Overview
This article provides an in-depth explanation of what the KS4 residuals displayed in KS4 reports in Sisra Analytics are, and how they are calculated. Use this guidance to help troubleshoot figures or to understand how residuals are calculated.
Residual types
There are two types of residual:
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Grade-based residuals
Grade-based residuals measure a student's performance in a specific subject or qualification. They are used to compare the performance of qualifications, faculties, classes, and students by showing how well they did relative to their overall results across all qualifications (with points). These residuals are based on the performance of students in the current report.
In KS3/4 of Sisra Analytics, subjects/qualifications can have either school-set custom points or official points. When both are used in a cohort, two types of residuals are generated.
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Attitude to Learning (AtL) Residuals
AtL residuals are based on a student's judgement in specific AtL categories set up in your school, for example, Behaviour and Homework. These can be used to compare the pastoral judgements in a category for students in a specific class, qualification, or faculty with the judgements in that category for the same students across all of their qualifications. You can, for example, compare how a student's behaviour in one qualification compares to their average behaviour across all qualifications they take.
AtL residuals are only available where average points or average judgements are used.
You can exclude specific qualifications from the residual calculations temporarily. For more information, see Sisra Analytics: How do I exclude specific qualifications from KS4 residual calculations?
Calculation video
Calculations
Student Residuals
Student Residuals compare a student’s performance in a particular qualification / AtL category with how they’re performing on average across all of qualifications.
They are initially calculated for each subject / qualification based on the type of points awarded (either custom or official Attainment 8):
Student Residual = Standardised Points Score – Average Points Score*
* For that specific grade points type (Attainment 8 or custom points or AtL category).
As residuals are based on student performance, Sisra Analytics will include all students (including guests) and all grades. Grades that have been discounted and do not count towards Headline measures will still be included in residuals.
After Student Residuals have been calculated, Sisra Analytics produces Class, Qualification, and Faculty Residuals.
Class Residuals
Class Residuals compare the student performance in a class with how they are performing overall across all of their qualifications with the same point scale. These are calculated by taking the sum of the individual Student Residuals and dividing this by the number of students in the class:
Class Residual = Sum of student residuals in class ÷ count of students in class
Qualification / Subject Residuals
Qualification Residuals compare the student performance in a qualification with how they are performing overall, across all of their qualifications with the same point scale. These are calculated by taking the sum of the individual Student Residuals and dividing this by the number of students in the qualification:
Qualification Residual = Sum of student residuals in qualification ÷ Count of students in qualification
Faculty Residuals
Faculty Residuals compare the performance of students in a faculty with how they are performing overall across all qualifications with the same point scale. These are calculated by taking the sum of the individual Student Residuals and dividing this by the total number of student Residuals in the faculty:
Faculty Residual = Sum of student residuals in faculty*÷ count of students in faculty
* Taken from their individual qualifications included in that faculty.
Related information
- Sisra Analytics: What are residuals?
- Sisra Analytics: How do I exclude specific qualifications from KS4 residual calculations?
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