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.
Estimating sub-domain scores within national assessments
A report exploring a psychometrically principled approach to producing Key Stage 2 mathematics sub-domain scores for eight separate areas of the National Curriculum, and investigating whether it is possible to produce scores that are genuinely useful to teachers and schools.
How much does KS2 maths attainment vary by national curriculum area?
We bring you the highlights from Nuffield-funded research into Key Stage 2 mathematics sub-domain scores - and whether it is possible to produce scores that are genuinely useful to teachers and schools.
Proxies of Progress 8
As there will be no Progress 8 measures this summer, we look at a few options for calculating proxy scores instead
Absence during SATs week
Absence among Year 6 pupils fell markedly on the four days on which SATs took place last week.
Absence and attainment in primary schools before the pandemic
Pupils with higher absence rates tend to have lower attainment. We examine this relationship at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 using pre-pandemic data.
How could Key Stage 2 progress measures be calculated in 2024?
As Key Stage 1 assessments were cancelled in 2020 (and 2021) due to COVID, Key Stage 2 progress measures cannot be calculated next year (or in 2025). We look at options for alternative measures.
The link between the Key Stage 2 SATs and teachers’ anxiety levels
We present the headlines from a new academic working paper investigating how SATs add to teachers' anxiety.
By how much does attainment vary from term to term among pupils in primary schools?
Many primary schools use termly standardised tests. We take a look at how much pupils' scores change from term to term.