Challenge points are used to calculate Headline measures, such as L2 English Progress, L2 Maths Progress, and L3 Maths. The DfE provide tables showing which challenge points relate to each grade for each cohort, which is covered further below.
What are the latest Challenge Points?
From the 2020 performance tables onwards, the DfE have provided challenge points for a number of qualifications, shown in the table below (taken from page 115 of the DfE’s KS5 Technical Guidance linked in our article here).
These remain the latest Challenge Points currently available. As an example, if a student achieves a grade 6 in GCSE English, this would officially be worth 6 challenge points.
What are the 2019 Challenge Points?
For 18/19 Leavers and earlier, the DfE provide the following table for a number of qualification types (taken from the DfE’s KS5 Technical Guidance linked in our article here).
They also provide a more comprehensive list of challenge points for these plus further qualifications in the Base and Progress tabs of their spreadsheet, linked in our article here - KS5 - DfE's 16 to 18 English and maths progress measure qualifications (Challenge Points)
What challenge points are used for other qualifications from 2020 onwards?
There isn’t any official guidance for qualifications other than those in the table above. However, comparing the challenge points each grade was awarded in 2019 and mapping these to the 2020 equivalent may be the best solution in the meantime. For example, a grade C at AS was worth 8 points (the same as a grade 9) in 2019, so this should then be worth 9 challenge points in 2020.
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