The best performing Sunderland secondary schools based on new Progress 8 scores

There was only one school in the city which was categorised as performing ‘above average’. Taking into account thresholds for statistical leeway, nine schools attained a Progress 8 score in which pupils’ attainment was classed as ‘average’ and in line with pupils nationally.

To calculate Progress 8, each school is given a statistically calculated positive or negative value which is used to assess the progress made by pupils of the same assessed starting point when they sat their Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) in Year 6 and the results then achieved in their GCSEs in Year 11.

It was introduced in 2016 as a fairer way to assess a school’s academic performance, rather than simply looking at raw grades and outcomes.

A score above zero represents that pupils made more progress, on average, than pupils across England who got similar results at the end of Year 6 while a score below means, on average, they made less.

Sunderland schools achieved a Progress 8 score of -0.31, meaning pupils across the city, on average, made less progress than was achieved nationally.

A Progress 8 score is calculated based on how pupils have performed in eight subjects, including English, Maths and the sciences, and statistically assessing their scores, on average, against how pupils with the same Year 6 SATs results nationally have performed in their GCSEs.

A value is then given for the school as to whether pupils have made the expected amount of progress.

The scores awarded for Maths and English are given double weighting, to reflect the importance of these subjects. Other subjects included in a Progress 8 calculation includes Computer Science, History, Geography and languages.

A score of plus one means that pupils with the same SATs results are achieving, on average, one grade more than their national peers in their GCSEs, while a score of minus one, means on average they are attaining one grade less.

These are provisional results and so may be subject to slight change following any remarked papers.

Check out the following results to see how your son or daughter’s school has performed.