Technical terms
Common terms and acronyms you run into when reviewing performance data.
| Term | Meaning |
| Attainment | The results that pupils achieve as measured in assessments and examinations (e.g. Key Stage 2 (KS2) SATS results). Attainment results are usually defined as grades, scores or levels achieved by pupils |
| Progress | Pupils' achievements over a period of time, for example from KS2 to KS4. Progress is measured by comparing a pupil's current attainment with their previous attainment relative to other pupils with similar starting points (see progress score below) |
| Adjusted score (at KS2) | A pupil's progress score at the end of KS2 can be 'adjusted' in a small number of cases. This is because some progress scores can be disproportionately negative and can distort the overall picture of a school's progress score. To avoid this, these low pupil scores are adjusted to a minimum progress score |
| Average KS2 score (previously known as 'estimated' score) | The anticipated scores that pupils will achieve in KS2 SATs based on their prior attainment at KS1. The estimated score for a pupil will be the same as for other pupils who achieved the same KS1 attainment |
| Raw score | The total number of marks a pupil gets on a National Curriculum test before any adjustments – a pupil's raw score is then converted into a 'scaled score' |
| Scaled score |
A pupil's 'raw score' in the test is converted into a scaled score that's adjusted to account for the variation in difficulty of tests – the number of raw score marks needed to achieve a scaled score of 100 one year will be different from the number needed in another year. Converting to scaled scores makes it possible to accurately compare performance over time |
| Combined measure | The percentage of pupils in a school meeting a standard across all 3 primary subjects - reading, writing and maths:
|
| Progress score |
A pupil's progress score at KS2 is the difference between their actual KS2 result and their estimated KS2 score (see 'average KS2 score' above) for a subject. This gives an indication of whether the pupil has made below or above average progress relative to other pupils with similar starting points. A pupil's progress score is calculated for the sole purpose of calculating the school's overall progress score (see progress measures below) |
| Prior attainment | A pupil's attainment level at an earlier key stage, often used to measure progress. For example, pupils are sorted into 'prior attainment groups' based on what they achieved at the end of KS1. Each prior attainment group has an estimated KS2 score |
| Expected standard | The expected standard is what the average pupil is expected to achieve in an assessment – for example at KS2 it's a scaled score of 100 (in a subject) and in KS1 teacher assessments it's meeting specific descriptors |
| Greater depth |
A pupil has mastered a subject at the expected standard and can now delve deeper into that subject. Standards for 'greater depth' depend on subject and key stage - e.g. teacher assessment framework at the end of KS1 and teacher assessment frameworks at the end of KS2 |
| Average point score (APS) | Used in KS1 to sort pupils into prior attainment groups and determine their 'average' scores for KS2. It's calculated by working out an average score for English (reading and writing) and giving this equal weight alongside mathematics |
| Value added measure | Where pupils’ results are compared with the actual achievements of other pupils nationally with similar prior attainment in order to measure the value added by individual schools |
| Confidence interval |
The upper and lower range of a score meant to take account of variation, or 'natural uncertainty', in the results. In practice this means, for example:
|
| Reliability |
A score's dependability, consistency or freedom from random measurement error |
| Validity |
How accurately a test measures what it's meant to measure |
| Moderation |
A collaborative process used for teacher assessments (see below for definition) to allow teachers to benchmark judgements and support consistency between each other and between other schools – thereby making them more reliable. There are 2 types:
|
| Analyse school performance (ASP) | A website that gives school leaders and some governors access to detailed performance data of the school. Formerly called RaiseOnline |
Attainment measures
These are used to measure pupil's learning at specific points in time.
| Term | Meaning | Phase |
| Reception baseline assessment (RBA) |
A 1-to-1 assessment for new reception pupils to provide a snapshot of where they are when they start school. New for 2021 |
EYFS |
| EYFSP |
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile – a statutory assessment of children’s development at the end of the early years foundation stage |
EYFS |
| Phonics screening | A check done on most year 1 pupils. Some pupils re-sit the test at the end of year 2 | KS1 |
| SATs | National Curriculum tests administered in years 2 and 6 | KS1/KS2 |
| Teacher assessments |
Pupil attainment is sometimes assessed by teacher assessments – for example when there's no standardised test |
KS1/KS2 |
| Engagement model |
A regular observational assessment method for pupils working below the level of the National Curriculum and not engaged in subject-specific study. Replaced P scales 1 to 4 as of Sept 2021 |
KS1/KS2 |
| GCSEs | General Certificates of Secondary Education – a qualification in a specific subject typically taken by school students aged 14 to 16 | KS4 |
| EBacc | English Baccalaureate – a performance measure based on the percentage of pupils who entered for qualifications in English, maths, sciences, a language and either geography or history | KS4 |
| Attainment 8 | The mean average of a pupil's scores across 8 GCSEs - including maths and English (both double weighted), 3 further qualifications that count in the EBacc and 3 others that can be GCSE qualifications or any other non-GCSE qualification on the DfE approved list | KS4 |
Get familiar with our other resources on performance data
Most governors don't need to know the ins and outs of performance data. You'll likely get enough out of our governor's guide to attainment and progress and school performance data: the basics.
If, however, you're a governor that needs to know more to fulfil your role (e.g. you're on a performance data committee), take a look at our phase-specific articles that dig deeper:
Progress measures
Also called accountability measures, these are value-added measures to determine how effectively a school improves outcomes for its pupils.
| Term | Meaning | Phase |
| Progress score (primary) | As explained above, a pupil's progress score is calculated in order to calculate a progress score for the school in reading, writing and maths. These figures are published in national tables | KS2 |
| Progress 8 (secondary) | Much like the progress score but for secondary, progress 8 is the difference between a pupils' actual attainment score across the 8 subjects (see attainment 8) and the average attainment score of pupils with similar prior attainment. The average of all pupil progress 8 scores gives the school's progress 8 score | KS4 |
Pupil characteristics
Data can be categorised to look at how pupils of specific characteristics are performing. These are the most common pupil groups.
| Term | Meaning |
| SEN/D | Special educational needs or disability – a pupil has SEN/D if they need special educational provision due to a learning difficulty or disability |
| EHC plan | Education, health and care plan – a statutory document drawn up by the local authority, setting out the education, health and social care support to be provided to a child or young person with SEN or a disability |
| EAL | English as an additional language – i.e. the pupil's first language is not English |
| LAC | Looked after child – a child who's looked after by the local authority. It means they're subject to a care order (interim or full care order) or who are voluntarily accommodated by the local authority |
| Post-LAC | Any pupil who has left local authority care due to adoption or other formal arrangement |
| FSM (also referred to as 'ever-6') | Free school meals (usually refers to pupils who've been eligible for FSM at any time during the last 6 years) |
| SEMH | Social, emotional and mental health difficulties |
| Disadvantaged pupils | Pupils who were eligible for FSM at any time during the last 6 years, or LAC/post-LAC pupils (also referred to as pupils eligible for pupil premium) |
Downloadable version
You can use this printable version to share with your board: