Overview

This article explain which official KS4 Core Baselines are required for calculating L3 Value Added and L2 Progress in Sisra Analytics' KS5 reports and where they can be found. 

For further information about preparing and importing Core Baselines, see Sisra Analytics: KS5 - How do I prepare and import Core Baselines? (Admin).

KS4 core baselines are the official points, or challenge points, awarded to students at the end of Year 11. These must be imported appropriately within Sisra Analytics to ensure that headline figures, for example, L3 Value Added are calculated accurately, in line with DfE guidance. 

The sections below explain the different types of baseline that can be imported for each student, listed by performance measure.

Baselines required for each measure

L3 Value Added (L3VA)

To produce L3 Value Added, import the following average points scores (ideally to 4 decimal places):

1. KS4 APS GCSE. These are used for A Level and Academic qualifications. They include GCSEs (9-1 and unreformed A*-G), and any AS Levels taken at KS4.
2. KS4 APS All. These are used for Applied General and Tech Level qualifications. They include all the qualifications in KS4 APS GCSE and vocational qualifications, for example,BTECs.

L2 English & Maths Progress / L3 Maths

To produce L2 English and Maths Progress, and L3 Maths, import the following core baselines as Challenge Points:

1. KS4 English Prior. The highest of the student's final grades from English Language or English Literature in Year 11 for the Challenge Points.
2. KS4 Maths Prior. The students' final grade achieved in Maths in Year 11.

For 2019/2020 and later cohorts, as the Challenge Points are the same as the student’s grade (for example, a GCSE grade 9 is 9 challenge points), import their GCSE grade in English and Maths from KS4.

Where students took a different qualification at KS4, import the associated challenge points from the DfE’s spreadsheet.

Where to find Core Baselines (by cohort)

Current Year 12 and Year 13

Export Current Year 12 and Year 13 Core Baselines from Get Information About Pupils (GIAP). 

Upload your student’s UPNs into GIAP to download the appropriate data from these columns:

1. KS4_PTSPE_PTQ_EE - for your students' KS4 APS All.
2. KS4_GPTSPE_PTQ_EE - for your students' KS4 APS GCSE.

For help formatting your GIAP file see Sisra Analytics: KS5 - How do I format Core Baselines from Get Information About Pupils (GIAP)?

Past Leavers (reported by the DfE)

For Past Leavers cohorts reported by the DfE, you can use the L3 VA Student and Qualification Level Data (Level3VAReport.csv) in the VA Data released by the DfE.

Cohorts not officially reported (21/22 and 22/23)

For the 21/22 and 22/23 cohorts, baselines may be unavailable on Get Information About Pupils (GIAP) as these cohorts are not officially reported. We recommend manually calculating their baselines. For further information, see Sisra Analytics: KS5 - How do I manually calculate L3VA Core Baselines? (Admins).

KS4 Prior English and Maths

These may be available for download in your school's MIS, from the student’s previous school or, where available, export their grade points from the KS3/4 Basics - Contribution report in Sisra Analytics.

Related information

• Sisra Analytics: KS5 - How do I prepare and import Core Baselines? (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: How do I format Core Baselines from Get Information About Pupils (GIAP)?
• Sisra Analytics: KS5 - How do I manually calculate L3VA Core Baselines? (Admins).
• KS3/4 Basics - Contribution report.

Updated 04 December 2025 12:44