Our Assessment Innovation Fund pilots: Pupil Progress

Pupil Progress

Pupil Progress empowers educators to see the person behind the data to inform teaching and support students in reaching their true potential; driving progress for all.

Pupil Progress is dedicated to supporting the progress of every pupil - not just for school but for life. Providing one central point of truth for data, from the Student to the Trust CEO, they are on a mission to deliver this impact on a global level and are aware of the focus on innovation, digital transformation and quality assurance in education.

About the pilot 

The aim of the pilot was to investigate the impact on learners’ performance of providing timely and easy-to-understand, course and skill-specific granular data to aid agency and motivation.

Pupil Progress investigated how learners were affected by their engagement with the granular, course-specific reports, and teachers using tools to improve the identification of common underperforming skill areas, thus providing targeted support to students.

It was hypothesised that learners' achievement will improve when learners, teachers, and parents have those tools and the granular, course-specific reports to improve the identification of underperforming skill areas to address in order to raise attainment outcomes.

Over 2,000 Year 11 English and Maths learners across 12 schools in England participated in the pilot and were provided with:

• Exam board-specific trackers featuring granular question-level data
• Teacher tools to identify and tag underperforming students
• Student reports with detailed skill breakdowns and identified progress opportunities

Teachers used the question-level analysis data on Pupil Progress from a December mock exam to inform changes to their curriculum, provide additional resources and target interventions. Students and parents were given reports with a breakdown of the data highlighting areas of strength and progress opportunities. 

A second mock was then sat and the change in data was analysed to see the impact on achievement. Students, teachers and leaders then gave feedback through surveys and interviews to provide further insights into the use of the granular skills data, and its impact on closing gaps.

The pilot results 

The pilot found that reliable question-level analysis data from formal assessments allowed leaders and teachers to derive accurate insights from data analysis, thereby allowing them to plan changes in course and curriculum delivery with confidence. 

Across the 12 schools, 100 teachers, and over 2,000 students, key outcomes included:

• Improved student and teacher wellbeing
• Cost and time savings
• Enhanced communication with students, parents, and school staff.

The tagging feature in Pupil Progress boosted engagement, with previously underperforming students making notable progress, often surpassing their peers in just three months.

Student reports, based on consistent data, significantly improved conversations between staff, students, and parents, enhancing learner agency, engagement, and motivation. Overall, the combination of tagging and question-level analysis contributed to higher confidence and clarity for both staff and students regarding their progress and next steps.

The future

The work conducted during the pilot aligned with Pupil Progress's vision to equip teachers with efficient tools, enhancing personalisation and future opportunities for learners.

This pilot has shown the considerable impact of centralisation; and how one central point of truth for data where tools to support the analysis and communication of granular data are used by teachers and learners to identify learning gaps. Pupil Progress will continue developing the platform to drive more efficient tools to support teachers and learners in understanding where they can progress most. Further research and development will look at the integration of AI tools in Pupil Progress to drive efficiencies and to empower teachers to identify areas for improved curriculum delivery and to support learner agency resulting in raised achievement and improved future opportunities.

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