Guide
Attainment 8 explained
Understand the Attainment 8 score and how to use it sensibly when comparing schools.
Overview
Attainment 8 is a GCSE performance measure based on average pupil points across eight approved qualifications. It gives you a quick headline view of attainment at key stage 4.
It is most useful when combined with other indicators, especially Progress 8, English and maths results and inspection outcomes.
What Attainment 8 tells you
The metric helps you compare overall GCSE attainment between schools, especially when building an initial shortlist.
A higher score means stronger average attainment, but it does not automatically tell you how much progress pupils made relative to their starting points.
Best next step after checking Attainment 8
Once you have identified strong schools by Attainment 8, compare them directly and check their latest Progress 8, English and maths performance, EBacc figures, Ofsted history and sixth form indicators where relevant.
If you are choosing between nearby areas, MySchoolHub map view can help you compare local clusters rather than single schools in isolation. Individual school pages also expose historical trends and subject-level grade distributions.
Now apply it to your own list
Add a postcode and we rank the schools you could reach, weighting progress as heavily as you like.
Common questions
Does Attainment 8 include all GCSE subjects?
It uses eight approved qualifications across core and other eligible subjects rather than every possible exam entry.
Is Attainment 8 the same as Progress 8?
No. Attainment 8 measures attainment, while Progress 8 measures progress relative to prior attainment.