The 2008 Tables will report :

English and mathematics indicators

  • Percentage of pupils achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and mathematics GCSEs

    This key indicator shows the percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4 achieving 5 or more GCSEs (or equivalent) at grades A*-C including English and mathematics GCSEs.

    To be counted in the indicator pupils must have achieved at least the equivalent of three GCSEs at grade C and above and at least grades A*-C in

    • GCSE English or English Language and
    • GCSE mathematics
    • AS English and AS mathematics results obtained in KS4, where pupils have not first taken the GCSE, will be included in the indicator relating to 5 or more GCSEs at A*-C (or equivalent) including English and mathematics.

    GCSE English Literature and GCSE Statistics are not included in the English and mathematics indicators.

  • Percentage of pupils achieving English and mathematics Skills at Level 2

    This shows the percentage of pupils achieving good grades in English, mathematics literacy and numeracy - even though some may not have achieved the equivalent of five good GCSEs or good GCSEs in English and mathematics.

    To be counted in the indicator pupils must have achieved:

    • GCSE English or English Language at grade A*-C; or
    • Level 2 Functional Skill in English; or
    • Level 2 Key Skill in Communication; or
    • Level 2 Basic Skill in Literacy; or
    • AS English

    And

    • GCSE mathematics at grade A*-C; or
    • Level 2 Functional Skill in mathematics; or
    • Level 2 Key Skill in Application of Number; or
    • Level 2 Basic Skill in Numeracy; or
    • AS mathematics
  • Percentage of pupils achieving English and mathematics skills at Level 1

    This shows the proportion of pupils achieving Level 1 English and mathematics, literacy and numeracy - even though some may not have achieved the equivalent of 5 GCSEs.

    To be counted in the indicator the student must have achieved:

    • GCSE English or English Language at grades A*-G; or
    • Level 1 Functional Skill English; or
    • Level 1 Key Skill in Communication; or
    • Level 1 Basic skill in Literacy; or
    • AS English

    And

    • GCSE mathematics at grades A*-G; or
    • Level 1 Functional Skill mathematics; or
    • Level 1 Key Skill in Application of Number; or
    • Level 1 Basic Skill in Numeracy; or
    • AS mathematics

Science Indicator

The 2008 Tables will report:

  • Percentage of pupils achieving at least two GCSEs at grades A*-C and equivalent.

    To be counted in the indicator the pupil 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
    • 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.
    • Intermediate Science GNVQ; or
    • Pupils will have to have taken GCSEs in all three of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, but to be counted need only have attained grades A*-C in at least two of the disciplines.
    • Pupils who have taken GCSEs and/or GCE AS levels early in all three of Physics, Chemistry and Biology will also be counted, but need only have attained GCSE grades A*-C and/or GCE AS grades A-E in at least two of the disciplines.
    • Until they are phased out, GCSEs covering the old Key Stage 4 programme of study (Double Science, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Applied Science Double Award) will count.

    Only these combinations will count in the indicators - other combinations can be taken but will not count.

Modern Foreign Languages Indicators

The 2008 Statement of Intent confirmed the Secretary of State's decision to report:

  • Percentage of pupils at the end of KS4 who achieved at least one full GCSE (or equivalent) at grade A*-C in a modern foreign language
  • Percentage of pupils at the end of KS4 who achieved at least one short course GCSE (or equivalent) at grade A*-G in a modern foreign language.

To be counted in the new indicators, a pupil must have achieved:

  • Any Level 1 or Level 2 modern foreign language qualification approved for use pre-16, e.g. GCSEs, the Languages Ladder/Asset Language qualifications or NVQ language units; or
  • AS taken early; or
  • Level 3 Asset Language qualifications taken early.

Classical languages, British sign languages, any English for Speakers of Other languages (ESOL) and qualifications reflecting a study of literature and/or culture are not included in the indicators.

A full list of the languages and qualifications included in the new indicators will be posted shortly on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority website at www.qca.org.uk. The website will also list qualifications that count towards the English, mathematics and science indicators in the KS4 Tables.

The Tables continue to report:

  • Percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSE grades A*-C, (and equivalent)

    This shows the proportion of pupils 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 pupils achieving five or more GCSE grades A*-G, (and equivalent)

    This shows the proportion of pupils who have achieved the equivalent of five GCSE pass grades.

  • Percentage of pupils achieving at least one qualification

    This shows the proportion of pupils in a school who have achieved a pass grade in at least one entry level qualification.

  • Average total point score per pupil

    The average total point score provides a fuller picture of the achievements of pupils of all abilities. Two schools with similar percentages of pupils 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 pupils at the end of KS4 by the number of pupils on roll at the end of KS4.

    The average point score published here includes all of each pupil's GCSE (and equivalent) qualifications, not just the best eight.

YEAR ON YEAR COMPARISONS

The Tables also show time series in the form of bar charts which show how the GCSE (and equivalent) results for pupils in each school have changed since 2005, allowing you to compare the results for a school over the past four years. However, unlike the data used to calculate the main attainment measures shown in the Tables, which relate to pupils at the end of KS4, the data used for the time series is based on the achievements of all pupils on roll at the school who were in their last year of compulsory schooling aged 15. This may include pupils who have not yet taken any exams as they have not reached the end of KS4 studies. The bar charts show, for each of the years 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, the percentage of 15 year olds who achieved:

  • 5 or more GCSE (and equivalent) grades A*-C including GCSEs in both English and mathematics; and
  • 5 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. 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.

The year on year comparisons data for 2008 include all the results achieved by pupils 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 pupil is on roll at the time of statutory school-leaving age. However, where pupils 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 pupils achieve early.

ABSENCE RECORDS

The Tables show the levels of overall and persistent absence for day pupils of compulsory school age (age 5 to 15 at the start of the academic year 2007/08).

Overall absence is the percentage of possible half-days recorded under any combination of the following attendance codes (or the sum of authorised and unauthorised absences for schools which do not report absence by reason):

  • I - Authorised absence due to illness (NOT medical or dental etc. appointments)
  • M - Authorised absence due to medical/dental appointments
  • R - Authorised absence due to religious observance
  • S - Authorised absence due to study leave
  • T - Authorised absence due to traveller absence
  • H - Authorised absence due to agreed family holiday
  • F - Authorised absence due to agreed extended family holiday
  • E - Authorised absence as pupil is excluded, with no alternative provision made
  • C - Authorised absence as pupil is absent due to other authorised circumstances
  • G - Unauthorised absence as pupil is on a family holiday, not agreed, or is taking days in excess of an agreed family holiday
  • U - Unauthorised absence as pupil arrived after registers closed
  • O - Unauthorised absence as pupil missed sessions for an unauthorised absence not covered by any other code/description
  • N - Unauthorised absence as pupil missed sessions for a reason that has not yet been provided

Persistent absence is the percentage of pupil enrolments equalling or exceeding the threshold number of half-day absences (set to equal 20% of the national average number of possible half-day sessions) over the Autumn and Spring terms combined. The persistent absence threshold for Autumn and Spring 2007/08 is 48 or more half-day sessions.

Boarding enrolments are not included. Enrolments for whom zero possible sessions were recorded are not included. The first and second columns show:

  • the percentage of half days missed due to overall absence
  • the percentage of pupil enrolments with 48 or more half days of absence

If we have not received complete information from a school, 'Valid data were not returned' is shown in the relevant columns. If we have agreed to suppress information from a school due to data quality issues, 'Valid data were not returned' is shown in the relevant columns. 'Not applicable' applies to boarding schools with no day pupils. In the case of schools that are part boarding, the published statistics relate only to the school's day pupils and may not represent the levels of absence in the school as a whole.

There may be inconsistencies for some schools in the figures for the number of pupils on roll on 17 January 2008 and the number of pupil enrolments underlying the persistent absence figure. This is because they have been calculated in different ways and serve different purposes.