Academic year 2023/24

Key stage 2 attainment: National headlines

Data guidance

Published 9 July 2024

This file contains key stage 2 national level data on the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard and achieving the higher standard ("greater depth" in writing teacher assessment) in: 

• reading, writing and maths
• reading test
• maths test 
• grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) test 
• writing teacher assessment
• science teacher assessment.

It also includes national average scaled scores for reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS).

The publication methodology, linked to at the bottom of the publication, should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality, as well as explaining methodology used in producing the data. 

Coverage

This publication provides information on assessment outcomes at the end of key stage 2 for all schools. 

File formats and conventions

This dataset has been rounded to 0 decimal places. 

Data files

All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.

ks2_national_headline_figures_2016_2024

• Filename: ks2_national_headline_figures_2016_2024.csv
• Geographic levels: National
• Time period: 2015/16 to 2023/24
• Content:
  This file contains national level data on the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard and achieving the higher standard ("greater depth" in writing teacher assessment) in key stage 2 assessments in England.

Variable names and descriptions

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable name	Variable description
avg_gpsscore	Average scaled score in grammar, punctuation and spelling
avg_matscore	Average scaled score in maths
avg_readscore	Average scaled score in reading
pt_gps_exp	Percentage meeting the expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling
pt_gps_high	Percentage meeting the higher standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling
pt_mat_exp	Percentage meeting the expected standard in maths
pt_mat_high	Percentage meeting the higher standard in maths
pt_read_exp	Percentage meeting the expected standard in reading
pt_read_high	Percentage meeting the higher standard in reading
pt_rwm_exp	Percentage meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (combined)
pt_rwm_high	Percentage meeting the higher standard in reading, writing and maths (combined)
pt_scita_exp	Percentage meeting the expected standard in science TA
pt_writta_exp	Percentage meeting the expected standard in writing TA
pt_writta_gd	Percentage working at greater depth in writing TA

Footnotes

1. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120. The average scaled score only includes pupils who took the test and achieved a scaled score.
2. Includes pupils who reached the expected standard in all of reading, writing and maths. The expected standard in reading and maths is a scaled score of 100 or above. The expected standard in writing is a teacher assessment of 'working at the expected standard' or 'working at greater depth'.
3. Attainment in science is not directly comparable to 2016, 2017 and 2018 because of changes to science teacher assessment frameworks in 2019.
4. Attainment in writing is not directly comparable to 2016 and 2017 because of changes to writing teacher assessment frameworks in 2018.
5. Includes all schools with pupils eligible for assessment at key stage 2. Participation by independent schools is voluntary, therefore figures include results from independent schools that chose to submit data and met the requirements for assessment and moderation.
6. The expected standard in the reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling tests is a scaled score of 100 or above. The expected standard in writing is a teacher assessment of 'working at the expected standard' or 'working at greater depth'. The expected standard in science is a teacher assessment of 'working at the expected standard'.
7. Data is not available for 2020 and 2021 as assessments were cancelled in these years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
8. Attainment in all of reading, writing and maths is not directly comparable to 2016 and 2017 because of changes to writing teacher assessment frameworks in 2018.
9. Figures for 2024 are based on provisional data. Figures for other years are based on final data.