The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has decided to change the statistical basis for the preparation of benchmarks that will allow schools to compare their national test results against those achieved in similar institutions next year.
The benchmark data now takes account of the number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals, rather than the original proposal to take account of those children actually taking free meals.
The information provided to The TES last week by the Office for Standards in Education that the QCA intended to use the number of children taking free meals, while its own information to schools on comparative results would be based on eligibility for free meals, was incorrect.
