Written question asked by Win Griffiths (Labour) on Thursday, 23 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 November 2000. It was answered by Baroness Morris of Yardley (Labour) on Wednesday, 29 November 2000 on behalf of the Department for Education and Employment.

Dept for Education and Employment

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what evidence he has assessed concerning the methods of making a reliable measurement of the progress of pupils. - Includes ref to results of pilot studies in Library. (Holding answer 28 November 2000).

Answer: Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what evidence he has assessed concerning the methods of making a reliable measurement of the progress of pupils. [140607] Ms Estelle Morris: [holding answer 28 November 2000]: The Department also publishes (jointly with the QCA and Ofsted) information about the progress of pupils nationally in the annual "Autumn Package of Pupil Performance Information". This shows the distribution of pupil outcomes at the end of each key stage, for pupils with similar achievement at the end of the previous key stage. Schools are encouraged to use the Autumn Package to evaluate the progress made by their own pupils, compared to national patterns. My officials monitor closely the debate about methods of measuring pupil progress and the "value added" by schools and other educational institutions. The Department has consulted interested organisations on a number of occasions about approaches to measuring and reporting value added in school and college performance tables and we have carried out two pilots--one, in 1998, in relation to pupils between the ages of 14 and 16 and the other, this year, in relation to students between the ages of 16 and 18. The results of both pilots have been published and are available in the House of Commons Library. We intend to consult on the inclusion of value added measures in school and college performance tables early next year.

Secondary information