National Targets

Key Stage 2

At Key Stage 2, the PSA target is for 85% of 11 year olds to achieve Level 4 or above in English and mathematics by 2006, with this level of performance sustained to 2008.  There are no longer national targets for performance at Level 5 at the end of Key Stage 2, and therefore no requirement on LAs and schools to set and report Level 5 targets.  LAs are encouraged to discuss with schools and their governing bodies the setting of appropriate targets for their more able pupils, particularly where the percentage of children attaining Level 4 is consistently very high.

The Government has set new targets for 2008 to reduce by 40% the proportion of schools where fewer than 65% of pupils achieve Level 4+ in English and fewer than 65% achieve Level 4+ in mathematics.  These targets cover all schools whose Key Stage 2 results are published in the School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables.  The reduction will be measured against the number of schools that were below 65% in 2003. 

Key Stage 3

The national PSA targets are:

By 2007:

• 85% of 14 year olds to achieve at least Level 5 in English, mathematics and ICT, with 80% achieving Level 5 in science, with this level of performance sustained to 2008.

By 2008:

In all schools at least 50% of pupils achieve Level 5 or above in English, mathematics and science.

Key Stage 4 

The national PSA targets are for:

• 60% of pupils to achieve five or more A*-C GCSEs or equivalent by 2008
• In all schools at least 20% of pupils will achieve five or more A*-C GCSEs or equivalent by 2004, 25% by 2006 and 30% by 2008.

From 2004, the PSA target for Key Stage 4 will include a wider range of qualifications in order to reflect the achievements of pupils taking qualifications other than GCSEs and GNVQs. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the definition of the Key Stage 4 targets in the Education (School Performance Targets) (England) Regulations will be amended.  The School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables will include the wider range of qualifications from 2004 onwards.  More information on the changes can be found on the Department's website at www.dfes.gov.uk/performancetables.

School Absence Target

The new PSA target is to reduce the 2002/03 level of school absence by 8% by 2007/08. Achieving the new target will result in around 36,000 more pupils back in school each day by 2008. In turn, we expect this improvement to support progress towards other targets, such as the key stage attainment targets.

The link between absence and attainment is clear. For example, in 2003, on average, three quarters of pupils in schools with absence levels of below 6.5% achieved 5 A*-Cs at GCSE. In schools where absence was slightly higher - between 7.5% and 8.5% - the number of pupils achieving 5 A*-C fell to little more than a half.    

Downloads

Summary of LA Targets for 2008  Word (44.0 Kb)

We also have a spreadsheet which outlines the results that have been achieved since 1997. It is available to view or download   Excel (19.5 Kb)

Published July 2004

Last updated 22 August 2006