The Department for Education has updated its guidance on secondary accountability measures in England for the 2025 to 2026 academic year, including Progress 8 and Attainment 8. The 2026 guidance reflects 2025 to 2026 key stage 4 school and college performance data and removes English Baccalaureate performance measures from the document.
Key facts
- The guidance applies to England.
- The updated document is for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
- The 20 October 2026 update reflects 2025 to 2026 KS4 school and college level performance data.
- It removes English Baccalaureate performance measures from the 2026 guidance.
- The guidance is intended for secondary school leaders, trusts, governors, trustees, local authorities and some further education colleges.
What does this mean for schools and students?
For secondary schools and trusts, the update changes the framework used to explain and calculate accountability measures for the 2025 to 2026 year. That matters because Progress 8 and Attainment 8 are central to how secondary performance is presented for schools in England.
The guidance is aimed at senior leaders in maintained schools, academies, alternative provision, free schools and special schools, as well as governors, trustees, local authorities and independent schools or colleges with 14 to 16 provision. It also applies to local-authority-maintained schools, academies, free schools and further education colleges with 14 to 16 provision. Schools using the guidance will need to align their accountability reporting with the updated 2026 document and the linked KS4 qualifications, discount codes and point scores information.
What changed in the 2026 update?
The 20 October 2026 update says the Department for Education updated the document to reflect 2025 to 2026 KS4 school and college level performance data. It also notes the removal of English Baccalaureate performance measures from the 2026 guidance.
The page shows this is the latest step in a long series of annual updates to the secondary accountability guidance, with earlier revisions covering revised KS4 data, clarification on how measures are published, and changes to how English GCSEs and other qualifications count in the performance tables.
Who is the guidance for?
The Department for Education says the document explains how secondary accountability measures are calculated and gives more information about announced policies that apply to accountability measures for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
It is aimed at senior leaders working in secondary schools and trusts, including maintained schools, academies, alternative provision, free schools and special schools. It also covers independent schools or colleges with 14 to 16 provision, governors and trustees, and local authorities.
What schools may need to do next
Schools and trusts using the guidance should review the 2026 document alongside the linked KS4 qualifications, discount codes and point scores information. The update is most relevant to those responsible for performance tables, accountability reporting and school improvement planning.
Because the document is tied to the 2025 to 2026 academic year, school leaders may need to check whether their internal reporting and external accountability materials reflect the latest rules and datasets in the published guidance.
FAQ
What does the 2026 guidance cover?
It explains how secondary accountability measures are calculated and gives more information about announced policies that apply to accountability measures for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
Who can use the guidance?
It is intended for senior leaders in secondary schools and trusts, governors and trustees, local authorities, and independent schools or colleges with 14 to 16 provision. It also applies to local-authority-maintained schools, academies, free schools and further education colleges with 14 to 16 provision.
