With schools held so highly accountable for exam results, it’s no wonder heads feel pressured to prioritise resources and funding for Key Stage 4. But what impact is this having on pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9? We examine the recent Ofsted report which investigated just that.

With limited school resources, it’s natural to concentrate budget to those areas where the benefit will do most good, especially if the results are also tangible and measurable. Usually, this means the period covering the exam years in secondary school. But what about the most able students making their transition from primary school? Are they being let down because the focus is elsewhere? In a recent report, Ofsted has again found that progress made during Key Stage 3 (KS3) is often very slow – particularly in English and maths.

With a school system that holds schools accountable for what their students achieve in tests, it’s no surprise that schools come under pressure to focus on KS4. In fact, it is the DfE and Ofsted’s own accountability rules that force schools to focus on league tables and exam results. However, the new Ofsted report shows that too many resources are being skewed towards the upper age groups – focusing on GCSE and A-level years – so neglecting pupils in the early years of secondary school. But with limited resources, where are schools to concentrate in light of this new report?

Key areas of concern

Ofsted has long warned that almost two-thirds of the most able pupils in state comprehensives fail to fulfil their potential. Last year’s annual report said that thousands of bright pupils were going backwards in secondary school because of a worrying lack of scholarship combined with a tolerance of bad behaviour.