All references to the key social care groups in this section relate to the time point as at 31 March.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer exam series for the 2020/21 academic year was cancelled (opens in a new tab).
Instead, for 2020/21, pupils were only assessed on the content they had been taught for each course. Schools were given flexibility to decide how to assess their pupils’ performance, for example, through mock exams, class tests, and non-exam assessment already completed. GCSE grades were then determined by teachers based on the range of evidence available and they are referred to as teacher-assessed grades, or TAGs.
This is a different process to that of 2019/20 when pupils were awarded either a centre assessment grade (known as CAGs, based on what the school or college believed the pupil would most likely have achieved had exams gone ahead) or their calculated grade using a model developed by Ofqual - whichever was the higher of the two.
The changes to the way GCSE grades have been awarded over the last two years (with CAGs and TAGs replacing exams) mean 2020/21 pupil attainment data should not be directly compared to pupil attainment data from previous years for the purposes of measuring year on year changes in pupil performance.
For more information see the key stage 4 performance statistics release for academic year 2020/21.
Summary
Pupils in the key social care groups perform less well than their peers across all key stage 4 measures. However, looked after children and children in need reaching the end of key stage 4 are much more likely to have a special educational need (SEN) than the overall pupil population. Children with SEN have been recorded to have lower average attainment compared to the overall population. As such, the higher prevalence of SEN amongst looked after children (CLA) and children in need accounts for part of the difference in attainment compared to the overall pupil population.
Attainment 8
Attainment 8 measures the average achievement of pupils in up to 8 qualifications. This includes: English language; English literature (if only one GCSE in English is taken then it is double weighted); maths (double weighted); three further qualifications that count in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc); and three further qualifications that can be GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or any other non-GCSE qualifications on the DfE approved list (opens in a new tab). (opens in a new tab)
From 2018, Attainment 8 had a maximum point score of 90, compared to a maximum of 87 in 2017 and 80 in 2016. This is a consequence of the phased introduction of reformed GCSEs graded on the 9-1 scale. These differences should be considered when comparing Attainment 8 scores between 2016-2019.
The average Attainment 8 score has increased slightly for the overall pupil population and across all the key social care groups in 2020/21. However, the percentage point increases are less this year, compared to 2019/20. These increases reflect the changes to the way GCSE grades were awarded rather than improvements in pupil performance.
As in previous years, the average Attainment 8 scores in 2020/21 for all the key social care groups were less than half that compared to the overall pupil population. The attainment of pupils across most of the key social care groups was broadly similar, with the exception of lower attainment for CLA for less than 12 months.
Across all key stage 4 measures, children who had left care through an adoption, Special Guardianship Order, or Child Arrangements Order (the previously looked after arrangements social care groups - PLAA) achieve better than looked after children and children in need, but less well than the overall pupil population. However, caution must be taken with the PLAA statistics, due to the level of coverage. For more information on coverage, see the accompanying methodology.
Attainment 8 by SEN
Children in the key social care groups perform less well than their peers across all key stage 4 measures. However, looked after children and children in need reaching the end of key stage 4 are much more likely to have a special educational need (SEN) than the overall pupil population. Children with SEN have been recorded to have lower average attainment compared to the overall population. So, whilst many factors are involved, this accounts for part of the difference between the overall pupil population and looked after children and children in need. This is demonstrated by the general reduction in the difference between the key social care groups and the overall pupil population average Attainment 8 scores, when removing the effect of a larger proportion of SEN in the social care groups, by looking at the individual SEN categories, including no identified SEN.
Attainment 8 by ethnicity
We are publishing an ethnicity breakdown of key stage 4 data for the first time this year. As is the case for the overall pupil population, for most of the key social care groups, Asian or Asian British children (including Chinese children) have the highest average Attainment 8 scores. The exception to this CLA for at least 12 months, where Black, African, Caribbean or Black British have the highest average score. In the overall pupil population, Black, African, Caribbean or Black British and White groups have the lowest average score, whereas in the key social care groups it is generally either White or Other ethnic groups that have the lowest average score.
Attainment in English and maths (grades 5 or above)
This measure looks at the percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSEs. To count for this measure a pupil would have to achieve a grade 5 or above in either English literature or English language. There is no requirement to sit both.
The percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSEs has increased across all the key social care groups in 2020/21. However, the percentage point increases are generally less this year, compared to 2019/20. These increases likely reflect the changed method for awarding grades rather than demonstrating a step change improvement in standards.
The attainment of pupils across most of the key social care groups was broadly similar, with the exception of lower attainment for CLA for less than 12 months.
The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) entry
The EBacc shows how many pupils are entering GCSEs (or AS level qualifications) in core academic subjects at KS4. The EBacc consists of English, maths, science, a language, and history or geography. To count in the EBacc, qualifications must be on the English Baccalaureate list of qualifications. (opens in a new tab)
In 2020, this measure was less likely to have been affected by the cancellation of exams as schools will have taken most of their entry decisions ahead of the COVID-19 disruption.
The percentage of pupils entering the English Baccalaureate has increased slightly for most key social care groups whilst decreasing slightly for CLA for at least 12 months and the overall pupil population. However, the increases are small at less than 1.0 percentage point between 2019/20 and 2010/21, with the exception of CPPO, which increased by 1.8 percentage points after remaining steady for the previous two years.
EBacc average point score
The EBacc average point score (APS) measures pupils’ point scores across the five pillars of the EBacc - English, maths, science, a language, and history or geography – with a zero for any missing pillars. 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.
For more information on these measures and their calculation methodology, see the secondary accountability guidance (opens in a new tab).
The EBacc average point score has increased across all of the key social care groups, mirroring the trend seen in the overall pupil population. All of the key social care groups have an average point score less than half that of the overall pupil population.
