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Assessment - Comparisons
Using the Data
Comparing available data is key evidence of the excellent achievement of pupils, 
celebrate staff hard work and is highly valued by parents selecting their child’s schools. This published data is downloadable from: www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk and is free and available to all. The data contained here is the full-data set from all schools in the country. It is possible to filter this data further to undertake direct comparisons with certain schools, and with certain categories of schools.
All the following data in this document is from the qualifications taken by Year 11 pupils in Summer 2026.
Similar Schools
At Woodlane High School, we recognise that national performance data does not always provide a complete picture of achievement within a specialist SEND setting. Comparing the outcomes of pupils with SEND directly with those in mainstream settings can have limitations, particularly where pupils have very different starting points, needs and learning pathways. Woodlane seeks to bridge the gap between specialist and mainstream education, providing pupils with a supportive and nurturing environment alongside ambitious academic opportunities, including access to a wide range of GCSEs and equivalent qualifications. For this reason, performance comparisons remain valuable when they are made carefully, transparently and with schools that have a similar context.
The most meaningful comparisons for Woodlane are therefore with similar local authority maintained special schools catering for secondary-aged pupils. These comparisons help us to celebrate areas of strength, identify opportunities for further development and maintain high expectations for all pupils. When considering current performance information, it is important to note that Progress 8 cannot be calculated for the 2024/25 or 2025/26 academic years. This is because the relevant cohorts do not have Key Stage 2 prior-attainment data available following the cancellation of assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department for Education confirmed that there is no replacement Progress 8 measure for these two academic years.
National performance measures should therefore be viewed as one part of a much wider picture of pupil achievement. At Woodlane, we consider academic outcomes alongside pupils' individual starting points and progress, qualifications achieved, personal development, independence and preparation for their next steps.
Published Scores
At Woodlane High School, we are proud of the achievements and progress of all our pupils. Our most recent Progress 8 data is -1.13 (2023/24), and our Attainment 8 score for 2024/25 is 11.1.
As a specialist setting, national performance measures form only part of the wider picture of achievement. We place significant importance on progress from individual starting points and celebrate pupils’ academic achievements alongside their personal development, independence, qualifications and successful preparation for their next steps.
The following table demonstrates the Progress 8 and Attainment 8 scores over time.
Progress 8
Progress 8 is a score that shows how much progress pupils have made between the end of key stage 2 and the end of key stage 4. These pupils are compared with their peers across England who achieved similar results at the end of that key stage.
The Progress 8 score is determined by how well pupils perform in up to 8 qualifications, which include; English, Maths, 3 English Baccalaureate qualifications including Science, Computer Science, History, Geography and Languages, as well as 3 other approved qualifications. Not all qualifications offered at Woodlane are approved under the Progress 8 Performance Tables. This score is more significant as a measure for mainstream provisions. However, if used with caution it can be useful for SEND too.
If the school uses the Progress 8 score and ranks Community SEND schools across the whole of the UK, Woodlane is the 11th highest performing school of its type. This places the school well within the top 5% nationally.
Progress 8 data is -1.13 (2023/24)
When comparing Progress 8 scores across the national picture over the past 6 years of available data, Woodlane is almost always within the top 5% nationally, usually comfortably so.
Attainment 8
Similar to Progress 8 (above), the Attainment 8 score is determined by how well pupils perform in up to 8 qualifications, although it does not take in to account the pupil’s start point (KS2) and their value-added progress. This score can be used as an indicator of the range of qualifications on offer, the recognition given to these qualifications and pupil’s success when completing them.
Woodlane achieved an Attainment 8 score of 11.1 in 2024/25. When considering this outcome, comparisons with similar specialist SEND settings provide a more meaningful context than comparisons with mainstream schools.
Curriculum:
Due to the way progress tables are calculated, they do not account for the breadth and depth of qualifications on offer at Woodlane. The school offers Entry Level, Functional Skills courses and Unit Award Schemes, outside of the GCSE and BTEC programmes.
Download the attached document for further information and analysis.
If you are a school who wishes to conduct some comparisons of internal or external data, please get in touch through the school email address or telephone number.