National characteristics data
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National level headline entry and attainment measures broken down by year, detailed school type, gender, major and minor ethnicity, free school meal eligibility, special educational need status and description, primary need, disadvantaged status, first language, school admission type and school religious denomination.
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Data set details
- Theme
- School and college outcomes and performance
- Publication
- Key stage 4 performance
- Release
- Academic year 2022/23
- Release type
- Geographic levels
- National
- Indicators
- Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils
- Average EBacc APS score per pupil
- Average Progress 8 score of all pupils
- Filters
- Gender
- Major ethnic group
- Minor ethnic group
- Time period
- 2018/19 to 2022/23
Data set preview
| time_period | time_identifier | geographic_level | country_code | country_name | version | establishment_type | breakdown | gender | ethnicity_major | ethnicity_minor | free_school_meals | sen_status | primary_need | all_primary_need | sen_description | disadvantage | first_language | admission_type | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 202223 | Academic year | National | E92000001 | England | Revised | Academies and free schools | Ethnicity major | Boys | Asian | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 1981 | 28539 | 1497483.84 | 52.5 | 28216 | 98.9 | 16706 | 58.5 | 21393 | 75 | 14439 | 50.6 | 6533 | 22.9 | 8796 | 30.8 | 134891.6 | 4.73 | 24860 | 10779.17 | 0.43 | 0.42 | 0.45 |
| 202223 | Academic year | National | E92000001 | England | Revised | Academies and free schools | Ethnicity major | Boys | Black | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 1689 | 13744 | 614021.5 | 44.7 | 13560 | 98.7 | 5898 | 42.9 | 8707 | 63.4 | 6048 | 44 | 1699 | 12.4 | 2739 | 19.9 | 54134.22 | 3.94 | 11804 | 789.698 | 0.07 | 0.04 | 0.09 |
| 202223 | Academic year | National | E92000001 | England | Revised | Academies and free schools | Ethnicity major | Boys | Mixed | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 2267 | 14137 | 650317.01 | 46 | 13838 | 97.9 | 6484 | 45.9 | 9209 | 65.1 | 5697 | 40.3 | 2294 | 16.2 | 3271 | 23.1 | 57712.19 | 4.08 | 13040 | -1594.481 | -0.12 | -0.15 | -0.1 |
| 202223 | Academic year | National | E92000001 | England | Revised | Academies and free schools | Ethnicity major | Boys | Other | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 1379 | 5168 | 233849 | 45.2 | 4936 | 95.5 | 2339 | 45.3 | 3239 | 62.7 | 2550 | 49.3 | 1011 | 19.6 | 1451 | 28.1 | 21471.51 | 4.15 | 3833 | 1669.806 | 0.44 | 0.39 | 0.48 |
| 202223 | Academic year | National | E92000001 | England | Revised | Academies and free schools | Free school meals | Boys | Total | Total | FSM | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 2443 | 52051 | 1791194.39 | 34.4 | 49531 | 95.2 | 12905 | 24.8 | 22290 | 42.8 | 13413 | 25.8 | 3081 | 5.9 | 5155 | 9.9 | 153715.85 | 2.95 | 48457 | -31788.319 | -0.66 | -0.67 | -0.64 |
Variables in this data set
| Variable name | Variable description |
|---|---|
| admission_type | Basis for admission into the school e.g. non-selective schools in other areas, selective schools |
| all_primary_need | Primary need grouping |
| avg_att8 | Average Attainment 8 score of all pupils |
| avg_ebaccaps | Average EBacc APS score per pupil |
| avg_p8score | Average Progress 8 score of all pupils |
Footnotes
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- All State-funded special schools include community special schools, foundation special schools, special sponsored academies, special converter academies and special free schools.
- 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.
- Academies and free schools include sponsored academies, converter academies, free schools, studio schools and university technical colleges (UTCs).
- 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.
- Selective schools admit pupils wholly or mainly with reference to ability. These schools are formally designated as grammar schools.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Some zero percentages may represent small numbers due to rounding.
- z = When an observation is not applicable
- : = When data is unavailable for other reasons
- In 2020 and 2021 Progress 8 data was not published because of the cancellation of GCSE exams (due to COVID-19). Calculating Progress 8 has an element of modelling (estimating the average Attainment 8 score for pupils with similar prior attainment) and with the lack of exam data, the Progress 8 measure is not meaningful as a measure of Progress. Progress 8 was reintroduced from 2022.
- 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.
- Reformed GCSEs were introduced in phases for first examination between 2017 and 2020. The last phase of reformed GCSEs was first examined in 2022. This was due to the cancellation of exams and assessments in summer 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the pandemic. All GCSEs now use the 9-1 grading system. Results for 2020 and 2021 are not comparable with earlier years due to the cancellation of exams (due to Covid-19) and changes to way GCSE grades were awarded in those years. GCSE exams returned in 2022 and grades were awarded at a midpoint between 2021 and pre-pandemic grading. Changes were made to the methodology for calculating performance data due to the commitment not to use qualification results awarded between January 2020 and August 2021 in future measures. In 2023 there was a return to pre-pandemic grading, with some protections.
- English as an additional language (EAL) unclassified includes pupils whom first language was not obtained, refused or could not be determined.
- English includes pupils whose first language is English and pupils whose first language is not known but believed to be English.
- Other than English includes pupils whose first language is other than English and pupils whose first language is not known but believed to be other than English.
- Free school meals (FSM) does not relate to pupils who actually received free school meals but those who are eligible to receive free school meals. Pupils not eligible for free school meals or unclassified pupils are described as 'FSM all other’.
- Sub totals may not sum to the grand total due to a small number of pupils with missing information e.g. for SEN, EAL, prior attainment level, religious denomination and admission type.
- From 2014/15, disadvantaged pupils include pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM) in any spring, autumn, summer, alternative provision or pupil referral unit census from year 6 to year 11 or are looked after children for at least one day or are adopted from care. For 2013/14 and earlier years, they include pupils known to be eligible for FSM in any spring, autumn, summer, alternative provision or pupil referral unit census from year 6 to year 11 or are looked after children.
- Disadvantaged all other includes pupils for whom free school meal eligibility could not be determined.
- Statement/EHC plan indicates whether a pupil a pupil has a statement of SEN or an education, health and care (EHC) plan when a formal assessment has been made.
- SEN support indicates whether a pupil has extra or different help given from that provided as part of the school’s usual curriculum. The class teacher and SEN coordinator (SENCO) may receive advice or support from outside specialists. This category replaces the former ‘school action’ and ‘school action plus’ categories.
- All pupils with a primary need (from 2014/15 onwards this consisted of pupils flagged as SEN with a statement, EHC plan, SEN support).
- 'Total' includes pupils for whom Free School Meal eligibility (FSM), Special Educational Needs status (SEN provision) or SEN primary need could not be determined. This figure also includes pupils at further education colleges: as FE colleges do not complete the school census, we do not have matched pupil characteristics data of pupils in FE colleges and therefore these pupils are not included in characteristics breakdowns. This means that there are some cases where the individual characteristics breakdowns will not add up to the all pupils figure.
- Following special educational needs and disability (SEND) reforms in 2014/15, SEN pupils are categorised as 'SEN with a statement or Education, health and care (EHC) plan' and 'SEN support'. SEN support replaces 'school action' and 'school action plus' (grouped as SEN without a statement up to and including 2013/14) but some pupils remain with these provision types in first year of transition. More detailed information on the reforms can be found at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
- A new code was added in 2014/15 for those who are yet to be assessed for type of need. This may include some who have transferred from School Action to SEN support.
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) was added as a new type of need in 2014/15; the previous type of need Behaviour, Emotional and Social Difficulties has been removed although it is not expected that SEMH will be a direct replacement.
- 'Any SEN' indicates whether a pupil has learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age. This includes 'SEN with a statement 'EHC plan' or 'SEN support'.
- Unclassified ethnicity includes pupils whom ethnicity was not obtained, refused or could not be determined.
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