80% 5 A*-C and 0.59 progress 8

[ChocolateWombat]

Hello
The secondary we have applied for had these figures confirmed for 2016. I think the GCSE result looks quite good, but don't know about the progress 8 figure. Can anyone say what it means please?

On average every grade was 0.59 higher than expected.
This is a (very) good uplift. Our two good secondary schools are both 0.3x

Thank you.
I've looked at the website again. It has Attainment 8 of 59.6. Does that reflect the GCSEs? Not sure how they measure that either, but am assuming it is good too.

You can look at the full performance details for the school on here:

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

Those Gcse results are not quite good, they are excellent, assuming. a) it's not a selective school and b) it includes English and maths. Most secondaries I know would be very happy!

Progress 8 is how well children did in their GCSE's compared to their standard in entry as measured by their sats results. If the figure is 0 they progressed at the expected rate, if it's a + figure they did better a - figure they underachieved.

Attainment 8 is the average points score of the students best 8 GCSE's regardless of ability on entry to the school.

Some of my areas suppOsedly best schools have had - figure scored for progress 8 showing they take in very clever children who get high grades but actuslly they arnt achieving the grades they should be! Quite a shocker.

It's a Comp and does include maths and English.
It is a Church school, but not selective on ability.
What does the Attainment 8 figure mean?

Each GCSE grade is given a point score. The scores of the best 8 GCSE's are added up for every child & an average point score produced from that.

Cross post!
So is this school both doing well in absolute terms, but also adding good value too? Very encouraging if so. I think it has had good GCSE results for a while but know these Progress and Attainment figures are new, so wasn't sure what they meant or if they were good.
I would imagine the intake is quite middle class (not wholly) but if they are getting all the kids to do better than expected, then that's great.
Is there any other data I should particularly look at to get a better sense of the school? I have been to an open day, but all schools seem to look shiny then, so I can't really tell a difference and don't really get a vibe, as some people seem to or an immediate sense of if it would fit my DS.

What % low, middle and high attainers?

Yes, figures are broken down by low, middle and high attainers. Look at the figure for the type of child yours is, just incase they do great by one end but rubbish at the end your child is at.

Ask re homework, this can vary greatly across schools.

I have looked. Figures not as %.

Low is 19
middle is 141
high is 95

So I can see few are low attainers, but well over half are middle attainers. I guess about 40% are high attainers.

I can also see the Attainment 8 figures for the 3 groups
Low is 36.3
Middle is 56.5
High is 71.5

Pupil premium?

OK, so now compare those figures with other schools. Pay particular attention to your DC's group. (Old money y6 SATs L4)

I'd think my child might be a high attainer. He got L3s at KS1. Isn't super duper top of class, but in the middle of the top groups, in a not especially strong primary. If not a high attainer, then a middle attainer. Not really sure TBH.

Can't see pupil premium info.
% on free school meals in 9.2% (over last 6 years)

OK, so now compare those figures with other schools. Pay particular attention to your DC's group. (Old money y6 SATs L4)

Yes he is a high attainer. So see how the schools do with that subgroup.

Which should I especially compare? PRogress 8? attainment 8? Not sure these are all shown for low and high attainers etc.

Okay, well if he is a high attainer, I guess the school has plenty of others too, which is good.....although well over half are middle/low too.

The attainment 8 is over 70 for high attainers. I guess it's not surprising it's above the school attainment 8 of 59.6.
It says 99% of high attainers got maths and English -well you'd hope so, surely.

I have no idea what the figures should be.
Look at the figures for other schools in your area and compare them.

I think these are very good figures for middle and high attainers. The school has very few low attainers so you would expect the results to be healthy. It is the low attainers who often show less progress and get lower results. It is probably a fairly well to do catchment.

You might like to know the attainment 8 data for the high achievers is nearly the same as my old grammar school (not a super selective). Theirs was 71.9. No middle or lower attainers, of course, but lower progress - slightly.

Interesting! All sounds pretty good. Have to hope we get the place now!
Thanks everyone.

Very low PP.