- Introduction
- About these tables
- Key Stage 2 to 4 and Key Stage 3 to 4 CVA measure
- Students and qualifications reported
- Results for students at the end of Key Stage 4
- More information
- Abbreviations and their meanings
- How the tables were compiled
- How to get more information
- Copyright
- Guide to CVA
- Ready Reckoner - Key Stage 2 to 4 Mainstream schools
- Ready Reckoner - Key Stage 2 to 4 Special schools
- Ready Reckoner - Key Stage 3 to 4 Mainstream schools
- Ready Reckoner - Key Stage 3 to 4 Special schools
- Point scores for tests and examinations
Department for children, schools and families
Achievement and attainment tables
Secondary School (GCSE and equivalent) achievement and attainment tables 2007
New Science Indicator
The Government's Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014: Next Steps document, published in March 2006, announced our intention to publish 'the percentage of students who achieve two or more good (A*-C) GCSEs in science' in school achievement and attainment tables from 2007.
For each school, we have published the percentage of students at the end of Key Stage 4 who have achieved at least two GCSEs at grades A*-C ( or equivalent) which cover the Key Stage 4 science programme of study and provide a progression route to A levels in Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Applied Science and other substantial level 3 qualifications in science.
This means, that to be counted in the indicator:
- students must have achieved grades A*-C in:
- GCSE Science ('core') and GCSE Additional Science; or
- GCSE Science ('core') and GCSE Additional Applied Science; or
- GCSE Applied Science Double Award; or
- GCSE Science and GCSE Environmental and Land-based Science; or
- Intermediate Science GNVQ; or
- Level 2 BTEC First Certificates and First Diplomas in Applied Science at pass, merit and distinction; or
- OCR Level 2 National Awards and National Certificates in Science at pass, merit and distinction.
- students will have to have taken all three science GCSEs (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) but need only have attained A*-C in any two
- students who have taken AS levels early will also be counted, provided that they have taken all three physics, chemistry and biology and gained A-E in at least two.
Percentage achieving 5+A*-C GCSEs (and equivalent) including English and Maths GCSEs
This sets a standard of excellence by showing the proportion of students at a school who reach the standard necessary to go on to study at advanced level, including grades A*-C in GCSE English and GCSE maths.
This 'gold standard' shows the percentage of students at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving five or more GCSEs (and equivalent) at grades A*-C including English and maths GCSEs.
Students counted must have achieved at least a grade C English GCSE, and at least a grade C maths GCSE, and at least the equivalent of another three C+ GCSEs. All English and maths full GCSEs are counted except English Literature and statistics.
Percentage of students achieving Level 2 in 'functional' English and Maths
This shows the proportion of students who have achieved good grades in literacy and numeracy - even though some might not have gained the equivalent of five good GSCEs, or good GCSEs in both English and maths.
Students counted must have achieved a grade C or above in GCSE English, or a level 2 Key Skills in communication, or a level 2 Basic Skills in literacy, and a grade C or above in GCSE maths, or a level 2 Key Skills in application of numbers, or a level 2 Basic Skills in numeracy.
Percentage of students achieving Level 1 in 'functional' English and Maths
This shows the proportion of students who have achieved level 1 in literacy and numeracy - even though some might not have gained the equivalent of five GSCEs.
Students counted must have achieved a grade G or above in GCSE English, or a level 1 Key Skills in communication, or a level 1 Basic Skills in literacy, and a grade G or above in GCSE Maths, or a level 1 Key Skills in application of numbers, or a level 1 Basic Skills in numeracy.
Percentage of students achieving five or more GCSE grades A*-C, (and equivalent)
This shows the proportion of students in a school who have achieved the equivalent of five good GCSE grades and have attained the level necessary to proceed to advanced levels of study.
Percentage of students achieving five or more GCSE grades A*-G, (and equivalent)
This shows the proportion of students who have achieved the equivalent of five GCSE pass grades.
Percentage of students achieving at least one qualification
This shows the proportion of students in a school who have achieved a pass grade in at least one entry level qualification.
Average total point score per student
The average total point score provides a fuller picture of the achievements of students of all abilities. Two schools with similar percentages of students achieving Level 2 or Level 1 thresholds may have different average point scores.
The average total point score is calculated by dividing the total number of points achieved by students at the end of Key Stage 4 by the number of students on roll at the end of Key Stage 4.
The average point score published here includes all of each student's GCSE (and equivalent) qualifications, not just the best eight.
Year on year comparisons
The tables also show two time series in the form of bar charts which show how the GCSE (and equivalent) results for students in each school have changed since 2004, allowing you to compare the results for a school over the past four years.
Unlike the data used to calculate the main attainment measures shown in the tables, which relate to students at the end of Key Stage 4, the data used for the time series is based on the achievements of all students on roll at the school who were in their last year of compulsory schooling aged 15. This may include students who have not yet taken any exams as they have not reached the end of Key Stage 4 studies. The bar charts show, for each of the years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the percentage of 15 year olds who achieved:
- five or more GCSE (and equivalent) grades A*-C including GCSEs in both English and maths
- five or more GCSE (and equivalent) grades A*-C.
What the year on year comparisons tell you
From the bar charts, you can see the history of a school's results, and whether they have stayed at the same level over time.
As each year group is made up of different students, with different prior attainment and other characteristics, results may fluctuate from year to year for reasons to do with the students rather than the school.
Small fluctuations from year to year are unlikely to be significant, particularly if the school's year group is small.
The year on year comparisons data for 2007 include all the results achieved by students in their last year of compulsory schooling, even if some or all of those results were obtained in earlier years.
Early-taken results are credited to the school where the student is on roll at the time of statutory school-leaving age. However, where students have achieved five or more grades A*-C GCSEs, (and equivalent) early and then moved to a different school, the results are credited in the year on year comparison to the previous school as well. This is so that schools receive credit for results they have helped students achieve early.
Ready reckoner
The Contextual Value Added (CVA) Ready Reckoner is an additional tool which allows you to look at the detailed calculations, is accessible from the 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 students 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 levels of overall and unauthorised absence for day students of compulsory school age (age 5 to 16).
Overall absence is authorised and unauthorised absence added together.
Authorised absence is absence with permission from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes absences for which a satisfactory explanation has been provided (e.g illness).
Unauthorised absence is absence from school without permission from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences.
The information relates to student absences in the autumn and spring terms of the 2006/07 school year as the whole year absence data has not yet been verified. Boarding students are not included.
The first column shows the number of day students in this age range. The second and third columns show the percentage of half days missed as a result of:
- unauthorised absence
- overall absence.
If we have not received complete information from a school, 'No information received' is shown in the relevant columns. 'Not applicable' applies to boarding schools with no day students. In the case of schools that are part boarding, the published statistics relate only to the school's day students and may not represent the levels of absence in the school as a whole.
Inconsistencies may exist in the figures for some schools for the number of students on roll on 18 January 2007 and the students of compulsory school age for calculating student absences. This is because they have been calculated in different ways and serve different purposes.