Parents to receive more help choosing secondary schools

Provisional GCSE results to be released for the first time to help school choice.

Parents choosing a secondary school for their child will for the first time have access to early exam results to help them decide, Schools Minister Nick Gibb announced today (16 July 2015).

Provisional GCSE results will now be made available in mid-October so parents are able to use them to finalise their choices. Previously, the data was only shared with schools.

It is part of the government’s drive to improve transparency, helping parents hold schools to account while allowing heads and teachers to highlight their achievements.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

"Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions parents will make for their child and so we want to make sure they have as much up-to-date information as possible to make an informed choice.

"This is why we will now publish provisional GCSE results before the admissions window closes - further empowering parents and continuing our commitment to transparency.

"We know parents will rightly consider all aspects of a school - not just performance - before making their choice, but this information will give them even more confidence that they are making the right choice."

The provisional school results will include the following performance measures for state-funded secondary schools:

• the percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs or equivalents at A* to C
• the percentage of pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate (EBacc)
• the Attainment 8 scores, showing average achievement across 8 subjects, including English and maths, for those schools that have opted into the new accountability system a year early

Local authorities publish prospectuses for schools in their area in mid-September. Parents are able to use this information to narrow down their options and many then chose to visit a small number of school open days. The provisional data will be available ahead of the window closing on 31 October.

The final secondary performance tables will be published in January 2016.

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