Small schools, big swings: why a 20-pupil year group's results can look misleading
A small school's results can jump wildly year to year — and it's rarely about teaching. Here's the simple maths behind it.

Knowledge hub
Plain-language explainers for the numbers and labels you will see on school profiles — so you know what is official data and what it is really telling you.
A small school's results can jump wildly year to year — and it's rarely about teaching. Here's the simple maths behind it.
A small school's results can jump wildly year to year — and it's rarely about teaching. Here's the simple maths behind it.

What happens to pupils after they leave? Here's how to read "destinations" data properly — and what the numbers don't tell you.

What happens to pupils after they leave? Here's how to read "destinations" data properly — and what the numbers don't tell you.
Persistent absence and overall absence rate aren't the same thing. Here's what the numbers actually tell you about a school.
Persistent absence and overall absence rate aren't the same thing. Here's what the numbers actually tell you about a school.
Missing a Progress 8 score isn't a red flag — it's a nationwide gap caused by cancelled SATs during the pandemic. Here's what it means.
Missing a Progress 8 score isn't a red flag — it's a nationwide gap caused by cancelled SATs during the pandemic. Here's what it means.
Attainment 8 and Progress 8 sound similar but measure very different things. Here's which one actually matters for choosing a school.
Attainment 8 and Progress 8 sound similar but measure very different things. Here's which one actually matters for choosing a school.
Ofsted scrapped single-word grades in November 2025. Here's exactly what replaced them, and what it means when you're comparing schools.
Ofsted scrapped single-word grades in November 2025. Here's exactly what replaced them, and what it means when you're comparing schools.

A "Good" Ofsted rating sounds reassuring — but what does that word actually cover, and what does it leave out? Here's how to read it properly.

A "Good" Ofsted rating sounds reassuring — but what does that word actually cover, and what does it leave out? Here's how to read it properly.