Comparing primary KS2 SATS

[commuters30]

Hi everyone!

I am so confused and wondered if anyone can help.

In comparing results (for now assuming pastoral, facilities etc being equal), which of the numbers matter most when looking at a primary?

1. The average scores for maths and english and their total (e.g. 114 English, 112 Grammar, 110 Maths = 336)

1. % children achieving greater depth/higher standard in either maths, writing, grammar or reading

1. % children achieving greater depth/higher standard in all 4 areas.

These are the info avaliable for schools but no idea which matters more...

[quote Iamnotthe1]@RachelSq
As it happens, he’s going to a school with a decent progress score (3.1 average) and pretty good attainment (87% meet and 28% greater depth)

That's great - that school is (arguably) in the most desireable quadrant: good attainment and good progress.

The schools I'm talking about are those that post similar end attainment but progress scores of between -2 and -5. There are several in my area like this but are seen as good schools because of their attainment.[/quote]
I think I was thinking of the ‘most average’ situation of zero as a progress score (i.e totally consistent going through).

A negative progress score (across a few years) would set alarm bells ringing, unless the attainment was so high that the starting point must have been crazy high.

Basically, you need to look across all indicators when trying to look at a school because it’s all a jigsaw.

It’s also worth bearing in mind the ethos and extra-curricula activities available, as the academics is only one part.

I know that I could have picked the school that I felt most suited my child from walking around it. It wasn’t the best one academically but it really did seem to suit him (as much as it’s possible to second guess what will suit a three year old!). I can’t really describe it, other than just knowing ‘this is the one’ out of my shortlist of four. I know others that did the same tours and felt strongly towards other schools too.