As the upcoming Secondary School Offer Day draws near, parents now have access to a new tool for comparing the performance of any two schools. This Monday, on March 2, marks a significant day for Year Six students and their families nationwide as they discover the secondary school placements they have received.

While the majority of children are likely to secure their top school choice, not all will be as fortunate. Last year, 84% of students were granted their first preference, with an additional 12% receiving placements at one of their other desired schools. This left 4% of pupils with a school assignment that was not among their preferred choices.

With our latest device, individuals can now easily assess and compare the performance data of any two schools. If a student has been allocated a school that was not their top pick, they can utilize this tool to evaluate how it measures up against other options.

This innovative gadget utilizes official government data on pupil performance, specifically examining schools’ Attainment 8 scores dating back to 2015. It also evaluates students’ achievement in obtaining A-C grades in English and Maths, English Baccalaureate performance, and historical Progress 8 scores.

For those seeking more detailed insights into a school’s performance, the option to access further information about the institution is available. According to the Department of Education, Attainment 8 serves as a metric for evaluating pupils’ performance in key stage 4, typically completed at the age of 16.

The calculation of Attainment 8 scores involves assigning point scores to grades ranging from 1 (lowest) to 9 (highest) for each subject, with a double count for Maths and English if both literature and language exams are taken. These scores are rounded to one decimal place for accuracy.