character and resilience, increasing their knowledge, curiosity and skills that will remain with them through to adult life.”
