The 2026 Alps Customer Benchmarks: Analysis and recommendations - OVERVIEW ARTICLE

The 2026 Alps Customer Benchmarks: Analysis and recommendations - OVERVIEW ARTICLE


Last updated 21 August 2026

This article will act as the central hub for all Alps Customer Benchmark updates published during August and September 2026. Links to detailed analysis articles for each qualification type will be added here as they become available. 

2026 CUSTOMER BENCHMARKS TIMELINE  

1. A Level ENGLAND & JERSEY. BTEC Level 3 ENGLAND & JERSEY

Supporting article for A level and BTEC L3 release decisions: https://support.alps.education/portal/en/kb/articles/a-level-and-btec-level-3-england-jersey-analysis-of-customer-benchmarks

Overall attainment standards at KS5 in England for 2026 is broadly in line with those of 2025. Prior attainment of students completing Level 3 courses in 2026 (GCSE results in 2024) is broadly in line with those of last year's cohort who sat GCSEs in 2023. Therefore the value-added picture for 2026 outcomes was expected to be in line with that of 2025. 

As a result, the analysis of the Alps customer data for the 2026 outcomes for both A level and BTEC Level 3 shows very little deviation from the 2025 DfE national dataset, the current default benchmark set for Connect and Summit. In addition, it is almost identical to the Alps customer benchmark from the 2025 results. 

Decision on the use of the 2026 Alps Customer Benchmark for KS5 in England and Jersey 

  1. It is the opinion of the Alps team that the value-added provided by the 2026 Alps Customer Benchmarks will mirror that provided by the existing 2025 DfE national dataset.
  2. the 2026 DfE national dataset when available (Feb/March 2027) will provide value-added analysis in line with the 2025 DfE national dataset
  3. therefore, we have decided not to release the 2026 Alps customer benchmark for A level or Level 3 vocational qualifications 
  4. When we have the national dataset for 2026 from the DfE we will again use it to replace the DfE 2025 data in the platforms.


We feel that this will simplify the decisions you need to make over benchmark selection both for the analysis of your KS5 results and the subsequent tracking of new cohorts across 2026/2027. 

We are in the process of removing the Customer Benchmark toggle from the platform to aid in keeping Connect and Summit as easy to use as possible. 

2. KS4 ENGLAND: 

We are not producing 2026 Alps Customer Benchmarks for KS4, since nationally there is no standardised prior attainment again this year, due to the cancelled KS2 SATS during COVID. For KS4 analysis in Connect, the default benchmark set will remain as the 2024 DfE National dataset. 



3. A Level WALES

Released to Connect and Summit: Wednesday 9 September 2026 

Supporting article on A Level analysis and decisions https://support.alps.education/portal/en/kb/articles/a-level-wales-understanding-the-alps-2026-customer-benchmark

The new 2026 Alps A level Welsh benchmarks were released into Connect on Wednesday 9th September.

These will be the default benchmark in Connect, but you can still toggle to the previous 2019 benchmarks within Connect.

The 2026 Customer benchmarks are more exacting than the 2019 DfE benchmarks that you have been using from Results Day up to 9th September – this means for the majority of Welsh Schools, your Alps analysis grades will go down against the new 2026 benchmarks compared to the 2019 benchmarks.

This article explains what has changed, why it has changed and what it means for you.

Note: WJEC Level 3 - these benchmarks were released into the platform on Friday 11th September.
Please note that we have not had sufficient data to benchmark the Food and Nutrition qualification. We will consider options for this course. 

4. AS Level WALES

Release to Connect and Summit: By 2 October 2026 

The supporting article on AS Level analysis and decisions:  AS Wales: The 2026 Alps Customer Benchmark

AS Level Wales - the 2026 Alps Customer benchmark (if sufficient data allows) will be integrated into Connect and Summit before end September 2026. 

The new 2026 Alps AS level Welsh benchmarks will be released into Connect on 2 October 2026.

These will be the default benchmark in Connect, but you can still toggle to the previous 2019 benchmarks within Connect.

The 2026 Customer benchmarks are slightly more exacting than the 2019 benchmarks that you have been using from Results Day up to this point, however they are less exacting than the A level benchmarks, ie fewer of you will experience a drop in overall value-added grades. This means that for around two in five Welsh schools and colleges, your AS level Alps analysis grade will go down against the new 2026 benchmark compared to the 2019 benchmark. For most others, the grade will stay the same.

This article explains what has changed, why it has changed and what it means for you.


KS4 WALES: Key Information for Results Day

The default dataset for Results Day will not change. Toggle 1 will continue to show the existing benchmark as per monitoring across the year. 

Please note: we will generate a new 2026 Alps Customer benchmark for KS4 to support Curriculum for Wales from November 2026 onwards. This will be a Welsh only benchmark and can be used with incoming Year 10 and 11 students only. For more information click here. 




Helpful Guidance on Switching your Benchmarks:

  1. A reminder on our recommendations for benchmark selection can be found here: https://support.alps.education/portal/en/kb/articles/recommendations-for-benchmark-selection
  2. A reminder for how to use the toggle: https://support.alps.education/portal/en/kb/articles/benchmark-selector