2. How has this year's Y6 progressed from Y2?

Go to Analyse and Export Data Tab
Select Analyse Pupil Level data Button.
You will be presented with a choice of either:

An APS only graph plotting pupils on a smooth curve, or
A Contextual graph showing pupils plotted on a straight line graph.

The difference between the two graphs is that:

The APS only graph plots the actual marks obtained at KS2 against the actual APS achieved at KS1.
The CVA graph shows the Actual Points achieved at KS2 plotted against the predicted Point Score produced by taking actual KS1 Point Scores and amending them with Contextual Value Added coefficients.

The coefficients add or detract from Predicted Point Score depending upon the mix of contextual coefficients of the individual pupil and the school. The prediction is further altered by shrinkage and multiplication factors depending on the cohort size.

POINT SCORES:

Point Score is calculated as Level x 6 + 3

A Level 4B is therefore 4 x 6 + 3 = 27
It should be noted that the range is from 24 to 29.9 points, 27 being the mid-point.

Sub levels of 4 would be:

4C from 24 to 25.9 mid point 25
4B from 26 to 27.9 mid point 27
4A from 28 to 29.9 mid point 29

The graph is available to show overall performance at KS2 and breaks down into individual subjects ie English, Maths and Science.

Some of the coefficients used to calculate the CVA are shown in the table below.

If a definitive list and a set of values is required, please contact the help desk on 0870 000 2288 or by email on pat.enquiries@dfes.gsi.gov.uk .

Scores are awarded or removed according to the relevant criteria and affect the predictions for the individual pupil at the next Key Stage. PAT then takes the Achieved Score and plots the pupil’s score against the prediction to produce a scatter graph around a straight line (Fig 2.1):

The graph is generated for all core subjects at KS2 and also as an overview (APS) of the whole Key Stage

At the base of each CVA graph is a conclusion that forms the basis of the new PANDA. This will be used by OFSTED. In the example above it states that “Your school’s value added based on the pupils plotted above is significantly greater than the National Average at the 95% confidence level”.

The only other grades offered will be:

"Your school’s value added based on the pupils plotted above is not significantly different from the National Average at the 95%

"Your school’s value added based on the pupils plotted above is significantly less than the National Average at the 95% confidence level”.

The other graph (APS only) available will plot the APS achieved at KS2 against the mark achieved in a specific subject or of the whole Key Stage at KS2 (Fig 2.2).

The crossover to Question Level Analysis by pressing the Show Radar Graph button is not available from the Contextual Graph but is from the APS only graph (Figs 2.3a & 2.3b).

Interpretation of Data

At the bottom of each graph produced in the contextual area there is a conclusion drawn which compares the school results with those nationally at the 95% confidence level. This is probably most easily looked at by Generating a report under Reports / School Reports / CVA Report (without options) (See reports at the end of these notes Page):

Ready Reckoners

Spreadsheets have been prepared by the DfES to enable users to get a view of the effect on VA with individual pupils. These can be found on the www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/performance.PAT website and are free to download and use. It will confirm that the data supplied in the tables, graphs and reports are accurate.

The 95% Confidence Interval Level is calculated as follows:

SUMMARY

The Contextual Value Added function has been added to PAT to enable schools to compare themselves with others but making allowances for the mix of pupils within the cohort. This is an attempt to level out the discrepancies over the full range of criteria. The function has been tested fully and works well. Clearly time will tell if adjustments need to be made.

The APS only and the Contextual Value Added from the Graph Type give very different graphs:

When PAT calculates the graph it will meet pupils who have no marks (this could be at KS1 or KS2) and therefore cannot be plotted. PAT returns a message like:

There is no cause for alarm. If you have additional material that can be used for the pupils concerned, you can enter it manually under the Edit Pupil Level Data (Pupil Results area) or do an import to gather them. You can obtain a list of these pupils by clicking on the View Report button just above Apply button. The “Not listed” pupils will be found at the bottom of the page (Fig 2.7).

Click OK on this message and you will be presented with a graph similar to Fig 2.5:

A click on the Show Radar Graph button will take you to the QLA area for that individual pupil which will allow you to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the pupil in a given subject and determine a strategy to personalise their education further. This is the subject of Question 6.

The report gives an overview of the pupil progress from KS1 to KS2.

The summary at the top shows how many pupils have appeared above and below the national median and quartile lines against which they are plotted. The pupils are then arranged conveniently in those groupings with the APS and levels achieved at KS1 together with the aggregated KS2 Marks. Used in conjunction with the graph (Fig 2.3) it can show the co-ordinates where a child can be found. This way the graph can be shown to interested parties (Governors and Parents typically) whilst protecting other pupils’ data.

The CVA Report (Fig 2.7a) is similar to the Value Added report except that it shows the KS2 predicted APS and the KS2 actual APS together with the levels achieved in all subjects. This is also broken down into sub-levels.

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