KS4 Progress 8

Understanding Progress 8

Progress 8 is one of the most important performance measures for secondary schools in England. Introduced in 2016, it measures how much progress students make between the end of Key Stage 2 (primary school) and the end of Key Stage 4 (GCSEs), compared to students with similar starting points nationally.

Unlike raw exam results, Progress 8 accounts for where students began their secondary education. A school serving students who arrived with lower prior attainment can still achieve a high Progress 8 score if those students make strong progress during their time at the school.

How Progress 8 is Calculated

Progress 8 is based on students’ performance across 8 qualifications:

• English (double weighted)
• Maths (double weighted)
• 3 EBacc subjects (sciences, languages, geography, history)
• 3 other subjects (any approved qualifications)

Each student’s Progress 8 score compares their actual results to the average results of all students nationally with similar Key Stage 2 scores. The school’s overall Progress 8 is the average of all its students’ individual scores.

What the Scores Mean

• Score of 0: Students made average progress compared to similar students nationally
• Positive score (e.g., +0.5): Students made more progress than average — roughly half a grade better per subject
• Negative score (e.g., -0.3): Students made less progress than average

A Progress 8 score of +1.0 means students achieved, on average, one grade higher in each subject than similar students nationally — a significant achievement.

Why Progress 8 Matters for Parents

Progress 8 is particularly valuable for parents because it reveals the “value added” by a school. A school with modest raw results but strong Progress 8 may be doing excellent work with its students. Conversely, a school with high raw results but low Progress 8 may simply be benefiting from a more academically prepared intake.

When comparing schools, consider Progress 8 alongside other factors like Ofsted ratings, school culture, and whether the school meets your child’s specific needs.