Data set from Key stage 4 performance

KS4 national data

Not the latest data

Published 26 November 2020

Last updated 26 November 2020

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Data set details

• Theme: School and college outcomes and performance
• Publication: Key stage 4 performance
• Release: Academic year 2019/20
• Geographic levels: National
• Indicators:
  • Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils
  • Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils for Ebacc element
  • Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils for English element
• Filters:
  • Attainment level assigned to pupil based on their KS2 results
  • Basis for admission into the school e.g. non-selective schools in other areas, selective schools
  • Gender
• Time period: 2009/10 to 2019/20

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Data set preview

Table showing first 5 rows, from underlying data

time_period	time_identifier	geographic_level	country_code	country_name	version	school_characteristic	breakdown	characteristic_gender	characteristic_prior_attainment	characteristic_admission_type	characteristic_religious_denomination	t_schools	t_pupils	t_att8	avg_att8	t_entbasics	pt_entbasics	t_l2basics_95	pt_l2basics_95	t_l2basics_94	pt_l2basics_94	t_ebacc_e_ptq_ee	pt_ebacc_e_ptq_ee	t_ebacc_95	pt_ebacc_95	t_ebacc_94	pt_ebacc_94	t_ebaccaps	avg_ebaccaps	t_inp8calc	t_p8score	avg_p8score	p8score_CI_low	p8score_CI_upp	t_p8eng	avg_p8eng	p8eng_CI_low	p8eng_CI_upp	t_p8mat	avg_p8mat	p8mat_CI_low	p8mat_CI_upp	t_p8ebac	avg_p8ebac	p8ebac_CI_low	p8ebac_CI_upp	t_p8open	avg_p8open	p8open_CI_low	p8open_CI_upp	t_entry_1	pt_entry_1	t_anypass	pt_anypass	t_ebaceng_e	pt_ebaceng_e	t_ebacmat_e	pt_ebacmat_e	t_ebac2sci_e	pt_ebac2sci_e	t_ebachum_e	pt_ebachum_e	t_ebaclan_e	pt_ebaclan_e	t_ebaceng_95	pt_ebaceng_95	t_ebacmat_95	pt_ebacmat_95	t_ebac2sci_95	pt_ebac2sci_95	t_ebachum_95	pt_ebachum_95	t_ebaclan_95	pt_ebaclan_95	t_ebaceng_94	pt_ebaceng_94	t_ebacmat_94	pt_ebacmat_94	t_ebac2sci_94	pt_ebac2sci_94	t_ebachum_94	pt_ebachum_94	t_ebaclan_94	pt_ebaclan_94	t_ebptseng_ll	avg_ebptseng_ll	t_ebptsmat	avg_ebptsmat	t_ebptssci	avg_ebptssci	t_ebptshum	avg_ebptshum	t_ebptslan	avg_ebptslan	t_att8_eng	avg_att8_eng	t_att8_mat	avg_att8_mat	t_att8_ebac	avg_att8_ebac	t_att8_open	avg_att8_open	t_att8_open_g	avg_att8_open_g	t_att8_open_ng	avg_att8_open_ng	t_ebac_fill	avg_ebac_fill	t_open_fill	avg_open_fill	t_ebaccsubjent_0	pt_ebaccsubjent_0	t_ebaccsubjent_1	pt_ebaccsubjent_1	t_ebaccsubjent_2	pt_ebaccsubjent_2	t_ebaccsubjent_3	pt_ebaccsubjent_3	t_ebaccsubjent_4	pt_ebaccsubjent_4	t_ent_comb_sci	pt_ent_comb_sci	t_eballsci_ptq_ee	pt_eballsci_ptq_ee	t_triplesci_e	pt_triplesci_e	t_ent_hist_geog	pt_ent_hist_geog	t_multilan_e	pt_multilan_e	t_entered_art	pt_entered_art
201920	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	Revised	Academies and free schools	Prior attainment	Boys	High prior	Total	Total	2286	89557	5575690.8	62.3	89251	99.7	71897	80.3	84177	94	47505	53	30773	34.4	40181	44.9	503887.97	5.63	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	89399	99.8	89370	99.8	89003	99.4	89297	99.7	88788	99.1	79044	88.3	52572	58.7	76147	85	79201	88.4	72618	81.8	63871	80.8	36803	70	85101	95	86865	97	83292	93.8	72197	91.3	45584	86.7	544256.13	6.08	577676.25	6.45	561125.22	6.27	485295	5.42	293867.53	3.28	1089561.26	12.2	1155352.5	12.9	1691204.41	18.9	1639572.63	18.3	1427425.63	15.9	212147	2.4	265513	3	265084	3	178	0.2	199	0.2	337	0.4	5046	5.6	36292	40.5	45202	50.5	43588	48.7	43393	48.5	11276	12.6	3108	3.5	27073	30.2
201920	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	Revised	All independent schools	Prior attainment	Boys	High prior	Total	Total	8	13	308.5	23.7	5	38.5	2	15.4	4	30.8	1	7.7	1	7.7	1	7.7	25.85	1.99	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	8	61.5	8	61.5	2	15.4	7	53.8	7	53.8	2	15.4	2	15.4	1	7.7	6	46.2	5	71.4	1	50	2	100	2	15.4	7	53.8	6	85.7	1	50	2	100	10	0.77	42	3.23	38.5	2.96	9	0.69	17	1.31	39	3	84	6.5	99	7.6	86.5	6.7	67	5.2	19.5	1.5	17	1.3	13	1	5	38.5	2	15.4	3	23.1	1	7.7	1	7.7	7	53.8	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	7.7	5	38.5
201920	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	Revised	All schools	Prior attainment	Boys	High prior	Total	Total	3436	118269	7286092.83	61.6	117569	99.4	93694	79.2	110285	93.2	60850	51.5	39268	33.2	51435	43.5	656851.96	5.55	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	117990	99.8	117937	99.7	116647	98.6	117761	99.6	116456	98.5	103068	87.1	67611	57.2	99383	84	103597	87.6	94674	81.3	83020	80.5	47321	70	111368	94.2	114117	96.5	109020	93.6	93979	91.2	58662	86.8	710686.13	6.01	756777.63	6.4	732588.54	6.19	630707	5.33	377786.29	3.19	1424800.26	12	1513555.26	12.8	2207921.17	18.7	2139816.14	18.1	1868821.64	15.8	270994.5	2.3	348118	2.9	347539	2.9	658	0.6	797	0.7	752	0.6	6964	5.9	48525	41	60579	51.2	55882	47.2	55684	47.1	14348	12.1	3818	3.2	35810	30.3
201920	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	Revised	All special schools	Prior attainment	Boys	High prior	Total	Total	133	236	4373.76	18.5	149	63.1	41	17.4	77	32.6	4	1.7	3	1.3	3	1.3	330.46	1.4	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	186	78.8	185	78.4	60	25.4	175	74.2	80	33.9	35	14.8	8	3.4	35	14.8	74	31.4	38	47.5	18	51.4	5	62.5	46	19.5	113	47.9	57	71.3	25	71.4	8	100	293	1.24	730.88	3.1	375	1.59	165	0.7	44	0.19	899	3.8	1461.76	6.2	1097	4.6	916	3.9	745	3.2	171	0.7	246	1	216	0.9	56	23.7	82	34.7	42	17.8	36	15.3	16	6.8	76	32.2	4	1.7	4	1.7	1	0.4	1	0.4	60	25.4
201920	Academic year	National	E92000001	England	Revised	All state-funded	Prior attainment	Boys	High prior	Total	Total	3134	117351	7268871.08	61.9	116854	99.6	93560	79.7	109975	93.7	60841	51.8	39263	33.5	51427	43.8	655626.09	5.59	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	:	117076	99.8	117039	99.7	116345	99.1	116948	99.7	116156	99	102954	87.7	67575	57.6	99270	84.6	103324	88	94576	81.4	82981	80.6	47296	70	111180	94.7	113616	96.8	108856	93.7	93918	91.2	58633	86.8	709445.13	6.05	753640.63	6.42	731424.04	6.23	630284	5.37	377561.29	3.22	1420829.26	12.1	1507281.26	12.8	2204294.17	18.8	2136466.39	18.2	1866018.64	15.9	270447.75	2.3	347213	3	346668	3	310	0.3	391	0.3	508	0.4	6838	5.8	48463	41.3	60311	51.4	55849	47.6	55651	47.4	14344	12.2	3816	3.3	35661	30.4

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Variables in this data set

Table showing first 5 of 127 variables

Variable name	Variable description
avg_att8	Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils
avg_att8_ebac	Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils for Ebacc element
avg_att8_eng	Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils for English element
avg_att8_mat	Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils for mathematics element
avg_att8_open	Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils for open element

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Footnotes

1. Due to one school being recorded under the Hindu religious character, any figures that are not published in the performance tables are suppressed for this grouping.
2. Explore education statistics (EES) glossary can be found at https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/glossary
3. The English Baccalaureate element includes the three highest point scores from any of the English Baccalaureate qualifications in science subjects, computer science, history, geography, and languages.
4. 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.
5. : = When data is unavailable for other reasons
6. 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.
7. The Secondary accountability measures guidance can be found alongside the KS4 data and metadata files under 'Download associated files'.
8. Includes entries and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years.
9. From 2017, new GCSE qualifications in English and mathematics, graded 9-1, are included in performance tables. Points will be allocated to the new GCSEs on a 9-1 point scale corresponding to the new 9 to 1 grades, e.g. a grade 9 will get 9 points in the performance measures. To minimize change, legacy GCSEs and all other qualifications will be mapped onto the 9-1 scale from 2017 (with 8.5 being the maximum points available for legacy GCSEs), rather than mapping new GCSEs onto the 8-1 scale and moving to 9-1 when legacy GCSEs are no longer available. By 2020 all GCSEs will be reformed.
10. Selective schools admit pupils wholly or mainly with reference to ability. These schools are formally designated as grammar schools.
11. 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.
12. 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'. This list of religious characters is complete for 2019 data. 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.
13. 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.
14. Figures not present in the data means there are no pupils at the end of key stage 4 for this breakdown.
15. Hospital, PRU & AP schools include Community Hospital School, Foundation Hospital School, Pupil Referral Unit, sponsered academies, convertor academies, free school and alternative provision.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. Percentage of pupils achieving grades 5 or above in English and mathematics measures are calculated as a percentage of all pupils at the end of key stage 4. Prior to 2015/16, where the English language and English literature option was chosen in English, exams in both had to be taken and a C grade or above achieved in English language. From 2015/16, to meet the English requirement of the A*-C in English and maths Attainment measure, a C in either English language or English literature counted and there was no requirement to take both. From 2017, following the introduction of the reformed 9 to 1 GCSEs in English, a grade 5 or above in either English language or English literature counts and there remains no requirement to take both. The 9-4 measure shows pupils who achieved a grade 4 or above in either English language or English literature and maths and is shown alongside the headline measure for transparency and comparability.
19. c = From 2018 revised data, suppression due to low numbers was not applied unless deemed necessary. Previous years' data remains suppressed. For 2020, where a geographical area contains only one school (for example Isles of Scilly) the data for that area has been suppressed. This is in line with the announcement that school level data would not be published using the summer 2020 exam grades awarded.
20. EBacc entry and Attainment are shown as the percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4. Ebacc thresholds are included for transparency and comparability. Prior to 2015/16, where the English language and English literature option was chosen in EBacc English, exams in both had to be taken and a C grade or above achieved in English language. In 2015/16, to meet the English requirement of the EBacc, exams in both had to be taken and a C grade or above achieved in either English language or English literature. In 2016/17, the definition of 'percentage achieving the English Baccalaureate' has changed to 'the proportion of pupils achieving the Ebacc which included a grade 5 or above in English and mathematics, and grade C or above in unreformed subjects' following the introduction of the reformed 9 to 1 GCSEs in English and mathematics. The 9-4 grade shows pupils who achieved a grade 4 or above in English and mathematics, and a grade C in unreformed subjects. In 2017/18, EBacc APS provides the headline EBacc measure but the 9-5 EBacc threshold is the proportion of pupils achieving the Ebacc which included a grade 5 or above in reformed subjects, and grade C or above in unreformed subjects. Most of the Ebacc subjects were reformed in 2017/18 and so caution should be taken in comparing to 2016/17 with only reformed English and maths. For the 9-4 EBacc threshold is the proportion of pupils achieving the Ebacc which included a grade 4 or above in reformed subjects, and grade C or above in unreformed subjects.
21. Local authority (LA) maintained mainstream schools include community schools, voluntary aided schools, voluntary controlled schools and foundation schools. Schools fully or partially under local authority control that are state-funded, mainly by the Dedicated Schools Grant.
22. From 2013/14 EBacc sciences includes computer science. From 2018 GCSEs in core, additional and further additional science are no longer eligible to count. Sciences includes the double award GCSE in combined science, and single GCSEs in biology, chemistry, physics and computer science.
23. Academies and free schools include sponsored academies, converter academies, free schools studio schools and university technical colleges (UTCs).
24. School admission basis is taken from GIAS (Get Information About Schools) website and is self-declared by the school. From 2019, school performance tables will identify selective state-funded mainstream schools using GIAS and treat other state-funded mainstream schools as non-selective. School admissions basis is given as at 12 September at the start of the academic year.
25. Prior to 2016, school admission basis was taken from the 'Get information about schools' website, which was self-declared by each school and not necessarily a true reflection of a school's admission policy. From 2016, we moved to an alternative classification which will continue into 2017. This is expected to be a more accurate reflection of the current admissions basis of a school. This groups schools into selective schools, non-selective schools in highly selective areas and all other non-selective schools. The selective group covers the same schools as in the previous grouping. Non-selective schools in highly selective areas cover all schools in local authorities where 25% or more of state-funded secondary places are in state-funded selective schools. The all other non-selective schools group includes schools in local authorities with some selection, as well as those with no selection.
26. 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.
27. Reformed GCSEs in English and mathematics were taught from September 2015, with the first examinations taking place in Summer 2017. Reformed GCSEs in other subjects were firstly phased in for teaching from September 2016, continued into 2017 and a very small number in 2018, 2019, and 2020. As they were introduced, only the newly reformed GCSEs counted in secondary school performance measures (and tables when published). From 2020, all GCSEs in England have been reformed and use the new 9 to 1 grading system (rather than A*-G) . Year on year comparisons will be limited until these qualifications are consistently included from 2020 onwards. However, results for 2020 are not comparable with earlier years due to the cancellation of exams (due to COVID-19) and the awarding of GCSE grades via centre assessment grades.
28. EBacc average point score (Ebacc APS) was introduced as a headline measure in 2018 and replaced the previous threshold 'EBacc Attainment' measure. EBacc APS measures pupils’ point scores across the five pillars of the EBacc. This ensures the Attainment of all pupils is recognised, not just those at particular grade boundaries, encouraging schools to enter pupils of all abilities, and support them to achieve their full potential. Threshold measures are included for completeness and are reported as a percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4. The two threshold measures are: i) proportion of pupils achieving grade 5/C or above, ii) proportion of pupils achieving a grade 4/C or above respectively.
29. Progress 8 data is not being published using 2019/20 data because of the cancellation of GCSE exams. Calculating Progress 8 has an element of modelling (estimating the average Attainment 8 for pupils in similar prior Attainment groups) and with the lack of exam data, the Progress 8 measure is not meaningful as a measure of Progress for 2020.
30. z = When an observation is not applicable
31. All State-funded special schools include community special schools, foundation special schools, special sponsored academies, special converter academies and special free schools.
32. 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.
33. The open element contains the three highest point scores in any three other subjects, including English language or literature (if not counted in the English slot), further GCSE qualifications (including English Baccalaureate subjects) or any other non-GCSE qualifications on the DfE approved list.
34. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting school closures, the summer exam series was cancelled in 2020. Pupils scheduled to sit GCSE exams in 2020 were awarded either a centre assessment grade submitted by their teachers or their calculated grade using a model developed by Ofqual - whichever was the higher of the two. Due to the changed awarding process for GCSE grades it is recommended that year on year comparisons are not made. For further information: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020/coronavirus-covid-19-cancellation-of-gcses-as-and-a-levels-in-2020 
35. In 2013/14, two major reforms were implemented which affect the calculation of key stage 4 performance measures data: 1) Professor Alison Wolf’s Review of Vocational Education recommendations which: restrict the qualifications counted; prevent any qualification from counting as larger than one GCSE; and cap the number of non-GCSEs included in performance measures at two per pupil, and 2) an early entry policy to only count a pupil’s first attempt at a qualification, in subjects counted in the English Baccalaureate.
36. All independent schools include non-maintained special schools, independent special schools and independent schools.
37. A Progress 8 score of 1.0 means pupils in the group make on average approximately a grade more Progress than the national average; a score of -0.5 means they make on average approximately half a grade less Progress than average. Progress 8 scores should be interpreted alongside the associated confidence intervals. If the lower bound of the confidence interval is greater than zero, it can be interpreted as meaning that the group achieves greater than average Progress compared to pupils in mainstream schools nationally and that this is statistically significant. If the upper bound is negative, this means that the group achieves lower than average Progress compared to pupils in mainstream schools nationally and that this is statistically significant.
38. Attainment 8 and Progress 8 are part of the secondary accountability system that was implemented for all schools from 2016. Attainment 8 measures pupils’ Attainment across 8 qualifications including maths, English, three ebacc qualifications and three further GCSE or non-GCSE qualifications. From 2018, Attainment 8 had a maximum point score of 90, compared to a maximum of 87 in 2017 and 80 in 2016. This helped to minimise fluctuations in the average Attainment 8 scores following the phased introduction of 9-1 reformed GCSEs. These differences should be considered when comparing Attainment 8 scores between 2016-2019. In 2020, the majority of Attainment 8 scores are based on qualifications that were awarded via centre assessment grades rather than exams, so they are likely to be higher due to this and are not comparable to previous years.
39. Some zero percentages may represent small numbers due to rounding.
40. Average number of slots filled that contains U grades or other qualifications scoring 0 points are counted as a non-filled slot.

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