Academic year 2017/18

Multi-academy trust performance measures at key stage 2

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Introduction

This release presents performance measures for multi-academy trusts (MATs). A MAT must have at least three schools that have been with the MAT for at least three years and have results in 2017/18 to be included. Where an academy sponsor oversees a number of multi-academy trusts, results are presented under the sponsor rather than the individual constituent MATs.

The MAT performance measures at key stage 2 are progress in reading, writing and maths. There is no combined reading, writing and maths attainment measure for MATs. Progress scores for schools within a MAT are weighted according to the length of time they have been in the MAT and their total cohort size, in order to produce MAT level figures. More information on the calculation of the measures and eligibility criteria is contained in the accompanying quality and methodology document.

The number of eligible MATs included in the key stage 2 measures has increased from 155 in 2016/17 to 240 in 2017/18 (239 for maths). This is an increase from 893 to 1,408 schools, and from 35,442 to 56,367 pupils. This represents 9.3% of the state-funded mainstream key stage 2 pupil cohort.


Headline facts and figures - 2017/18

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About this release

This release compares multi-academy trust (MAT) figures to the national average. Non-mainstream state-funded schools such as special schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision facilities do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the MAT performance measures. MAT performance is therefore compared to the national average for all state-funded mainstream schools, which excludes these school types.

Figures for MATs include eligible MATs and eligible schools only. Some schools are in a MAT but are not eligible for inclusion. These are excluded from the MATs figures but included in the national average

Academies and multi-academies trusts

Academies are state schools directly funded by the government. Each one is part of an academy trust. Trusts can be single academy trusts responsible for one academy or multi-academy trusts (MATs) responsible for a group of academies. An academy sponsor may oversee a number of MATs. The statistics in this release report at the highest level of accountability. Where an academy sponsor oversees a number of multi-academy trusts, results are presented under the sponsor rather than the individual constituent MATs.

The number of eligible MATs included in the key stage 2 measures has increased from 155 in 2016/17 to 240 in 2017/18. This is an increase from 893 to 1,408 schools, and from 35,442 to 56,367 pupils. This represents 9.3% of the state-funded mainstream key stage 2 pupil cohort. That figure rises to 11.0% of the state-funded mainstream pupil cohort (a total of 67,198 pupils) when MATs that are not currently eligible for inclusion in the performance measures are included.

The chart below shows the percentage of MATs by the size of the MAT, for the MATs and schools included in the performance data in this release. 37% of eligible MATs have three eligible schools in 2017/18.

The table below shows the distribution of the schools included in the MAT measures by school type, showing a slightly higher proportion of converter academies (typically previously high performing schools) than sponsor led academies (typically previously poor performing schools). This reverses the majority group from 2017 when 48.8% were converter academies, 50.8% sponsor led academies and 0.3% free schools.

Progress in multi-academy trusts

In 2017/18, 25.4% of MATs performed above the national average in the reading progress measure by a statistically significant amount whilst 25.0% of MATs performed significantly below the national average – 2.5% of MATs were classified as Well above average and 2.1% as Well below average. The remaining 49.6% were not above or below the national average by a statistically significant amount.

In the writing progress measure, 32.1% of MATs performed above the national average by a statistically significant amount whilst 18.3% of MATs performed significantly below the national average – 5.8% of MATs were classified as Well above average and 1.3% as Well below average. The remaining 49.6% were not above or below the national average by a statistically significant amount.

In the maths progress measure, 30.1% of MATs performed above the national average by a statistically significant amount whilst 24.3% of MATs performed significantly below the national average – 2.9% of MATs were classified as Well above average and 0.8% as Well below average. The remaining 45.6% were not above or below the national average by a statistically significant amount. The figure below compares performance in MATs with the national average for state-funded mainstream schools. Pupils in MATs make more progress in writing and maths than the national average but less in reading.

Progress in reading in sponsor led academies is lower than the national average for all mainstream schools, which indicates why the reading progress in MATs is lower than the national average. However, reading progress in sponsor led and converter academies which are in MATs is higher than the national average for sponsor led and converter academies respectively. Reading progress in free schools in a MAT is lower than the national average for free schools, unlike writing and maths. The differences for free schools in reading and maths are not statistically significant as there are only 11 free schools (about 250 pupils) included in the MATs measures.

In addition, there are other school types included in the national average that are not eligible to be in MATs, including voluntary schools. Progress in reading in voluntary aided schools increases the national average.

Variation in performance of MATs in key stage 2 progress measures

Annex A presents a series of charts which display the variation in each of the progress measures (reading, writing and maths) by MAT. The charts show that writing progress has the most variation between outcomes for MATs. It has both the highest and lowest progress scores at +4.8 and -5.9 respectively. Reading has the least variation but results still vary considerably with a range of +3.5 to -3.7. The variation in maths is from +4.4 to -4.1. Writing also has most variation at national level for all state-funded mainstream schools.

Performance of MATs in key stage 2 progress measures by pupil characteristics

The table below shows that the percentage of pupils that are disadvantaged, have special educational needs (SEN) or have English as an additional language (EAL) are higher in MATs (eligible MATs and schools only) than the national average, and their prior attainment at key stage 1 is slightly lower.

The analysis by characteristics described below shows that disadvantaged pupils make more progress in each measure than the national average for disadvantaged pupils. Similarly, EAL pupils make more progress in each measure than the national average for EAL pupils. However, SEN pupils, non-SEN pupils, low prior attainment pupils, non-disadvantaged pupils and pupils with English as a first language make less progress in reading than their respective national averages.

The gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils is smaller in MATs than the national average. However, the gap between SEN and non-SEN pupils, EAL pupils and pupils with English as a first language, and between low and high prior attainment pupils, is larger in MATs than the national average.

Progress measures for disadvantaged pupils

For each progress measure, disadvantaged pupils in MATs make more progress than the national average for disadvantaged pupils. For non-disadvantaged pupils, pupils in MATs make more progress than the national average for non-disadvantaged pupils in writing and maths but less in reading. The gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils is smaller in MATs than the national average for each progress measure.

In reading, disadvantaged pupils in MATs achieve an average progress score of -0.38 compared to 0.24 for non-disadvantaged pupils. Both disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils in MATs make least progress in reading. Progress for disadvantaged pupils in MATs is not statistically significant from the national average for disadvantaged pupils. Nationally, non-disadvantaged pupils achieve 0.35.

Disadvantaged pupils in MATs achieve an average writing progress score of 0.15 compared to 0.64 for non-disadvantaged pupils. Writing has the smallest attainment gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils in MATs. Both disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils in MATs make most progress in writing, and more progress than the national average for disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils respectively. Nationally, disadvantaged pupils achieve -0.32 and non-disadvantaged pupils achieve 0.28.

Disadvantaged pupils in MATs achieve an average maths progress score of -0.23 compared to 0.47 for non-disadvantaged pupils. Maths has the largest attainment gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils in MATs. Nationally, disadvantaged pupils achieve -0.47 and non-disadvantaged pupils achieve 0.35.

Progress measures for pupils with English as an additional language (EAL)

Pupils with EAL in MATs make more progress in each measure than the national average for EAL pupils. Pupils in MATs with English as a first language (EFL) make more progress than the national average for EFL pupils in writing and maths but less in reading. The gap between EAL and EFL pupils is larger in MATs than the national average for each progress measure.

EAL pupils in MATs achieve an average reading progress score of 0.69 compared to -0.16 for EFL pupils – this compares nationally with 0.63 and -0.03 respectively. EAL pupils in MATs make least progress in reading. The difference between EAL pupils in MATs and EAL pupils nationally is not statistically significant.

EAL pupils in MATs achieve an average writing progress score of 1.93 compared to 0.11 for EFL pupils – nationally, the respective figures are 1.30 and -0.17. Reading has the smallest attainment gap between EAL and EFL pupils in MATs.

EAL pupils in MATs achieve an average maths progress score of 2.26 compared to -0.28 for EFL pupils – nationally, the respective figures are 2.12 and -0.35. EAL pupils in MATs make most progress in maths whilst EFL pupils in MATs make least progress. Maths has the largest attainment gap between EAL and EFL pupils in MATs. The difference between EAL pupils in MATs and EAL pupils nationally is not statistically significant.

Progress measures for pupils with special educational needs (SEN)

Both SEN and non-SEN pupils in MATs make more progress than the national average for SEN and non-SEN pupils respectively in writing and maths but less in reading. The gap between SEN and non-SEN pupils is larger in MATs than the national average for each progress measure.

In reading, SEN pupils in MATs achieve an average progress score of -1.39 compared to 0.30 for non-SEN pupils. Non-SEN pupils in MATs make least progress in reading. Nationally, SEN pupils achieve -1.16. The difference between non-SEN pupils in MATs and the national average for non-SEN pupils is not statistically significant.

SEN pupils in MATs achieve an average writing progress score of -1.92 compared to 0.96 for non-SEN pupils. SEN pupils in MATs make least progress in writing whilst non-SEN pupils in MATs make most progress. Writing has the largest attainment gap between SEN and non-SEN pupils in MATs. Nationally, non-SEN pupils achieve 0.52. The difference between SEN pupils in MATs and SEN pupils nationally is not statistically significant.

SEN pupils in MATs achieve an average maths progress score of -1.13 compared to 0.48 for non-SEN pupils. SEN pupils in MATs make most progress in maths and maths has the smallest attainment gap between SEN and non-SEN pupils in MATs. Nationally, non-SEN pupils achieve 0.34. The difference between SEN pupils in MATs and SEN pupils nationally is not statistically significant.

Progress measures by prior attainment at key stage 1

Prior attainment at key stage 1 is split into three groups: low, medium and high prior attainment.[1] (opens in a new tab) Pupils in the low and medium prior attainment groups in MATs make more progress in writing and maths than the national average for these groups, but less progress in reading. Pupils in the high prior attainment group in MATs make more progress in writing than the national average for high prior attainment pupils, but less progress in both reading and maths. The gap between low and high prior attainment pupils is higher in MATs than the national average for each progress measure.

In reading, low prior attainment pupils in MATs achieve an average progress score of 0.53 compared to 
-0.20 for high prior attainment pupils. All three prior attainment groups in MATs make least progress in reading. Nationally, high prior attainment pupils achieve 0.03. The difference between low prior attainment pupils in MATs and low prior attainment pupils nationally is not statistically significant. This also applies to medium prior attainment pupils.

Low prior attainment pupils in MATs achieve an average writing progress score of 1.01 compared to 0.29 for high prior attainment pupils. Writing has the smallest attainment gap between low and high prior attainment pupils in MATs. All prior attainment groups in MATs make most progress in writing. Nationally, low prior attainment pupils achieve 0.52 and high prior attainment pupils achieve 0.02.

Low prior attainment pupils in MATs achieve an average maths progress score of 0.85 compared to -0.07 for high prior attainment pupils. Maths has the largest attainment gap between low and high prior attainment pupils in MATs. Nationally, low prior attainment pupils achieve 0.61. The difference between high prior attainment pupils in MATs and high prior attainment pupils nationally is not statistically significant.

Progress measures by size of MAT and mix of academy types

There is no clear relationship between the number of pupils at the end of key stage 2 within each MAT and the performance of a MAT in the key stage 2 progress measures. Smaller MATs have more variation, whereas larger MATs are more likely to be close to the average across all progress measures.

The individual MATs are composed of different types of academies in varying proportions. The data suggests that there is no clear relationship between mix of school types within a MAT and their performance in the progress measures for key stage 2.

Official statistics

These are Official Statistics and have been produced in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. 

This can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics: 

  • meet identified user needs; 
  • are well explained and readily accessible; 
  • are produced according to sound methods, and 
  • are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest. The Department has a set of statistical policies in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

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Official statistics

These are Official Statistics and have been produced in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

This can be broadly interpreted to mean that these statistics are:

  • managed impartially and objectively in the public interest
  • meet identified user needs
  • produced according to sound methods
  • well explained and readily accessible

Find out more about the standards we follow to produce these statistics through our Standards for official statistics published by DfE guidance.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

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If you have a specific enquiry about Multi-academy trust performance measures at key stage 2 statistics and data:

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Email: mat.data@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Alex Miller
Telephone: 07387133678

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