VALUE ADDED TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Introduction

This annex describes the methods that have been used to calculate the KS2 to KS3 value added measure.

Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 value added measure

Pupils included

The KS2 to KS3 value added measure is based on the results achieved by pupils:

• who were eligible for KS3 assessment in 2003; and
• who were on the roll of the school at the time of the tests (May 2003); and
• for whom we were able to match prior attainment in KS2 tests.

All pupils for whom all results are disregarded at KS2 or KS3 have been excluded from the value added calculation, with one exception: if a pupil was disapplied in all three subjects or had a combination of disapplied and disregarded results at KS2 and achieved at least one KS3 result at levels 2 to 7, then he/she was included in the calculation with an input score of zero.

Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 test results: Allocation of point scores

The `input' and `output' measures for the value added calculation are based on the points awarded to pupils' results. The following tables show how points are allocated to pupils' KS2 and KS3 results.

Key Stage 2

Key Stage 3

Input measure (Key Stage 2)

The input measure for each pupil is calculated as the average point score achieved in the English, mathematics and science KS2 test results. For example, the average point score for a pupil achieving test levels 4, 4 and 5 in English, mathematics and science respectively would be:

If any KS2 results for a pupil are disregarded, the input measure is calculated as the average of the remaining non-disregarded subjects.

Output measure (Key Stage 3)

The output measure for each pupil is calculated as the average point score achieved in the English, mathematics and science KS3 test results. For example, the average point score for a pupil achieving levels 5, 6 and 4 in English, mathematics and science respectively would be:

If any KS3 results for a pupil are disregarded, the output measure is calculated as the average of the remaining one or two results.

Calculation of a pupil's value added score

A pupil's value added score is calculated by comparing their KS3 performance with the median KS3 performance of other pupils with the same or similar prior attainment at KS2. The median value is the middle value - with half of the pupils having a KS3 average point score at or below the median, and half at or above it.

The graphs below give the median KS3 point scores across the range of KS2 point scores nationally - joining the medians gives the `national median line'. There are two graphs: one shows median scores for pupils in mainstream schools and the other shows median scores for pupils in special schools only.

The national KS2 to KS3 median scores are shown in the tables below. Table A lists median scores for pupils in mainstream schools and Table B lists median scores for pupils in special schools.

Table A: Mainstream schools

Table B: Special schools

Calculation and presentation of the Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 value added measure

In the following example, school A has four pupils eligible for inclusion in the value added measure with KS2 and KS3 average point scores as shown. The median average point scores have been allocated according to the national median line for mainstream schools shown above and a value added score calculated for each pupil.

A school's value added score is a simple average (arithmetic mean) of the value added measures for all pupils in the school. For example for a mainstream school:

The value added score for each school has been published in terms of a measure centred around 100 - i.e. by adding 100 to a school's value added score. In the example above the value added measure for school A is:

Calculation of the Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 coverage indicator

The coverage indicator has been published as a percentage and is based on the number of pupils eligible for KS3 tests in 2003 who were actually included in the value added calculation. It is possible that not all eligible pupils will be included in the value added calculation; this could be because some pupils were absent from all KS3 test or because some pupils' KS2 prior attainment was not available.

For example, if a school had 10 pupils who were eligible for KS3 assessment in 2003, but two of those pupils were not included in the value added calculation, then the number of pupils included in the value added score would be 8. The coverage indicator in the example would be:

A value added measure has not been published for schools with less than 50% coverage.