Since national curriculum levels were scrapped, the focus in schools has been on progress, rather than attainment. However, many parents still find it hard to separate the two.  

Knowing the difference yourself, as a school leader, is fundamental. Progress is individual to the child, is both objective and subjective, and is a measure of what a child can do between two times.  

Attainment, meanwhile, is relative to a particular context, whether it be national or otherwise, considers opinion but inevitably is data-driven, and is a measure of performance at a particular time.

Communicating this difference to parents can be difficult, though. Senior leaders, therefore, need to ensure that everything from culture to school policy talks about progress, rather than just attainment. 

Get reporting right

When parents receive reports, is it clear that the letters or numbers used directly denote progress? Here, it can be useful to present progress descriptors clearly in a table at the beginning of the report, as an aide to help parents understand the progress continuum. 

For example:

• A - Significantly above expected progress.
• B - Above expected progress.
• C - Expected progress.
• D - Below expected progress.

You also need to ensure that reports are sent out regularly enough that parents feel they are receiving updates on progress, but not so regularly that it appears that nothing is progressing. 

This is subject-, age- and context-specific, but if you are reporting more than twice a term on progress, I’d question how reliable these findings are; it’s too short a time frame. Twice a year would be better. 

Ask teachers to talk in terms of progress

In reports, teachers should be explicit about the fact that they are basing their judgments of progress on where that pupil began in the reporting period and where they are at the end of it. 

These judgments should be drawn from both qualitative and quantitative information and consider expectations of that pupil based on experience of the subject and age range, as well as the pupil’s learning profile. They should also look at the child’s attainment overall. 

For example: “Child A has made above-expected progress this half term. He is able to do X, Y and Z now, relative to the beginning of term when he was beginning to develop his skills to do X, Y and Z. He has surpassed expectations this half term with regards to the skills developed.”

Make sure to refer regularly to the individual; this helps parents understand it is about their child, not where their child is in relation to the national average. 

Strike a balance

Inevitably, though, parents will seek reassurance that their child is attaining and progressing in the same way that others are. 

Getting the balance right is important here and relies on a wider reporting model that also keeps parents updated with attainment scores. Over the course of an academic year, two progress updates to every one attainment drop should give parents what they need, while keeping the emphasis on progress. 

A reporting structure that focuses on progress, yet drip feeds in attainment, with context, is one which says that individual progress is the most important thing. All pupils can make excellent individual progress, but the reality is that not all will achieve attainment grades that sit in the first quartile nationally. 

Don’t forget culture

It’s not just about reporting, though. Creating a whole-school culture in which the importance of individual progress is discussed openly with pupils themselves is really powerful. 

Awarding a “progress cup” at the end-of-term assembly is one way to demonstrate to pupils the value of progress, particularly if it is awarded before any end-of-term attainment cup. The overall message needs to be that individual progress is what leads to achievement.

Jason Ford is the deputy head at Hampton Pre‑Prep and Prep School in Middlesex