How will qualification entry patterns change as a result of changes to Attainment 8?
Expect an increase in entries in creative subjects and fewer entries in geography, history and triple science
Exclusions and suspensions in Autumn 2025/26
Early signs for 2025/26 suggest that suspensions are continuing to fall from their 2023/24 peak
Outcomes for pupils with low reading attainment at Key Stage 2
Low attainment in Key Stage 2 reading tests does not necessarily lead to poor outcomes at secondary school, but it does increase the chances of poor outcomes.
Best-fit progress: Is it worth it?
The Department for Education are consulting on a new "best-fit progress" measure for pupils with low prior attainment at the end of Key Stage 2. But does it offer any more beyond the existing Progress 8 measure?
Are DfE right to ditch confidence intervals?
DfE are proposing a change to the way they calculate bandings that summarise schools' progress scores. We look at the pros and cons of doing so.
What difference will the proposed changes to Attainment 8 and Progress 8 make?
The proposed new method of calculating Attainment 8 will not affect schools' Progress 8 scores greatly but will shift the incentives to enter particular subjects
The inverse intervention law and education, health and care plans
Disadvantaged pupils resident in less deprived local authorities are more likely to have an EHCP than disadvantaged pupils resident in more deprived local authorities
What will it take to meet the government’s ambition for 90% of pupils to achieve the expected standard in Year 1 phonics?
80% of pupils currently achieve the phonics standard by the end of Year 1. We look at how challenging it will be to reach 90%.
Making sense of school performance data in 2025
This year's published secondary school performance data shows why Progress 8 (or something like it) is needed, despite its flaws