Data set from Key stage 4 performance

KS4 subject pupil level data

Not the latest data

Published 4 November 2021

Last updated 4 November 2021

National level entries and grade thresholds for the latest year broken down by subject, gender, detailed school type and qualification type e.g. GCSEs, AS levels and vocational.

Data set details

Theme: School and college outcomes and performance
Publication: Key stage 4 performance
Release: Academic year 2020/21
Release type
Geographic levels: National
Indicators: The number of pupils entering each exam
The percentage of pupils achieving a grade 9-1 out of pupils entering that subject
The percentage of pupils achieving a grade 9-4 out of pupils entering that subject
Filters: Basis for admission into the school
Gender
Religious denomination of school
Time period: 2020/21

Data set preview

Table showing first 5 rows, from underlying data
time_period	time_identifier	version	geographic_level	country_code	country_name	characteristic_gender	table	school_type	characteristic_admission_type	characteristic_religious_denomination	subject	qualification_type	subject_entry	total_achieving_9_1	total_achieving_9_4	total_achieving_9_5	total_achieving_a_b	total_achieving_a_e	total_achieving_level_1_pass	total_achieving_level_2_pass	percentage_achieving_9_1	percentage_achieving_9_4	percentage_achieving_9_5	percentage_achieving_a_b	percentage_achieving_a_e	percentage_achieving_level_1_pass	percentage_achieving_level_2_pass
202021	Academic year	Revised	National	E92000001	England	Boys	S1	All schools	Total	Total	Ancient History	GCSE	611	596	529	480	z	z	z	z	98	87	79	z	z	z	z
202021	Academic year	Revised	National	E92000001	England	Girls	S1	All schools	Total	Total	Ancient History	GCSE	470	462	390	338	z	z	z	z	98	83	72	z	z	z	z
202021	Academic year	Revised	National	E92000001	England	Total	S1	All schools	Total	Total	Ancient History	GCSE	1081	1058	919	818	z	z	z	z	98	85	76	z	z	z	z
202021	Academic year	Revised	National	E92000001	England	Boys	S1	All schools	Total	Total	Any classical study	GCSE	6061	6048	5879	5638	z	z	z	z	100	97	93	z	z	z	z
202021	Academic year	Revised	National	E92000001	England	Girls	S1	All schools	Total	Total	Any classical study	GCSE	6707	6691	6544	6321	z	z	z	z	100	98	94	z	z	z	z

Variables in this data set

Table showing first 5 of 22 variables
Variable name	Variable description
characteristic_admission_type	Basis for admission into the school
characteristic_gender	Gender
characteristic_religious_denomination	Religious denomination of school
percentage_achieving_9_1	The percentage of pupils achieving a grade 9-1 out of pupils entering that subject
percentage_achieving_9_4	The percentage of pupils achieving a grade 9-4 out of pupils entering that subject

Footnotes

Grade U refers to pupils' results which are ungraded or unclassified.
All independent schools include non-maintained special schools, independent special schools and independent schools.
All State-funded special schools include community special schools, foundation special schools, special sponsored academies, special converter academies and special free schools.
Selective schools admit pupils wholly or mainly with reference to ability. These schools are formally designated as grammar schools.
All schools include state-funded schools, independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision. Alternative provision includes academy and free school alternative provision. Since September 2013, general further education colleges and sixth-form colleges have been able to directly enrol 14 to 16 year-olds. 2014/15 was the first year in which colleges have pupils at the end of key stage 4. From 2016 onwards, entries and achievements for these pupils are included in figures as state-funded schools.
Some zero percentages may represent small numbers due to rounding.
Since September 2013, general further education (FE) colleges and sixth-form colleges have been able to directly enrol 14- to 16-year-olds. Entries and achievements for these pupils are included in figures as state-funded schools. As FE colleges do not complete the school census, pupils at the end of key stage 4 attending FE colleges are included in the all pupils lines but not in the majority of the characteristics breakdowns. Therefore, there are some cases where the individual characteristics breakdowns will not add up to the all pupils figure. Pupils in FE colleges are included in the free school meals and disadvantaged figures from 2015/16 onwards.
Includes schools that were open before 12 September of the academic year.
z = When an observation is not applicable
Grade X refers to pupils who were absent or whose results are pending.
Religious character is taken from the GIAS (Get information about schools) website and is the legal designation of each school. Any state-funded mainstream schools who do not have their religious character recorded on the GIAS website are recorded in 'no religious character'. Religious character is taken from GIAS and are given as at 12 September at the start of the academic year, and is the legal designation of each school.
Most secondary schools educate pupils from year 7 (age 11 to 12) to year 11 (age 15 to 16). Some schools and colleges, such as university technical colleges (UTCs), studio schools or further education colleges with key stage 4 provision, differ in their age range and specialisms and this should be borne in mind when reviewing the performance tables data for these types of provision. For example, Progress 8 measures the progress made by pupils from the end of year 6 (end of primary school) through to the end of year 11, covering a period of five years. In UTCs, studio schools and some other academies, pupils typically start in year 10, rather than in year 7 as is the case for most secondary schools. This means that, by the end of year 11, pupils in these schools will have typically attended that school for only 2 years, compared to 5 years for pupils in most secondary schools. As a result, the Progress 8 data for these schools is not directly comparable with the Progress 8 data for other schools. UTCs, studio schools and some FE colleges with KS4 provision provide a specialist technical and professional education. The government’s position is that it is not appropriate to expect the same rates of EBacc entry from these types of provision and that each school should decide on a case by case basis whether its specialist curriculum is compatible with the full EBacc.
Non selective schools in other areas: Includes all non-selective schools that are not in highly selective areas, including those in areas with some selection.
State-funded mainstream schools include academies, free schools, city technology colleges and further education colleges with provision for 14 to 16 year-olds. They exclude state-funded special schools, independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools and alternative provision (including pupil referral units, AP free schools and AP academies as well as state-funded AP placements in other institutions). Further education colleges with 14-16 provision are included in the total figure for all state-funded schools but not in the breakdowns by religious character or school admissions; therefore, figures by religious character or school admissions will not add up to the figure for all state-funded mainstream schools.
All entries and achievements are for AS levels and applied AS levels with the exception of the mathematics (FSMQ) category which covers all Free Standing Mathematics Qualifications.
In 2014/15, the early entry policy where only a pupil’s first attempt at a qualification is counted in performance measures was extended to all subjects. For the summer 2020/21 results, if a pupil takes the same subject twice in summer 2021 then their best result will count. However, if they take the same subject twice across years then only the first attempt counts - regardless of the grade received.
: = When data is unavailable for other reasons
Only GCSEs and established GCSE equivalents (Cambridge International certificates and Edexcel level 1/2 certificates) are included in this data. Excludes Double Awards.
In 2017, new reformed GCSEs (which use the 9-1 grade scale) were introduced into secondary school performance tables in a phased approach. Unreformed subjects continued to be graded using the A* to G system. Information on how the 9 to 1 scale and the A* to G scale are different and not directly comparable is available in the secondary accountability measures guidance. In 2020 and 2021, all GCSEs are now reformed and use the 9-1 grading scale.
Academies and free schools include sponsored academies, converter academies, free schools studio schools and university technical colleges (UTCs).
Any science includes Astronomy, Electronics, Environmental Science and Geology.
All state-funded schools include local authority maintained mainstream schools, academies, free schools, city technology colleges, further education colleges with provision for 14 to 16 year-olds and state-funded special schools. They exclude independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision. Alternative provision includes academy and free school alternative provision.
Discounting has been applied where pupils have taken the same subject more than once. In 2020/21, only one entry per subject is counted and we count the entry with the highest grade for results received in summer 2021. Previously only the first entry grade would count and this is still the case for any results received before summer 2021. Further information can be found in the secondary accountability guidance. Where pupils have already entered for an exam within the same subject in an earlier year, first entry rules are still being used. For more on the discounting methodology prior to 2020, read the Discounting and Early Entry Guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/key-stage-4-qualifications-discount-codes-and-point-scores
Non selective schools in highly selective areas: Includes all non-selective schools in local authorities with a high level of selection (where 25% or more of state-funded secondary places are in state-funded selective schools). These local authorities are Bexley, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Medway, Slough, Southend-on-Sea, Sutton, Torbay, Trafford and Wirral.
State-funded special schools include local authority maintained special schools, academy sponsor led special schools, academy special schools and special free schools. They exclude independent special schools and non-maintained special schools.
Combined Science GCSE is a Double Award and is included in this table for the purpose of comparison with other Science subjects.
Hospital, PRU & AP schools include Community Hospital School, Foundation Hospital School, Pupil Referral Unit, sponsored academies, convertor academies, free school and alternative provision.
Any Design and Technology includes Design and Technology Engineering and Product Design qualifications.

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KS4 subject pupil level data

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