Information sheet 3: primary inspection dashboard strengths and weaknesses
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths and weaknesses:
 Link closely to the outcomes grade descriptors for historic data in the section 5 school
inspection handbook
 Are based only on 2016 data




Strengths give an indication of some features of good or better performance in 2016
Strengths highlight consistency across subjects and low, middle and high starting points
Weaknesses identify where performance in a subject or by a group is particularly low
Strengths are identified for all pupils and disadvantaged pupils and, at key stage 2, for
pupils with special educational needs. Weaknesses are identified for these groups and for
gender groups.
Strengths
The grade descriptors for good and outstanding outcomes that refer to historic data are below.
They relate only to progress.
Grade 1


For pupils generally, and specifically for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special
educational needs and/or disabilities, progress is above average across nearly all subject areas.
From different starting points, the progress in English and in mathematics is high compared with
national figures. The progress of disadvantaged pupils from different starting points matches or is
improving towards that of other pupils nationally.
Grade 2


Pupils’ progress is above average or improving across most subject areas. Progress of disadvantaged
pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average or
improving across most subject areas.
From different starting points, progress in English and in mathematics is close to or above national
figures. The progress from different starting points of the very large majority of disadvantaged pupils
is similar to or improving in relation to other pupils nationally.
They convey consistency of progress across subjects and starting points, for all pupils and for
disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. In the
inspection dashboard, the charts and the strengths provide information about this consistency.
The charts show data for all pupils, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special
educational needs and/or disabilities with low, middle and high prior attainment. The plotted
points and confidence intervals show readily whether progress in a subject overall and for each
starting point is statistically significantly above or below average, and shading confirms this.
The possible strength statements for each KS1 and KS2 measure form a hierarchy. The strength
statement in a school’s dashboard is the highest one in the hierarchy that the school’s data
match.
At key stage 2, historic progress data is available only for reading, writing and mathematics,
and consistently strong performance across all three of them is an indicator of good outcomes.
The strength is indicated only for consistency across all three subjects and starting points, so is
easily seen from the charts if progress is not shaded red for progress in any of them. The
lowest strength statement in the hierarchy is allocated only for scores above -3, so that they
are not in the bottom 10% of school scores (information sheet 2: key stage 2 progress and
attainment scores shows which progress scores are in the bottom 10%).
Primary dashboard strengths & weaknesses – information sheet for Ofsted distance learning on outcomes using data October 2016 Page 1 of 8
The strengths are indicated for consistency across the three subjects for pupils overall and for
the three starting points. This is consistency across four reading progress scores, four writing
progress scores and four mathematics progress scores. If a school has no pupils in one of the
prior attainment groups, the strength is indicated for consistency across all the prior attainment
groups in the school.
Key stage 2 progress strength sentences
Hierarchy
All pupils
Disadvantaged
All sig+
KS2 progress in all subjects was
significantly above average
overall and for all prior
attainment groups.
Overall
sig+ and
no prior
attainment
group sig-
KS2 progress in all subjects was
significantly above average
overall and not significantly
below average for any prior
attainment group.
No sig-
KS2 progress was not
significantly below average*
overall or for any prior
attainment group in any
subject.
Disadvantaged KS2 pupils’
progress in all subjects was
significantly above average
overall and for all prior
attainment groups.
Disadvantaged KS2 pupils’
progress in all subjects was
significantly above average
overall and not significantly
below average for any prior
attainment group.
Disadvantaged KS2 pupils’
progress was not significantly
below average* overall or for
any prior attainment group in
any subject.
footnotes
*and not below -3
*and not below -3
SEN
For KS2 pupils who have special
educational needs, progress in
all subjects was significantly
above average overall and for
all prior attainment groups.
For KS2 pupils who have special
educational needs, progress in
all subjects was significantly
above average overall and not
significantly below average for
any prior attainment group.
For KS2 pupils who have special
educational needs, progress
was not significantly below
average* overall or for any
prior attainment group in any
subject.
*and not below -3
In the progress strength sentences, ‘significantly’ refers to statistical significance based on a
95% confidence interval. Where these strengths were indicated, the whole of the confidence
interval was above the national comparator in the charts.
A school with a strength sentence for all pupils, disadvantaged pupils or pupils with special
educational needs cannot also have a weakness sentence for progress of the same group. They
may have a sentence identifying weakness for a gender group.
Key stage 2 strength sentence for disadvantaged attainment
The only other strength at KS2 is indicated when there is no difference, or a positive difference,
between the overall attainment of disadvantaged pupils in the school and that of other pupils
nationally. For this measure, the average scaled score is used. It is available only for the test
subjects, reading and mathematics.
‘Disadvantaged KS2 pupils had an average scaled score equal to or above the national score for
other pupils (in reading/ in mathematics).’
Key stage 1 strength sentences
At KS1 there is no progress measure but the charts showing attainment by each early years
development group provide information about transition. This data has enabled KS1 strengths
to be introduced based on attainment in relation to starting points. They are provided for all
pupils and for disadvantaged pupils. As no national comparators are used for attainment of SEN
with EHC/statement or SEN support groups, no differences are calculated and no strengths are
produced for these groups. No strengths are provided for overall attainment.
Primary dashboard strengths & weaknesses – information sheet for Ofsted distance learning on outcomes using data October 2016 Page 2 of 8
The KS1 strengths are for consistency across subjects and starting points. Unlike the KS2
progress strengths, they do not include overall performance. They are indicated for consistency
across three reading scores, three writing scores and three mathematics scores. If a school has
no pupils in one of the early years development groups, the strength is indicated for
consistency across all the early years development groups in the school.
Hierarchy
All pupils
Expected +
Greater depth
Above
KS1 attainment of at
least the expected
standard in all subjects
for all EYFS
development groups
was above national
figures.
KS1 attainment of
greater depth in all
subjects for all EYFS
development groups
was above national
figures.
Close to or
above
KS1 attainment of at
least the expected
standard in all subjects
for all EYFS
development groups
was close to* or above
national figures.
KS1 attainment of
greater depth in all
subjects for all EYFS
development groups
was close to* or above
national figures.
footnote
*within one pupil
below national
*within one pupil
below national
Disadvantaged
Expected +
Greater depth
For KS1 disadvantaged
pupils, attainment of at
least the expected
standard in all subjects
for all EYFS
development groups
was above national
figures for other pupils.
For KS1 disadvantaged
pupils, attainment of at
least the expected
standard in all subjects
for all EYFS
development groups
was close to* or above
national figures for
other pupils.
*within one pupil
below national
For KS1 disadvantaged
pupils, attainment of
greater depth in all
subjects for all EYFS
development groups
was above national
figures for other pupils.
For KS1 disadvantaged
pupils, attainment of
greater depth in all
subjects for all EYFS
development groups
was close to* or above
national figures for
other pupils.
*within one pupil
below national
Phonics strength sentences
A strength sentence for disadvantaged pupils has been added.
Hierarchy
Above
All pupils
The proportion of pupils that met the expected
standard in phonics was above the national
figure in year 1.
Disadvantaged
The proportion of disadvantaged pupils that met
the expected standard in phonics was above the
national figure for other pupils in year 1.
Planned strength sentences for the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile
No Early Years Foundation Stage Profile data for 2016 was available in time to be included in
the October dashboard release. Consequently there are no strengths or weaknesses shown for
2016. In the meantime, we should use the 2015 dashboard to check for early years strengths
and weaknesses in 2015. The early years charts in the October release of the 2016 dashboard
show data only for 2014 and 2015. The 2016 early years data will be included when it becomes
available and the 2016 strengths will then be shown. The planned strength sentences for the
2016 data are as below. They now include strengths for the FSM group.
Hierarchy
All pupils
FSM
All
All children achieved a good level of development
in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.
Above
The proportion of children that achieved a good
level of development in the Early Years
Foundation Stage Profile was above the national
figure.
All children in the FSM group achieved a good
level of development in the Early Years
Foundation Stage Profile.
The proportion of children in the FSM group that
achieved a good level of development in the
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile was above
the national figure for the non-FSM group.
Primary dashboard strengths & weaknesses – information sheet for Ofsted distance learning on outcomes using data October 2016 Page 3 of 8
Planned strength sentences for absence
No absence data for 2016 was available in time to be included in the October dashboard
release. Consequently there are no strengths or weaknesses shown for 2016. In the meantime,
we should use the 2015 dashboard to check for absence strengths and weaknesses in 2015.
The absence charts in the October release of the 2016 dashboard will be the same as those for
2015. The 2016 absence data will be included when it becomes available. The planned strength
sentences for the 2016 data are as below.
Grade descriptor extracts for good and outstanding personal development, behaviour and
welfare that relate to attendance are below.
Grade 1
 Pupils value their education and rarely miss a day at school. No groups of pupils are disadvantaged
by low attendance.
Grade 2
 Pupils value their education. Few are absent or persistently absent. No groups of pupils are
disadvantaged by low attendance.
The grade descriptors convey the importance of no group being disadvantaged by low
attendance. Paragraph 167 of the handbook clarifies that low attendance refers to attendance
in the lowest 10%.
The strength statements for attendance and for persistent absence now combine all pupils and
the FSM group, while also requiring that no other group has low attendance. This combination
and consistency reflects the grade descriptors. It is not possible for a school with a strength for
attendance or persistent absence to also have a weakness for any group for the same measure.
Attendance
Persistent absence
Best 10%
Hierarchy
Attendance for all pupils and the FSM group was
high (in the highest 10%*) and no group had low
attendance (in the lowest 10%*).
National
Attendance for all pupils and the FSM group was
above the national average for all pupils and no
group had low attendance (in the lowest 10%*).
footnote
*for all pupils nationally
Persistent absence was low for all pupils and the
FSM group (in the lowest 10%*) and no group
had high persistent absence (in the highest
10%*).
Persistent absence for all pupils and the FSM
group was below the national average for all
pupils and no group had high persistent absence
(in the highest 10%*).
*for all pupils nationally
Weaknesses
Grade descriptors for inadequate outcomes for which historic data provides evidence are below.
They relate only to progress.
Grade 4


From their different starting points, the progress of pupils in different year groups in English or
mathematics is consistently low and shows little or no improvement.
For disadvantaged pupils, the progress from their different starting points in English or mathematics
is consistently well below that of other pupils nationally and shows little or no improvement.
Primary dashboard strengths & weaknesses – information sheet for Ofsted distance learning on outcomes using data October 2016 Page 4 of 8
The dashboard weakness sentences focus on the same areas as the strength sentences. At
each key stage, they identify where individual subjects or groups have weaknesses.
Weaknesses at KS1 and KS2 identify:
 subjects which have a weakness and any weak prior attainment/ development group in
that subject
 groups which have at least one weakness in any subject, without listing all of the
weaknesses.
Weaknesses do not identify cohorts or groups that are very small. Many groups of pupils when
also split by prior attainment/development group are very small. At key stages 1 and 2,
weaknesses are indicated only for groups of three or more pupils. For phonics and the Early
Years Foundation Stage Profile, weaknesses are applied to generally larger groups (all pupils
and disadvantaged/FSM pupils overall), so they are indicated only for groups of six or more
pupils. For attendance data, all pupils on roll are included, so weaknesses are indicated only for
groups of six or more.
Key stage 2 weakness sentences
The weakness sentences for each subject state if the weakness is for progress overall and list
any prior attainment groups with weak progress.
The group weakness sentence lists the groups with a weakness in any subject but does not
specify the subject. We then need to look at the charts to see which and how many weaknesses
there are for the listed group, which will be indicated by dark red shading. The groups included
overall and by prior attainment are: disadvantaged, girls and boys. SEN with EHC/statement
and SEN support are included only by prior attainment. The groups ‘other’ and ‘no SEN’ are not
included.
Reading
Writing
Mathematics
Groups
KS2 progress in
reading was
significantly below
average and in
the lowest 10%
overall/ for the
low/ middle/ high
prior attainment
group(s).
KS2 progress in
writing was
significantly below
average and in
the lowest 10%
overall/ for the
low/ middle/ high
prior attainment
group(s).
KS2 progress in
mathematics was
significantly below
average and in
the lowest 10%
overall/ for the
low/ middle/ high
prior attainment
group(s).
KS2 progress was significantly below average and in
the lowest 10% in at least one subject for the
group(s): disadvantaged, disadvantaged low,
disadvantaged middle, disadvantaged high, girls,
girls low, girls middle, girls high, boys, boys low,
boys middle, boys high, SEN with EHC/statement
low, SEN with EHC/statement middle, SEN with
EHC/statement high, SEN support low, SEN support
middle, SEN support high.
Key stage 1 weakness sentences
The weakness sentences for each subject list any early years development groups with weak
attainment. They also specify whether this was for attainment of at least the expected standard
(expected+) or greater depth. They do not include any reference to subject attainment overall.
The group weakness sentence lists the groups with a weakness in any subject but does not
specify the subject or whether this was for attainment of expected+ or greater depth. We then
need to look at the charts to see which and how many weaknesses there are for the listed
group, which will be indicated by dark red shading. The groups included by early years
development are: disadvantaged, girls and boys. Overall attainment for these groups is not
included. SEN groups and the ‘other’ group are not included.
Primary dashboard strengths & weaknesses – information sheet for Ofsted distance learning on outcomes using data October 2016 Page 5 of 8
Reading
Writing
Mathematics
Groups
KS1 reading was
well below the
national figure for
expected+ (E+) or
greater depth (GD)
for the EYFS group(s):
emerging (E+,GD),
expected (E+, GD),
exceeding (E+,GD).
KS1 writing was
well below the
national figure for
expected+ (E+) or
greater depth (GD)
for the EYFS group(s):
emerging (E+,GD),
expected (E+, GD),
exceeding (E+,GD).
KS1 mathematics was
well below the
national figure for
expected+ (E+) or
greater depth (GD)
for the EYFS group(s):
emerging (E+,GD),
expected (E+, GD),
exceeding (E+,GD).
KS1 attainment was well below the
national figure for expected+ or greater
depth in at least one subject for the
group(s): disadvantaged emerging,
disadvantaged expected, disadvantaged
exceeding, girls emerging, girls
expected, girls exceeding, boys
emerging, boys expected, boys
exceeding.
Where attainment is identified as well below the national figure, this is by an amount equivalent
to two or more pupils.
Phonics weakness sentences
In 2015, there were no weaknesses for phonics. There are now weaknesses for phonics at year
1 and year 2. The sentences show whether the weakness is for all pupils, disadvantaged pupils
or both. The percentages in the sentences are more than 10% below the national figures.
Year 1
Fewer than 70% of pupils/ disadvantaged pupils met
the expected standard in phonics in year 1.
Year 2
Fewer than 80% of pupils/ disadvantaged pupils met
the expected standard in phonics in year 2.
Planned weakness sentences for the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile
A weakness sentence for the FSM group has been added. It will be shown when 2016 early
years data is provided in charts. Half is more than 15% below the 2015 national figure.
All pupils
FSM
Fewer than half of the children achieved a good level of
development in the Early Years Foundation Stage
Profile.
Fewer than half of the FSM group of children achieved a
good level of development in the Early Years Foundation
Stage Profile.
Planned weakness sentences for absence
The grade descriptor extract for inadequate personal development, behaviour and welfare that
relates to attendance is below.
Grade 4
 Attendance is consistently low for all pupils or groups of pupils and shows little sign of
sustained improvement.
The attendance weaknesses for all pupils and for groups have been combined. A similar
weakness for persistent absence has been added. It will be shown when 2016 attendance data
is provided in charts.
Attendance
Attendance was low for all pupils/ the group(s):
FSM /non-FSM /boys /girls /SEN with EHC/statement
/SEN support /no SEN (in the lowest 10% for all pupils
nationally).
Persistent absence
Persistent absence was high for all pupils/ the group(s):
FSM /non-FSM /boys /girls /SEN with EHC/statement
/SEN support /no SEN (in the highest 10% for all pupils
nationally).
Primary dashboard strengths & weaknesses – information sheet for Ofsted distance learning on outcomes using data October 2016 Page 6 of 8
Links between shading and strengths and weaknesses
Shading is applied only at KS1 and KS2. Strengths are indicated for all of the prior attainment
groups the school has, so for only low and middle if it has no high.
Weaknesses are not identified for cohorts of two or fewer, even if they are shaded red.
KS2 progress strengths
Hierarchy
All sig+
Overall sig+
and no prior
attainment
group sigNo sig-
Statement
Shading
KS2 progress in all subjects was significantly
above average overall and for all prior attainment
groups.
KS2 progress in all subjects was significantly
above average overall and not significantly below
average for any prior attainment group.
KS2 progress was not significantly below average*
overall or for any prior attainment group in any
subject.
*and not below -3
Green shading (light or dark)

in all three subjects

for all of overall, low, middle and high
Green shading

in all three subjects for overall
No red shading

in any subject for low, middle or high
No red shading

in any subject

for overall, low, middle or high
(if any unshaded score is below -3 the strength will not be
indicated)
KS2 progress weaknesses
Subject
Criteria
Sig- and
lowest 10%
Statement
Shading
KS2 progress in subject was significantly below
average and in the lowest 10% overall/ for the
low/ middle/ high prior attainment group(s).
Bright red shading

in the named subject

in one or more of overall, low, middle or high
Groups
Criteria
Statement
Sig- and
lowest 10%
KS2 progress was significantly below average and
in the lowest 10% in at least one subject for the
group(s): ………………..
Shading
Bright red shading

for the named group(s)

in one or more subject

in one or more of overall, low, middle or high
KS1 attainment strengths
Shading is not applied to overall attainment.
Statement
Shading
Above
Hierarchy
KS1 attainment of at least the expected standard /
greater depth in all subjects for all EYFS
development groups was above national figures.
Close to or
above
KS1 attainment of at least the expected standard /
greater depth in all subjects for all EYFS
development groups was close to* or above
national figures.
*within one pupil below national
Green shading (light or dark) or
‘Diff no’ zero and percentage above national

in the named standard (E+ or GD)

in all three subjects

for all of emerging, expected and exceeding
(Note that for very small groups shading is not possible if
the difference between national and 100% is equivalent to
less than one pupil.)
No red shading

in the named standard (E+ or GD)

in any subject

for emerging, expected or exceeding
KS1 attainment weaknesses
Subject
Criteria
Statement
2 or more
pupils below
KS1 subject was well below the national figure for
expected+ (E+) or greater depth (GD) for the
EYFS group(s): emerging (E+,GD), expected (E+,
GD), exceeding (E+,GD).
Shading
Bright red shading

in the named subject

in one or more of E+ or GD

in one or more of emerging, expected or exceeding
Groups
Criteria
Statement
2 or more
pupils below
KS1 attainment was well below the national figure
for expected+ or greater depth in at least one
subject for the group(s):…………..
Shading
Bright red shading

for the named group(s)

in one or more subject

in one or more of E+ or GD

in one or more of emerging, expected or exceeding
Primary dashboard strengths & weaknesses – information sheet for Ofsted distance learning on outcomes using data October 2016 Page 7 of 8
Summary of strengths and weaknesses
Empty split cells indicate a hierarchy of two or three sentences.
Shaded cells show that no strengths or weaknesses exist.
Strengths and weakness listed in a school’s dashboard can be summarised in the tables.
Once weaknesses for groups have been checked from charts, the subject and E+ or GD can be
indicated in the cells in the relevant group’s column, or the groups can be listed in the subject
columns.
Strengths
All pupils
Disadvantaged
KS2 progress
KS2 average score
KS1 expected+
KS1 greater depth
Phonics year 1
EYFSP
Attendance
Persistent absence
R
SEN
M
Weaknesses
KS2
Overall
Low
Middle
High
Reading
KS1
Writing
Reading
E+
GD
Maths
Writing
E+
GD
Dis
Maths
E+
GD
Girls
Boys
Dis
EHC/stat
Girls
Support
Boys
Emerging
Expected
Exceeding
Phonics
Year 1
Year 2
All pupils
Disadvantaged
EYFSP
GLD
All pupils
FSM
Absence
Attendance
Persistent
All
FSM
Non-FSM
Girls
Boys
EHC/st
Support
No SEN
Key: R reading, M mathematics, E+ at least the expected standard, GD greater depth, Dis disadvantaged, GLD
good level of development, FSM free school meals, EHC/st Education, Health and Care Plan/statement, SEN special
educational needs, EYFSP Early Years Foundation Stage Profile
Primary dashboard strengths & weaknesses – information sheet for Ofsted distance learning on outcomes using data October 2016 Page 8 of 8