---
title: "Blog: Exam Results and Teacher Effectiveness"
description: A blog on why Progress 8 scores should not be used to make judgements on teacher effectiveness.
---

[Douglas Wise English Teaching Resources](https://www.douglaswise.co.uk/blog)

# [Blog: Exam Results and Teacher Effectiveness](https://www.douglaswise.co.uk/blog/exam-results-and-teacher-effectiveness)

 Written by [Douglas Wise](https://www.douglaswise.co.uk/blog/author/wise) | 1 August, 2024

Progress scores for individual classes can’t be used to form accurate judgements about teacher effectiveness.

This is because the composition of classes is never completely random: students are moved in and out of groups depending on a range of factors, including behaviour and recent levels of attainment. This happens in traditional sets, mixed-ability classes and streaming models alike. Over time, students making similar rates of progress tend to get clustered together – **it’s this variable that matters most**.

Unsurprisingly, classes predominantly formed of students who are broadly compliant and reasonably well-motivated are far more likely to achieve higher progress scores. Assuming basic levels of competence, this has little to do with the quality of teaching. Think of it as a manifestation of the Matthew Effect instead.

Remember that Progress 8 is a measure designed to make judgements about the performance of whole year groups and wider school effectiveness. What it *can’t* do is measure individual teacher effectiveness, irrespective of whether a set of class results are conveniently good or rather disappointing.

Further Reading 📑

- [How should we view the performance of the most disadvantaged students?](https://learningspy.co.uk/leadership/how-should-we-view-the-performace-of-the-most-disadvantaged-students/)
- [Yet another poor proxy for effective teaching](https://drcastelino.wordpress.com/2024/07/13/yet-another-poor-proxy-for-effective-teaching/)

Doug

[hello@douglaswise.co.uk](mailto:hello@douglaswise.co.uk)

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