Tiffnie Harris provides an overview of the national picture now that SATs results have landed.

SATs results

In July, primary schools across England received much-anticipated Key Stage 2 (KS2) SATs results. Accompanying these were the key national headlines, painting a broader picture of how pupils have fared this year (tinyurl.com/3p34b9dn).

These results are not just numbers; they represent the culmination of years of teaching, learning, and hard work by pupils and teachers alike. But what do this year’s results tell us, and what are the implications for the future of education?

Outcomes

This year’s results show a slight improvement in some areas but, overall, there is little movement compared to previous years. Significantly, the outcomes still fall short of pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

• Combined reading, writing, and maths: 61% of pupils met the expected standard, a small increase from 60% in 2023, but still below the pre-pandemic figure.
• Reading: 74% of pupils achieved the expected standard, up from 73% in 2023.
• Maths: 73% of pupils met the expected standard, unchanged from last year.
• Writing: 72% of pupils reached the expected standard, a slight rise from 71% in 2023.

These figures highlight the ongoing challenges faced by schools, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. The relentless pressure of school-based accountability, set against a backdrop of austerity, has left many primary schools at breaking point. Despite their extraordinary efforts, there is little more they can do within the current constraints. However, this data offers an opportunity for leaders in both primary and secondary education to plan ahead and make informed decisions.

Looking for patterns

The publication of KS1 national data in the autumn term will offer a further opportunity to identify patterns and trends. This will be crucial for leaders as they consider where to allocate resources and prioritise intervention strategies for pupils progressing to KS2. Additionally, sharing internal assessment data with feeder secondary schools can help scaffold early discussions about supporting pupils as they transition to KS3.

Understanding these national data patterns can be immensely useful for primary leaders. It provides a context for interpreting their own internal assessment data, which is invaluable when reporting to governors and trustees, making curriculum planning decisions, and setting improvement plan objectives. Furthermore, both primary and secondary schools can access a detailed analysis of the latest, and previous years’ KS2 data through the DfE’s Question Level Analysis (QLA) tool. This tool, accessible via a school’s Sign In page, sits alongside the Analyse School Performance (ASP) and Inspection Data Summary Report (IDSR), offering a comprehensive view of school performance.

The national picture

To put this year’s headline data into perspective, it means that nationally, more than a quarter of 11 year-olds who have just started secondary school this September are below the level deemed necessary to manage the demands of the curriculum.

Implications

But what does this mean for the classroom? In practical terms, it could manifest as an increase in low-level disruptive behaviour, with pupils finding ways to avoid answering questions or participating in lessons. This might look like a reluctance to read out loud, frequent requests to leave the classroom during critical moments, or even displays of anger or refusal to engage with the learning process altogether. There might be a noticeable rise in homework not being submitted and a decline in attendance.

Moreover, the gender gap in reading and writing persists, with girls continuing to outperform boys. A critical piece of information that primary schools can pass on to secondary schools is the number of pupils with a reading age below that of an 11 year-old. This data is vital for secondary schools to plan appropriate interventions and support.

Looking forward

Interventions aimed at bridging these gaps might focus on reading support, but it is essential to also consider the ‘word gap’, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Research by Jessie Ricketts, co-lead from the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, published in June 2022 (tinyurl.com/vchfeeby), underscores the importance of this connection. She notes, “The connection between reading proficiency and learning new words might seem obvious, but this is the first time this has been demonstrated in a real-life context … if we can help children to read more proficiently, other benefits are likely to follow, such as better learning of new vocabulary and more time spent reading.”

As schools reflect on this year’s SATs results, the focus must now turn to planning and intervention. The data provides a critical insight into where resources and efforts should be directed to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their starting point, have the best possible chance of success as they move through their educational journey.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Tiffnie is delivering our Brand New to Leading Data course (www.ascl.org.uk/BrandNewData), the ASCL Literacy Conference and ASCL Spring Data Conference – find out more at www.ascl.org.uk/UpcomingConferences You can also attend our free ASCL Primary Network meetings – see www.ascl.org.uk/primarynetwork

Tiffnie Harris
ASCL Primary and Data Specialist
@tiffnieharris

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