Twenty secondary schools in Kent are failing to make the grade when it comes to progress their pupils make from the time they start to taking their GCSEs.

Performance tables published this week show they are rated as "well below average" when it comes to what is known as their Progress 8 score.

Another 20 schools in the county were described as "below average", while 15 others were "well above average", all except two being selective grammar schools.

Progress 8 is now the government's preferred measure of classroom standards.

The assessment of how well schools are performing is based on league tables published by the government.

As is usual, the data shows wide variations in classroom standards across the county.

Progress 8 is now the key indicator used by the government to measure school performance.

The average score of all secondary schools nationally is 0.

Schools with a Progress 8 score of below -0.5 are not achieving the minimum standard expected.

A score of +0.5 of above shows pupils are making well above the expected level of progress.

In Kent, the average Progress 8 score across all schools was - 0.11 compared to the national average of - 0.03.

In a related indicator, known as Attainment 8, Kent schools were marginally above the national average.

The Attainment 8 score rates schools on how well pupils have performed in up to eight qualifications, which include English, maths, three English Baccalaureate qualifications, including sciences, computer science, history, geography and languages and three other additional approved qualifications.

Kent’s average was 47.4 compared to a national average of 46.7.

There was a mixed picture when it came to the number of pupils achieving Grade 5 and above in English and maths GCSEs.

On average, 46% of pupils in Kent schools achieved this target compared to 43% nationally.

The results for Medway schools show that on average, the Progress 8 indicator was marginally higher than the national average at 0.03.

Three schools were considered to be well above average; four above average; six below average and four well below average.

The number of pupils achieving Grade 5 and above in English and maths GCSEs in Medway was 44% compared to 43% nationally.

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