11 Plus Exams Forum

In the DoE statistics for primary and secondary schools, what does "low", "mid" and "high" attainers actually mean?
Is it roughly a third of a cohort each (i.e. a 33/33/33 distribution)? or a 10/80/10 distribution?

In the 2015 data [and before] you can click on the icon - the explanation is:

High = KS2 level 5
Average = KS2 level 4
Low = below KS2 level 4.

ConfusedFather wrote:In the DoE statistics for primary and secondary schools, what does "low", "mid" and "high" attainers actually mean?
Is it roughly a third of a cohort each (i.e. a 33/33/33 distribution)? or a 10/80/10 distribution?

Off the top of my head:
Low - below level 4
Mid - level 4
High - level 5 / 6

Crossed...
These figures apply to the cohort in question, i.e. for the 'GCSE' stats it's the cohort who entered the school five academic years previously (I think).

Thanks for the clarification.

Is it still true that KS2 L4 = 75% of cohort, L5=10% and L6=1% ? Read it somewhere, but was not a DoE site.

"The percentages of pupils achieving Level 5 or above in the 2010 Key Stage 2 tests by subject are as follows:

* English 33 per cent
* Reading 50 per cent
* Writing 21 per cent
* Mathematics 34 per cent
Note: Some schools took single level tests (available at levels 3 to 6) in mathematics in 2010. "

Very few would have taken the level 6 as it was a pilot from what I can remember.

Data from

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 6-2010.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for the data. So not at all like what I read.

So basically high attainers are in fact average + if they represent a third of a cohort? That would mean B and above at GCSE if I am correct?

Expected progress is that a level 5 would 'gain' three levels and get a B - all this is now out of date of course! [no levels at KS2 although they will be used in these tables until the current cohort works through to GCSE}

Most school aim for 'more than expected progress' ie at least a grade A for level 5s.

We get matrices of KS2 levels against GCSE grades and this is part of the data Ofsted scrutinise. You can see the National picture if you google "KS2 to GCSE transition matrix" and select 2015.

Guest55 wrote:Expected progress is that a level 5 would 'gain' three levels and get a B - all this is now out of date of course! [no levels at KS2 although they will be used in these tables until the current cohort works through to GCSE}

Most school aim for 'more than expected progress' ie at least a grade A for level 5s.

We get matrices of KS2 levels against GCSE grades and this is part of the data Ofsted scrutinise. You can see the National picture if you google "KS2 to GCSE transition matrix" and select 2015.

Wow thanks a lot, I can now have some fun with stats and excel!
Puts much more meaning into what levels and grades mean by turning them to percentiles.