Overview

This article provides a step-by-step guide to investigating why your Progress 8 figures may differ between the KS3/4 reports in Sisra Analytics and the DfE’s Tables Checking Exercise.

As the School Progress 8 score is calculated as the average of all students’ Progress 8 scores, the easiest way to determine where the discrepancy lies is to compare student-level Progress 8 scores. In this article, you are guided through how to find an example student and then compare how their data differs between the two reports.

Prerequisistes

• You must be an administrator.
• You must have access to:
  • The pupil-level file from the DfE’s Tables Checking Exercise.
  • The original KS2 and qualification data imported into Sisra Analytics.

Instructions

Follow these steps to find an example student and then compare how their data differs between the two reports:

• 1. From your report:
     
     
     1. Select A8/P8.
     2. Select P8 Overview.
     3. Select Students.
  2. Export the report to Excel using the icon in the top-right corner:
     
  3. Open the downloaded report file in Excel.
  4. Using VLOOKUP or EXACT formulas in Excel, compare the P8 column in the report with the P8 scores shown in the pupil-level file from the DfE’s Tables Checking Exercise.

• After identifying a student whose data differs, open their data in Sisra Analytics: 

  1. From your report:
     
     
     1. Select Student Detail.
     2. Select Headlines.
     3. Select Students.
  2. When the report loads, select the Student:
     

• Compare the student's data in the following sections of the report against your pupil-level file, and follow the guidance to fix any discrepancies:

  A. A8/P8 Summary

  

  Component	What to Check	How to Fix
  KS2 A8 Prior	Is the KS2 prior attainment being calculated correctly? If not, check the individual English and Maths KS2 scores shown in the Basics section of the report.	Open DATA > KS3/4 & Cohort. Select KS2/EAP. Select Baselines. Select the subject's Grade Count. Select Edit Grades. Make changes. Save and publish.
  Non-scoring KS2 levels, for example, Bs must be manually replaced in Sisra Analytics with a valid teacher assessment where applicable. See Sisra Analytics: What do I replace a KS2 Scaled Score of B, N, or a TA Outcome with? (Admin).
  Att 8 Estimate	Is the A8 estimate correct? Check if the report has been published with the latest A8 Estimates, by selecting the information icon at the top of the the Dataset tab.	Open DATA > KS3/4 & Cohort. Select Grades. Select Publish Grades. Select Publish next to Exams. Amend the selection in the A8 Estimates to the correct estimate option.

  B. A8/P8 Detail – Basket-Level Comparison

  

  Checkpoint	What to Look For
  Basket Scores	Compare your student’s Progress 8 score in each basket with their score in the pupil-level file. Do the Progress 8 scores differ within a specific basket?
  If so, focus your checks on the qualifications within that basket (see below).

  C. Attainment 8 Qualifications

  

  Area	What to Check	How to Fix
  Basket	Are the qualifications counting towards each basket the same?	Open DATA > KS3/4 & Cohort. Select Grades. Select Matching. Check the QN codes and the Special columns are correct. If they are not, select Edit and correct them. Select Save Changes.
  Type	Are qualification types appearing correctly?	Open DATA > KS3/4 & Cohort. Select Grades. Select Matching. Check the QN codes and the KS4 Measure columns are correct. If they are not, select Edit and correct them. Select Save Changes.
  Grade	Are the grades the same for each qualification?	If you need to edit any grades: Open DATA > KS3/4 & Cohort. Select Grades. Select Exams in the dropdown Select the qualification’s Grade Count Select Edit Grades. Make changes. Save and publish
  Att 8 Points	Are the Attainment 8 points the same for each qualification?	If you need to check and change the points within a grade method: Select CONFIG. Select Grade Methods. Select KS3/4 Methods. Select the Method Name to check that the correct points have been entered in the associated method. Select Reconfigure. Select Next. Make your changes in Step 2. Select Next. Select Finish.
  If this Grade Method is being used for another qualification that is awarded different grades or points, you may need to create a new grade method and EAP for this qualification. For further information, see Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Creating Grade Methods (Admin) and Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Creating EAPs (Admin).

Outcome

Any discrepancies between the Progress 8 figures in Sisra Analytics' KS3/4 reports and the DfE’s Tables Checking Exercise are fixed. For further help after following the steps above, if you are unable to fix the discrepancies, contact us.

Related information

• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Creating Grade Methods (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: KS3/4 - Creating EAPs (Admin).
• Sisra Analytics: What do I replace a KS2 Scaled Score of B, N, or a TA Outcome with? (Admin).

Training

Updated 08 May 2025 12:41