Attainment 8

Understanding Attainment 8

Attainment 8 measures the average achievement of students across 8 qualifications at the end of Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). While Progress 8 shows how much progress students made, Attainment 8 shows their absolute level of achievement — the raw results they achieved regardless of their starting point.

How Attainment 8 is Calculated

Attainment 8 uses the same 8 qualification “slots” as Progress 8: - English (double weighted): Best of English Language or Literature - Maths (double weighted) - 3 EBacc subjects: Sciences, computer science, geography, history, languages - 3 open slots: Any other approved qualifications

Each GCSE grade is converted to points: Grade 9 = 9 points, Grade 8 = 8 points, down to Grade 1 = 1 point. The Attainment 8 score is the total points across all 8 slots, with English and maths counted twice (maximum 90 points).

What the Scores Mean

• Score of 50+: Strong results, averaging around grade 5-6 across subjects
• Score of 40-50: Solid performance, roughly grade 4-5 average
• Score below 40: Below average attainment nationally

The national average Attainment 8 score is typically around 46-48 points, though this varies year to year.

Attainment 8 vs Progress 8

These two measures tell different stories:

• High Attainment 8, Low Progress 8: Students achieved good grades but made less progress than expected given their starting points. The school may have a high-achieving intake.

• Low Attainment 8, High Progress 8: Students’ final grades are modest, but they made excellent progress from their starting points. The school is adding significant value.

For a complete picture of a school’s academic performance, consider both measures together. A school that achieves strong Progress 8 while also delivering good Attainment 8 results is performing well on both dimensions.