Progress 8 tracks how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school (Key Stage 2) and the end of secondary school (Key Stage 4) when they sit their GCSEs.
The score is calculated based on results in eight key subjects.
Introduced in 2016, Progress 8 is designed to give a fairer picture of school performance by focusing on student progress rather than just raw exam results.
- A score of 0 means students made average progress compared to pupils with similar starting points nationally.
- A score above 0 means students made better-than-average progress.
- A score of +0.5 or higher is considered well above average.
- A score below 0 indicates less progress than average, but this doesn’t mean pupils didn’t progress - just that progress was lower than expected based on prior attainment.
It's also important to note that schools with slightly negative scores can still be classed as "average" if their confidence intervals span above and below zero.
These are the best-performing secondary schools in the county, according to the most recent Progress 8 data:
9. Penwortham Girls' High School
Cop Lane, Penwortham, Preston, PR1 0SR | Penwortham Girls' High School achieved a Progress 8 score of 0.57 at end of key stage 4 in 2024 which is 'well above average'. | Google
10. St Michael's Church of England High School
Astley Road, Chorley, PR7 1RS | St Michael's Church of England High School achieved a Progress 8 score of 0.56 at end of key stage 4 in 2024 which is 'well above average'. | Google
11. Broughton High School
Woodplumpton Lane, Broughton, Preston, PR3 5JJ | Broughton High School achieved a Progress 8 score of 0.55 at end of key stage 4 in 2024 which is 'well above average'. | Google
12. Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
York Street, Clitheroe, BB7 2DJ | Clitheroe Royal Grammar School achieved a Progress 8 score of 0.55 at end of key stage 4 in 2024 which is 'well above average'. | Google