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Understanding Progress 8

Progress 8 is the key measure for comparing secondary schools in England. This guide explains what it means and how to use it when choosing a school.

What is Progress 8?

Progress 8 measures how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school (Key Stage 2, age 11) and their GCSE results (Key Stage 4, age 16). It was introduced by the Department for Education in 2016 as a fairer way to compare schools.

Unlike raw GCSE results, Progress 8 accounts for each pupil's starting point. This means schools are judged on the value they add, not just whether they have high-achieving pupils.

Key insight: A school in a disadvantaged area with Progress 8 of +0.5 may be helping pupils more than a grammar school with impressive raw results but Progress 8 of 0.

How Progress 8 is Calculated

Progress 8 is based on 8 GCSE subjects in specific "buckets":

  • English (double weighted) – English Language or Literature
  • Maths (double weighted)
  • EBacc subjects (3 slots) – Sciences, Computer Science, Geography, History, Languages
  • Open subjects (3 slots) – Any other approved qualifications including arts, vocational

Each pupil's results are compared to the national average for pupils with similar KS2 starting points. The school's Progress 8 score is the average of all pupils' individual progress scores.

What the Scores Mean

+1.0+Exceptional – pupils make significantly more progress than average
+0.5Well above average – strong value added by the school
0 to +0.5Above average – pupils progress better than expected
0Average – pupils make expected progress
-0.5 to 0Below average – pupils progress less than expected
-0.5–Well below average – significant concerns about progress

Progress 8 vs Attainment 8

Attainment 8 is the companion measure – it's simply the average grade achieved across the same 8 subjects. A higher Attainment 8 means better raw GCSE grades.

Progress 8

Measures value added. Better for comparing schools fairly, especially across different areas and intakes.

Attainment 8

Measures raw results. Useful if you want to know the typical grades achieved by leavers, regardless of starting point.

Tips for Using Progress 8

  • 1Look at trends over time. One year's data can be affected by a particularly strong or weak cohort. Three years of data gives a better picture.
  • 2Check the confidence interval. Small schools have wider confidence intervals, meaning their score is less reliable.
  • 3Compare similar schools. A comprehensive school with +0.3 may be doing better than a selective school with +0.1.
  • 4Consider your child. A school excelling in arts may suit a creative child even if its overall Progress 8 is average.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good Progress 8 score?

A score above 0 is above average. Scores above +0.5 are considered well above average, while scores above +1.0 are exceptional. The top schools typically achieve between +0.5 and +1.5.

Is Progress 8 better than raw GCSE results?

Yes, for comparing schools fairly. Progress 8 accounts for each pupil's starting point, so it measures what the school adds rather than just the intake ability.

Why do some schools have negative Progress 8?

A negative score means pupils made less progress than average for similar starting points. This could indicate teaching issues, but could also reflect challenging circumstances. Always look at the confidence interval and trends.

Compare schools by Progress 8

Use Classpot to filter and compare secondary schools by their Progress 8 scores.

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