Ready reckoner
The contextual value added (CVA) ready reckoner is an additional tool which allows you to look at the detailed calculations. It is accessible from the Department website at www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables.
The uncertainty of a CVA score as a measure of school effectiveness can be presented as a confidence interval (CI).
This is a range of scores within which we can be statistically confident that the 'true' school effectiveness will lie. The size of the CI is determined by the number of pupils in the calculation.

Smaller schools have larger confidence intervals since we are estimating the score on a smaller number of results.
Absence records
The tables show the percentage of overall absence and the percentage of unauthorised absence for each mainstream maintained school.
Overall absence is the percentage of half days missed due to authorised and unauthorised absence.
Unauthorised absence is absence without permission from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences.
The information relates to pupil absences in the 2006/7 school year up to and including Friday 25 May 2007. The second and third columns show the percentage of half days missed as a result of :
- overall absence
- unauthorised absence.
If we have not received complete information from a school, 'No information received' is shown in the relevant columns.
'Not applicable' applies to special schools or new schools that opened after the tests have taken place.
There may be inconsistencies for some schools in the figures for the number of pupils on roll on 18 January 2008, and the pupils of compulsory school age for calculating pupil absences.
This is because they have been calculated in different ways and serve different purposes.
Year on year comparisons
The tables show how the Key Stage 2 results of pupils in each maintained school have changed over the past four years.
Bar charts show the aggregates of the three percentages of pupils achieving level 4 or above and level 5 in the tests for English, mathematics and science in each of the years, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
The level 4 and above aggregate is calculated as follows:
| No. of pupils achieving L4+ in English |
+ |
No. of pupils achieving L4+ in mathematics |
+ |
No. of pupils achieving L4+ in science |
x 100 |
= |
Aggregate (to the nearest whole number) |
| ------------------------------------------ |
------------------------------------------ |
------------------------------------------ |
| No of eligible pupils in English |
No of eligible pupils in mathematics |
No of eligible pupils in science |
The level 5 aggregate is calculated as follows:
| No. of pupils achieving L5 in English |
+ |
No. of pupils achieving L5 in mathematics |
+ |
No. of pupils achieving L5 in science |
x 100 |
= |
Aggregate (to the nearest whole number) |
| ------------------------------------------ |
------------------------------------------ |
------------------------------------------ |
| No of eligible pupils in English |
No of eligible pupils in mathematics |
No of eligible pupils in science |
What the year on year comparisons tell you
The bar charts show the history of a school's Key Stage 2 result, and whether they have stayed at the same level over time.
Because each year group is made up of different pupils, with different prior attainment and other characteristics, results may fluctuate from year to year for reasons to do with the pupils rather than the school.
Small fluctuations from year to year are unlikely to be significant, particularly if the school's year group is small.
Special educational needs (SEN)
The tables show information about the numbers of pupils in a school with SEN.
In recent years the information has shown the number and percentage of pupils with statements of SEN; and with SEN but without a statement.
From 2006 we will continue to show information about the two main groups of pupils but will also publish the following:
- total pupils with SEN on a school's roll
- total pupils with SEN in the cohort being reported on (i.e. the examination/text year group). However, from this year the information reported for each group of pupils will be split into the following categories:
- the number (and percentage) with statements or supported at School Action Plus
- the number (and percentage) supported at School Action.
SEN school codes:
School action
The triggers for intervention through School Action could be the teacher's or others' concern, underpinned by evidence, about a child who, despite receiving differentiated learning opportunities:
- makes little or no progress even when teaching approaches are targeted particularly in a pupil's identified area of weakness
- shows signs of difficulty in developing literacy or mathematics skills which result in poor attainment in some curriculum areas
- presents persistent emotional or behavioural difficulties which are not ameliorated by the behaviour management techniques usually employed in the school
- has sensory or physical problems, and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of specialist equipment
- has communication and/or interaction difficulties, and continues to make little or no progress despite the provision of a differentiated curriculum.
School action plus
The triggers under 'school action plus' could be that despite receiving an individualised programme and/or concentrated support under School Action, the pupil:
- continues to make little or no progress in specific areas over a long period
- continues working at National Curriculum levels substantially below that expected of pupils of a similar age
- continues to have difficulty in developing literacy and mathematics skills
- has emotional or behavioural difficulties which substantially and regularly interfere with their own learning or that of the class group, despite having an individualised behaviour management programme
- has sensory or physical needs, and requires additional specialist equipment or regular advice or visits by a specialist service
- has ongoing communication or interaction difficulties that impede the development of social relationships and cause substantial barriers to learning.
The National Curriculum
Pupils aged five to 16 in maintained schools must be taught the National Curriculum.
This is divided into four Key Stages that generally depend on children's ages.
| Year Group |
Reception |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
Age of pupils at end of year |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
| Key Stage |
FOUNDATION STAGE |
KEY STAGE 1 |
KEY STAGE 2 |
KEY STAGE 3 |
KEY STAGE 4 |
During Key Stage 2 pupils must be taught the following subjects: English, mathematics, science, design and technology, information and communication technology, history, geography, art and design, music, physical education and religious education.
Levels of achievement
The National Curriculum sets standards of achievement in each subject for pupils aged five to 14. For most subjects, these standards range from levels 1 through to 8.
Pupils progress through the levels as they get older and learn more:
- most seven-year-olds are expected to achieve level 2
- most 11-year-olds are expected to achieve level 4
- most 14-year-olds are expected to achieve level 5 or 6.
Teacher assessments
Throughout the year all teachers assess their pupils' progress in each subject as a normal part of their teaching. The teacher decides which level best describes a pupil's performance in each area of learning in that subject. They must report their assessments in English, mathematics and science when pupils reach the end of each key stage.
Teacher assessments are not reported in the primary school achievement and attainment tables.
Tests
National tests, taken at the end of each key stage, give a snapshot of a pupil's attainment in the core subjects.
At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are tested in English, mathematics and science.
These end-of-key-stage tests give an independent and nationally standardised measure of how pupils, and schools, are doing compared with national standards in the core subjects.
Using the following table you can compare your child's test result against the expected level for their age group.
| Age |
7 years |
11 years |
14 years |
| Key Stage |
KS1 |
KS2 |
KS3 |
| Level 8 |
|
|
Level 8 in maths only |
| Level 7 |
|
|
| Level 6 |
|
|
|
| Level 5 |
|
|
|
| Level 4 |
|
|
|
| Level 3 |
|
|
|
| Level 2a, 2b, 2c |
|
|
|
| Level 1 |
|
|
|
| |
Beyond expectations |
| |
At level expected |
| |
Below expectations |
PLEASE NOTE:
Key Stage 3 mathematics tests advance to level 8.
Key Stage 3 English and science tests advance to level 7.