Progress 8 measure in 2016 and 2017 - Guide for maintained secondary schools, academies and free schools - March 2015

Sep 5, 2026

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Guide describing how the Progress 8 accountability measure operates for the 2016 school year, including arrangements for 2015 early opt-in, and key changes that apply from 2017. Explains the purpose of Progress 8 as a value-added comparison of pupil outcomes from end of primary to end of secondary, and how it links to school-level Progress 8 reporting. Covers calculation methods, included qualification types, point scoring, discounting/pathway rules, floor standard context, and interpretation with confidence intervals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages33

Reading Time1 h 23 min

AccessFree to download

Summary

A summary of Attainment 8 and Progress 8

Expiry or review date

Secondary school performance measures

What will be published in the performance tables and RAISEonline from 2016

The ‘expected progress’ measure

Floor standard

Calculating Attainment 8 and Progress 8

Qualifications included in the measures

Calculating Attainment 8

Worked Examples

Calculating Progress 8

Interpreting Progress 8 scores

Confidence intervals

Annexes

Annex A – New point score scales for 2016 and 2017

Annex B – 2014 Attainment 8 estimates

Annex C – Key stage 2 results used to calculate prior attainment

Annex D – Confidence Intervals

Progress 8 measure in 2016 and 2017 Guide for maintained secondary schools, academies and free schools March 2015 Contents Table of figures 4 Summary 5 A summary of Attainment 8 and Progress 8 5 Expiry or review date 6 Secondary school performance measures 7 What will be published in the performance tables and RAISEonline from 2016 7 The ‘expected progress’ measure 7 Floor standard 7 Schools in which pupils make one grade more progress than the national average will be exempt from routine inspections by Ofsted in the next academic year. 8 Calculating Attainment 8 and Progress 8 9 Qualifications included in the measures 9 Mathematics qualifications 9 English qualifications 10 Qualifications in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects 10 Science qualifications 11 Level 3 qualifications 11 Point scores 12 Discounting, pathway and first entry rules 12 Calculating Attainment 8 13 Worked Example A 13 Worked Example B 14 Calculating Progress 8 16 Calculating a pupil’s Progress 8 score 16 Example of fine level calculation 16 Worked Example A-continued 17 Calculating a school Progress 8 score 18 Worked Example A – continued 18 Interpreting Progress 8 scores 18 Confidence intervals 18 Impact of the number of qualifications taken on a pupil’s Progress 8 score 19 Measurement of the progress of pupils with no key stage 2 test results 19 Estimated grades 20 Pupils reaching their estimated grades 21 Setting estimated grades in advance 21 Annex A – New point score scales for 2016 (and schools opting in early in 2015), and 2017 22 Worked examples of how to use these tables 27 Example A-Calculating the 2016 points for a BTEC First Award 27 Example B-Calculating the 2016 points for an OCR Cambridge National Certificate 27 Annex B – 2014 Attainment 8 estimates 29 Annex C – Key stage 2 results used to calculate prior attainment 30 Annex D – Confidence Intervals 31 Worked example A – continued 32 Table of figures Table 1: Key stage 4 results for Gillian ............................................................................13 Table 2: Key stage 4 results for Hardip ............................................................................ 14 Table A.1 New point score scales for legacy GCSEs ......................................................23 Table A.2 New point score scales for level 1 qualifications..............................................23 Table A.3 New point score scales for level 2 qualifications..............................................25 Table A.4 New point score scales for AS levels and double AS levels ............................26 Table A.5 New point score scales for graded music examinations ..................................26 Table A.6 New point score scales for free standing mathematics qualifications ..............27 Table A.7 New 2016 point score scales for BTEC First Award ........................................27 Table A.8 New 2016 point score scales for OCR Cambridge National Certificate ...........28 Table B.1 Provisional 2013 Attainment 8 estimates for each KS2 fine level ....................29 Summary In October 2013, we announced that a new secondary school accountability system will be implemented from 2016. It will include two new headline measures, Attainment 8 and Progress 8. This document explains how these measures will be calculated in 2016 (and in 2015 for schools that choose to adopt the new measures a year early) . It also includes changes that will apply from 2017. Schools can choose to opt in to the new performance measures a year early in 2015. Further information about opting in and the mechanism for doing so are in the Progress 8 early Opt-in Terms and conditions for schools. A summary of Attainment 8 and Progress 8 Progress 8 aims to capture the progress a pupil makes from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school. It is a type of value added meas

FAQs

What is the purpose of Progress 8 in the accountability system?

Progress 8 captures the progress a pupil makes from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school. It is a value-added measure comparing outcomes to other pupils with similar prior attainment.

Which qualifications are included in the Attainment 8 and Progress 8 measures?

Attainment 8 averages performance across eight subjects, including double-weighted mathematics and English, EBacc subject qualifications, and additional qualifications from the DfE approved list. The document also details which qualifications are counted for mathematics, English, science and EBacc subjects.

How are Progress 8 scores calculated and interpreted?

A pupil’s Progress 8 score is calculated by comparing their average grade (their Attainment 8 score) to the national average for pupils with similar prior attainment. School-level Progress 8 scores use these pupil results, with interpretation supported by confidence intervals.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Fahsai