Confused about Progress 8 measures and the new style league tables for secondary schools? Here’s what you need to know.
Attainment 8 and Progress 8 (in a nutshell)
Progress 8 has been designed to measure pupils’ progress at school, rather than just their final results. By measuring the difference between where secondary school pupils begin at key stage 2 and where they finish at key stage 4, the government can calculate how well pupils progress at different schools, and compare results in league tables.
Attainment 8 scores measure pupils’ results across 8 subjects. AQA has a useful guide to understanding how Attainment 8 scores are calculated.
A student’s Progress 8 score focuses on the difference between their achieved Attainment 8 score and their estimated Attainment 8 score.
A school’s Progress 8 score, meanwhile, is the mean average of its students’ Progress 8 scores.
A score of more than zero means that pupils are making better progress than the national average. Meanwhile, a score below zero means pupils are making less progress – and a score of -0.5 will trigger an inspection.
Still confused? Take a look at the government’s 3-minute Youtube tutorial.
Further information is also available from the BBC.
If your child is supported by one of our secondary school tutors, they will also be very happy to talk you through the new systems.
To arrange personal tuition for your secondary school child, please contact your local Area Advisor. A contact form and contact details can be found on your Area page.