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A review and evaluation of secondary school accountability in England: Statistical strengths, weaknesses, and challenges for 'Progress 8' raised by COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Lucy Prior

    (Centre for Multilevel Modelling, School of Education, University of Bristol)

  • John Jerrim

    (UCL Social Research Institute, University College London)

  • Dave Thomson

    (FFT Education Datalab)

  • George Leckie

    (Centre for Multilevel Modelling, School of Education, University of Bristol)

Abstract

School performance measures are published annually in England to hold schools to account and to support parental school choice. This article reviews and evaluates the 'Progress 8' secondary school accountability system for state-funded schools. We assess the statistical strengths and weaknesses of Progress 8 relating to: choice of pupil outcome attainment measure; potential adjustments for pupil input attainment and background characteristics; decisions around which schools and pupils are excluded from the measure; presentation of Progress 8 to users, choice of statistical model, and calculation of statistical uncertainty; and issues related to the volatility of school performance over time, including scope for reporting multi-year averages. We then discuss challenges for Progress 8 raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. Six simple recommendations follow to improve Progress 8 and school accountability in England.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucy Prior & John Jerrim & Dave Thomson & George Leckie, 2021. "A review and evaluation of secondary school accountability in England: Statistical strengths, weaknesses, and challenges for 'Progress 8' raised by COVID-19," CEPEO Working Paper Series 21-04, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised Apr 2021.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucl:cepeow:21-04
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Progress 8; school performance measures; school accountability; school choice; school league tables; value-added model; COVID-19;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education

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