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Indicators of progress: Definitions, data, baseline and trends information

Milestone 9: Bringing the poorest-performing 20% of pupils, in terms of Standard Grade Achievement, closer to the performance of all pupils.

Indicators

This milestone is measured by one derived indicator. The source of the information is the Scottish Qualifications Authority, but the indicator has been produced by the Scottish Executive. The headline figure is defined as measuring the difference between the average tariff scores of the lowest attaining 20 percent of S4 pupils and the average tariff scores of all S4 pupils. Information on the difference between the average tariff scores of the lowest attaining 20 percent of S4 pupils and the average tariff scores of the remaining 80 percent of S4 pupils is also provided for completeness. It should be noted that those pupils who did not attain any examination results at Standard Grade (or equivalent) in S4 are included, with zero tariff scores.

Availability of data

Information for this milestone is available at a Scottish level, by gender and by local authority. It is not currently available by disability or ethnicity. Analysis is available by urban and rural areas. This data includes attainment of Access and Intermediate level National Qualifications, which were introduced in 2000. The attainment score includes only qualifications gained in S4.

Average Tariff Score in S4

Chart 9a shows that the average tariffs for the lowest attaining 20 percent of S4 pupils and all S4 pupils have increased between 1995 and 2001. However, the difference between the lowest attaining 20 percent of S4 pupils and the average tariff of all S4 pupils has not reduced and therefore on average the difference between the lowest attaining 20 percent of S4 pupils and the average performance of all S4 pupils remains largely unchanged.

Chart 9a : Average tariff score in S4

Source : Scottish Executive

Gender analysis

Table 9b gives the pattern of attainment over the last 7 years by gender, and the difference between the two cohort groups. Information has been provided for the lowest attaining 20 percent, the remaining 80 percent and all S4 pupils. The conclusion from table 9b is that on average boys attain lower results than girls. There is also evidence to show that the gap between the lowest attaining 20% of girls and all S4 girls is larger than the equivalent gap for boys. There is some evidence to suggest that the gap has widened for boys in recent years, although the figures may be affected by the bedding in of the new National Qualification examinations, which were introduced in 2000. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that this is a long term trend.

Table 9b: Average Points tariff in S4 : Split by gender

Source : Scottish Executive

Source : Scottish Executive

Rural and Urban figures

Table 9c provides a snapshot of the differences between attainment by pupils attending rural and urban schools. On average pupils attending rural schools attain significantly higher tariff scores than their counterparts attending urban schools. The difference between the lowest attaining 20 % of pupils at rural schools and all pupils at rural schools in S4 is slightly less than the difference between the lowest attaining 20 % of pupils attending urban schools and all pupils attending urban schools in S4.

Table 9c: Comparison of attainment by pupils attending rural and urban schools - 2001.

Source : Scottish Executive
Note: The urban rural classification is based on that developed for the Scottish Household Survey.

The rural and urban classification presented above is based on that developed for the Scottish Household Survey, and is at postcode unit level. Primary cities, other urban settlements, and small accessible towns (categories 1-3) are classed as urban areas, with small remote towns, accessible rural and remote rural areas (categories 4-6) classed as rural.

The rural and urban analysis presented here is not comparable to that presented in the Social Justice Indicators of progress 2001. The rural and urban analysis presented for this milestone in 2001 was based on Local Authority classification. This improved methodology for 2002 does not allow for comparison with the analysis presented in 2001. For further detail, please refer to Annex A.

Background data

Table : 9d Average Points tariff in S4 : All S4 pupils

Source : Scottish Executive

Tariffs : Unified scores scale

This milestone is based on the performance of pupils at Standard Grade in S4, in all Education Authority, Grant-aided and Self-governing schools. Each grade has been converted to the unified score scale which forms the basis of the new National Qualifications. This tariff score was devised by Quality, Standards and Audit Division in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools and is essentially an extrapolation of the existing UCAS tariff score.

Note that optional standard grade writing papers for languages have been excluded from these results.

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