Detailed guide putting parents in the picture

TODAY we launch the 2017 Real Schools Guide - the fifth edition of the most comprehensive guide ever to state-funded secondaries.

Our unique rating system uses dozens of different measures, put together from the latest publiclyavailable data and broken into four categories: attainment, progress, attendance and outcomes.

National league tables typically look only at exam results, meaning schools that help all pupils make progress - but perhaps get only slightly better than average exam scores overall - are overlooked. Even those that include the new Progress 8 measure may overlook schools helping all pupils do well.

Our system aims to move beyond these limited measurements and give parents a better idea of which schools will help their child prosper, no matter what their background may be.

As well as data on the progession that pupils make, the guide also factors in things like attendance rates, the ratio of teachers to pupils, and whether students go on to further education or jobs.

Attainment is worth 30 per cent of the total score. This is based on pupils’ Attainment 8, EBacc and GCSE performance in 2016. We measure whether a school is getting top marks, and if it is managing to improve its GCSE results year-onyear.

Progress is worth 40 per cent of the score. It is based on how well pupils do in comparison to expectations, based on both Progress 8 and value added scores, and how well the school does at closing the gender gap.

It also looks at how big the pupil/ teacher ratio is in comparison to the national average, as well as teachers’ average salaries.

The attendance score - worth 15 different weightings based on how negative points up to a maximum of measure. Some schools are so tiny per cent of the total - is based on important they are likely to be to –0.5. that the data has been suppressed to absence rates, looking at both parents. For example, the average Scores for each measure are then avoid identifying pupils. overall levels of sessions missed as Attainment 8 and Progress 8 score is added together to get a total score Schools are not penalised for not well as unauthorised and persistent worth a maximum of eight points, for each category, and all the scores having data, and only schools with absence at the school. while the difference between the for each category are added together below-average performance can

The outcomes score is also worth average teacher salary in 2015/16 to get an overall total. receive negative points. 15 per cent, and is based on what and the national average is worth This total is adjusted to ensure However, not having data means a proportion of pupils continue with just 0.75 points. no school can receive a negative school cannot score extra points for education, employment or training Scores are worked out by giving total. a given measure, potentially putting after Year 11, and what proportion the best performing school in each Stars (from one to five) are them behind schools that do not become NEETs - children not in category top marks, with all other allocated by rating all the scores in have missing data. employment, education or training in schools receiving points adjusted order for each indicator and then Schools that had no Year 11 comparison to the national according to their comparative splitting schools into five equally- pupils taking Attainment 8 average. performance. Schools where performance sized groups. qualifying subjects in 2016 are not

Different measures is below average can receive Not all schools have data for every rated.