News

Revealed: Primary school floor standards for 2018

The government has revealed the key stage 2 attainment and progress scores schools will have to achieve to avoid falling “below the floor”.

In 2018, a school will be above the floor if at least 65 per cent of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at key stage 2, or if it achieves “sufficient progress scores” in all three subjects.

This year, the required progress scores are -5 in reading-5 in maths and -7 in writing.

The required scores are the same as they were in 2016 and 2017.

The floor standard is the minimum standard for pupil attainment and progress that the government expects schools to meet, and schools need to meet either the attainment element or all three of the progress elements.

Though the floor standards remain in place as a way for the government to measure school performance this year, as does the government’s controversial “coasting schools” measure, failure to meet these standards will not prompt the same intervention as in previous years.

Damian Hinds, the education secretary, announced in May that only an Ofsted ‘inadequate’ rating will trigger forced conversion or rebrokering of schools.

DfE documents released today confirm that schools falling below the floor standards or defined as “coasting” in 2018 will not be issued with academy orders or warning notices if they have not been judged ‘inadequate’.

This autumn, ministers will hold a consultation this autumn on how schools in need of support should be dealt with by the government from September 2019.

Coasting primary schools definition

The government has also announced how it will define a “coasting” primary school in 2018.

This year, primary schools will be coasting if, in 2016, 2017 and 2018, fewer than 85 per cent of pupils achieved the expected standard at the end of year six AND average progress of pupils was less than -2.5 in reading, -2.5 in maths or -3.5 in English writing.

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *