Understanding Primary School Performance Tables

Primary School Performance Tables are published each year by the Department for Education (DfE). Their purpose is to provide parents with clear, comparable information about how schools are performing nationally.

What Do the Tables Show?

Performance tables include data from national assessments, such as:

• Year 6 SATs results
• Attainment – how well pupils performed in key subjects
• Progress – how much progress pupils made from the end of Key Stage 1 to the end of Key Stage 2

These measures allow parents to see how a school’s results compare with national averages.

What Do They Help Parents Understand?

Performance tables can give:

• An overview of how well pupils achieve academically
• Insight into the school’s outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics
• An indication of the progress children typically make

But Performance Tables Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Although useful, performance tables only show a small part of what a school offers. They do not reflect:

• The school’s ethos, values or culture
• Personal development and wellbeing
• Support for pupils with additional needs
• Enrichment opportunities, creativity, sport and wider curriculum strengths
• How happy, confident and safe children feel at school

Every school is unique, and many aspects that matter most to children and families—relationships, pastoral care, teaching style, sense of community—cannot be measured through test scores.

A Balanced View

When looking at performance tables, it’s helpful to consider them alongside:

• Visiting the school
• Speaking to staff
• Understanding the curriculum
• Getting a sense of the school’s environment and community

Together, these build a complete picture of what the school offers.

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