EXAM AND ASSESSMENT
Our aspiration at Rotherham Aspire is that our students are nurtured and prepared for the future in both the world of work and society.
Students arrive at Aspire with very different starting points and an academic pathway is not always appropriate to meet their individual needs. We do however, believe that all our students should leave us with tangible qualifications and have a level of functioning in numeracy and literacy to help them take their place in society as responsible and independent citizens.
​​
Outcomes 2025
GCSE
English and Mathematics
In 2025, 81% of Year 11 students left with GCSE qualifications in both English Language and Mathematics. This figure was 62% in 2017 which shows an increase of 19 percentage points (ppts) since 2017. These figures continue the consistent year on year outcomes for our Year 11 cohorts over this period. 3 student achieved passes in both English and Mathematics at Level 2 (grade 4+) when Functional Skills are taken into account. 92% of students achieved grades 1 to 5 in English Language. 83% of students achieved grades 1 to 4 in Mathematics with 7% achieving a grade 4.
(Evidence: AQA GCSE English Language and Mathematics results 2025)
Vocational Education
The number of students achieving vocational qualifications at Aspire in 2018 was 23 outcomes from 36 students. This equated to 0.64 qualifications per student. In 2022 this had risen to 107 outcomes from 42 students, equating to 2.4 qualifications per student. In 2023 this figure was 76 outcomes from 42 students equating to 1.8 outcomes per student. In 2024 this was 61 from 43 equating to 1.4 qualifications per student. In 2025 rhis figure was 110 outcomes from our Year 11 vocational cohort, equating to 1.89 qualifications per student.
Full Level 1 Awards (or better) in vocational options has risen from 20 in 2018 to 59 in 2022, 47 in 2024 and to 89 in 2025. Full Level 1 Certificates has risen from one in 2021, to 12 in 2024 and 24 in 2025. This demonstrates the strong progress being made in vocational education programmes at Rotherham Aspire.
(Evidence: NOCN and NCFE subject results, subject certificates, IV and EV reports 2022/23/24/25)
Functional Skills (FS)
89% of the full cohort have at least one FS qualification. (92% in 2024)
Maths
In 2025, of the 55students, 57% gained a FS qualification (55% in 2024) and 23% of these achieved an Entry 3 qualification with 77% gaining a Level 1. 3 students gained a Level 2 qualification (3 in 2024).
English
In 2025, of the 55 students, 45% gained a full English Functional Skills qualification (all 3 elements achieved: Reading, Writing and Speaking and Listening) - (30% in 2024). 13 acheived a full L1 pass (10 in 2024) and 7 acheived a full L2 pass.
(Evidence: NOCN Functional Skills English and Mathematics results 2025)
Key Stage 3
In Maths; of the 24 students ready for assessment 7 students made progress with 2 students making better than expected progress. No student achieved their National Curriculum Year Group Age Related Expectation.
In Reading assessments, 7 students made progress with 4 students better than expected progress.
In Writing, 7 students made progress with 3 making at least expected progress and 2 students making better than expected. No student achieved their National Curriculum Year Group Age Related Expectation in either Reading or Writing. (2025)
​
​
​
