More details about pupils' backgrounds should be taken into account when compiling data for secondary school league tables in England, a Bristol University report says.
The research claims a fifth of schools would see their national league table position change by over 500 places if such factors were taken into account.
In 2016, the Department for Education changed the accountability measures to Attainment 8 and Progress 8 in deciding school League tables (this replaced GCSE grades).
Attainment 8 measures pupils' grades across eight key subjects, while Progress 8 looks at their progress between the end of primary school (age 11) and the end of Key Stage 4, when they sit their GCSEs (age 16).
The report recommends factors such as those listed below should also be considered in deciding league tables:
- gender
- age
- ethnicity
- residential deprivation
- whether they are eligible for free meals
- whether English is their first language
- and whether they have special educational needs.
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