Progress 8 is a type of value-added measure; what does that mean in this context?

• A. They only count final attainment
• B. They compare progress to what would be expected given prior attainment
• C. They measure teacher conduct
• D. They measure attendance.

Answer: (B)

Progress 8 as a value-added measure means we look at how much students have progressed compared with what would be expected from their starting point. It uses prior attainment, typically KS2 results, to set an expected level of progress and then shows whether students, on average, exceed, match, or fall short of that expectation. This highlights how much a school adds to a student’s achievement beyond where they began, rather than just looking at final grades. It’s not about final attainment alone, nor about conduct or attendance, which are separate measures.