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Attainment and progress: know the difference

When it comes to measuring pupil performance, it can be easy to confuse attainment and progress. Be clear about the difference so you can effectively analyse your school’s performance data.

Last reviewed on 14 January 2025See updates
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 11820
Contents
  1. Attainment is the result, progress is achievement over time
  2. How Ofsted considers progress and attainment data
  3. Cancelled assessments affect progress data
  4. How to analyse your school's data 

Attainment is the result, progress is achievement over time

Attainment is a snapshot of pupils’ achievement at a point in time, for example in GCSE results. 

Attainment or performance data is: 

  • Academic achievements in summative assessments, including final exams
  • End of Key Stage (KS) results

It’s usually recorded as grades, scores or levels.

Progress is pupils’ achievement over time, for example, from KS2 to KS4.

Progress measures:

  • Show the difference between pupils’ previous and current attainment
  • Take pupils' starting points into account

Progress can be recorded in different ways, including primary progress scores.

See the Department for Education (DfE)’s guidance on understanding school performance measures.

How Ofsted considers progress and attainment data

Inspectors will:

  • Analyse a school’s progress and attainment data when risk assessing and selecting schools for inspection
  • Look at whether the collection of attainment and progress data is proportionate, and an efficient and sustainable use of staff resources

Ask for predicted attainment