Guide
Progress 8 explained
A practical guide to what Progress 8 means and how to use it when comparing schools in England.
Overview
Progress 8 is designed to show how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school and GCSE outcomes. A positive score means pupils performed above similar pupils nationally, while a negative score means they performed below that benchmark.
For parents, the key point is that Progress 8 is different from raw attainment. A school can have strong Attainment 8, strong Progress 8, both, or neither.
Why Progress 8 matters
Progress 8 can help you spot schools that add value for pupils, not just schools with strong headline GCSE results.
It is especially useful when comparing schools with different intakes or when you want a more balanced view than raw grades alone.
How to compare schools with Progress 8
Use MySchoolHub rankings to identify schools with positive Progress 8, then compare those schools directly to review Attainment 8, English and maths, EBacc and Ofsted information in one place.
You should also read the latest available inspection and consider travel distance, admissions, absence, exclusions, destinations and the overall school profile rather than relying on one metric.
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
Is a positive Progress 8 score good?
Yes. A positive Progress 8 score means pupils made above-average progress compared with pupils with similar prior attainment nationally.
Can I rely on Progress 8 alone?
No. It is best used alongside Attainment 8, English and maths outcomes, Ofsted, admissions context and practical factors such as travel distance.