Alps KS4 and KS5 Customer Benchmarks in 2025 - analysis and recommendations - AUGUST 2025

Alps KS4 and KS5 Customer Benchmarks in 2025 - analysis and recommendations - AUGUST 2025

This article will serve as the index for all updates with regards to our Alps Customer Benchmarks across August and September 2025. In it, we will publish links to the articles providing analysis and recommendations for each qualification type as we generate the customer benchmark and release into Connect and Summit. 

Since September 2022, we have provided schools and colleges in England with analysis based on data submitted to Alps from customers. In Wales this customer benchmark has been available since 2023. This analysis has been made available through a benchmark toggle in Connect.


The customer benchmarks were generated in response to the unique nature of examination outcomes resulting from pandemic disruption. 


Benchmark toggle in Connect 

For certain years we provide schools and colleges with the option of viewing your analysis against two different benchmark data sets, usually against a national benchmark (based on data received from the DfE) or an Alps Customer benchmark (based on data received from customers). Where available, this analysis is available through the benchmark toggle in Connect, which allows you to choose your benchmark. 


Important: 2025 KS4 Customer benchmarks  
We are not producing 2025 Alps Customer Benchmarks for KS4, since nationally there is no standardised prior attainment starting point this year, due to the cancelled KS2 SATS during COVID.   

For KS4 analysis in Connect, the Toggle 1 (“National Dataset”) is the default benchmark we recommend. There will be no data in Toggle 2 (“Alps Customer Dataset”) for KS4 this year, so the analysis on this toggle will be blank.  


In Wales we have not been able to produce KS4 benchmarks, and therefore there will be no data in Toggle 2 (“Alps Customer Dataset”) for KS4 this year, so the analysis on this toggle will be blank.  

2025 Alps Customer Benchmark timeline

We will generate Customer Benchmarks for the following qualifications on the following dates:

In England, including Jersey:

A level: In Connect and Summit by 27 August 2025
BTEC and Cam Tec: In Connect and Summit by 2 September 2025
WJEC L3: In Connect and Summit by 10 September 2025
UAL: In Connect and Summit by 18 September 2025

Key Stage 4 England and Jersey
Note that we will not conduct KS4 Customer benchmarks in 2025. Colleagues are using different methods for prior attainment which means we are unable to standardise the value-added data. 
The default benchmark in the system is the 2024 DfE National benchmark. There is no toggle for KS4. Any analysis on the 'Customer' benchmark toggle will be blank. 

In Wales:

A level: In Connect and Summit by 8 September 2025
WJEC L3: In Connect and Summit by 12 September 2025

Key Stage 4 Wales: The dataset used is the dataset from 2019. There is no toggle for KS4. Any analysis on the 'Customer' benchmark toggle will be blank. 

England: 2025 KS5 Alps Customer Benchmarks 

1. Context 


The default benchmark (Toggle 1 “National Benchmark Dataset”) for analysis on Results Day is the 2019 DfE national dataset.  

On Results Day you can use the benchmark toggle to view results against the DfE 2024 national benchmark (Toggle 2 “Alps Customer Benchmark”).  


We recommend using the 2019 DfE national dataset to analyse 2025 outcomes until the Alps Customer benchmark for 2025 becomes available on 27th August 2025. The rationale for this is set out below.


The situation for examination outcomes for Key Stage 5 is again set to be unique this summer: 
  1. In England
    1. students completing their Key Stage 5 courses have prior attainment baselines from the Key Stage 4 outcomes in 2023 where standards returned broadly to pre-pandemic levels.
    2. The overall outcome standards are likely to be in line with 2024 outcomes.
    3. Our instincts are that the value-added picture will be similar to that of the 2019 DfE National data, but different to that of recent years. 
    4. Our recommendation on Results Day is to use the 2019 DfE National Benchmarks to analyse outcomes for KS5 courses. 
    5. We will update our recommendations once we have analysed our customer benchmark. 

  1. The table below shows a summary of the datasets currently in Connect and Summit for each  KS5 cohort. The datasets are different depending on whether you select the 'National' or the 'Customer' toggle. 

KS5 England

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KS4 England

2. A level England Alps Customer benchmark:  

These will be released into Connect and Summit by 27 August 2025. The article containing the analysis and interpretation of this benchmark will be linked here on 21 August 2025. 
Alps Analysis of A level ENGLAND - August 2025. 

3. BTEC/Cam Tec England  Alps Customer benchmark:

These will be released into Connect and Summit by 2 September 2025. The article containing the analysis and interpretation of this benchmark will be linked here on 1 September 2025. 
Alps Analysis of KS5 Vocational qualifications ENGLAND - September 2025. 

4. WJEC England  Alps Customer benchmark:

These will be released into Connect and Summit by 10 September 2025. The article containing the analysis and interpretation of this benchmark will be linked here on 9 September 2025. 
Alps Analysis of KS5 Vocational qualifications ENGLAND - September 2025. 

5. UAL England Alps Customer benchmark:

These will be released into Connect and Summit by 18 September 2025. The article containing the analysis and interpretation of this benchmark will be linked here on 17 September 2025. 
Alps Analysis of KS5 Vocational qualifications ENGLAND - September 2025. 



Wales: 2025 KS5 Alps Customer Benchmarks 

The default benchmark for analysis on Results Day is the National Dataset used in 2019. On Results Day there will be no KS5 toggle until Alps Customer Benchmarks are available on 8 September 2025. 
 

We recommend using the 2019 dataset to analyse 2025 outcomes until the Alps Customer benchmark for 2025 becomes available. The rationale for this is set out below.



The situation for examination outcomes for Key Stage 5 is again set to be unique this summer: 

  • In Wales 
    • students completing their Key Stage 5 courses have elevated prior attainment baselines from the Key Stage 4 outcomes in 2023.
    • The overall outcome standards are likely to be in line with 2024 outcomes.
    • The value-added picture will again be unique in 2025 based on the elevated baseline.
    • Our recommendation on Results Day is to use the National Benchmarks to analyse outcomes for KS5 courses. 
    • We will update our recommendations once we have analysed our customer benchmark.
    • The table below shows a summary of the datasets currently in Connect and Summit for each  KS5 cohort. The datasets are different depending on whether you select the 'National' or the 'Customer' toggle. 
The tables below show a summary of the datasets currently in Connect and Summit for each Wales KS5 & KS4 cohort. The datasets are different depending on whether you select the 'National' or the 'Customer' toggle.  

Wales KS5
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Note that the customer benchmarks will include A level data from Welsh schools and colleges only. 


Wales KS4
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1. A level Wales Alps Customer Benchmark: 

These will be released into Connect and Summit by 8 September 2025. The article containing the analysis and interpretation of this benchmark will be linked here on 5 September 2025. 
Alps Analysis of A level WALES - September 2025. 

2. WJEC Wales Alps Customer Benchmark:

These will be released into Connect and Summit by 12 September 2025. The article containing the analysis and interpretation of this benchmark will be linked here on 11 September 2025. 
Alps Analysis of WJEC L3 WALES - September 2025. 




Switching your Benchmark 

The article linked below outlines how to switch your benchmark from within Connect or Summit. 

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