Overview article for all analysis from 2025 DfE datasets
We are in the process of generating benchmarks from the national dataset published by the DfE following the 2025 examinations at KS5. Alps is only one of seven companies that are given access to the full dataset by the DfE.
At KS5, the 2025 DfE national data represents the potential return to a post-pandemic baseline in terms of value-added. The benchmarks generated from this 2025 dataset will be used to replace the 2019 DfE dataset, which has been our default benchmark in Connect and Summit since 2019.
Over the next 8 weeks, we will be using the 2025 DfE benchmarks to replace the 2019 DfE benchmarks in Connect and Summit. We will update this article at each stage.
The articles linked to this main overview page will also outline key headline takeaways from the new 2025 benchmarks, how they will be used across the Connect and Summit platforms and our recommendations on how to select the most appropriate benchmark according to academic year and cohort. Each successive qualification will have benchmarks generated and released into Connect and Summit in line with the timeline shown below. Note that the new benchmarks will apply to schools and colleges in England, Jersey and international providers.
You will be notified of updates to the benchmarks via our in-app messaging service on login to Connect and/or Summit.
NOTE that at KS4, as there has been no published data for Progress 8 in 2024/25, we will not be publishing an updated benchmark for 2025 outcomes. The dataset used in Connect and Summit for England and Jersey at KS4 will continue to be the 2024 DfE national dataset. As standards in KS4 returned to a baseline in 2024, we are confident that this remains the most relevant national dataset.
Timeline:
1. A level
From 8.30am on 19 February 2026
A level England and A level Jersey - the 2025 DfE benchmark will be integrated into Connect and Summit at 8.30am on 19 February 2026.
The 2025 DfE national dataset will be deployed retrospectively to all KS5 gradepoints for the academic year 2024-2025, including results from 2025 examinations. This will therefore replace the previous 2019 DfE benchmark on our National (toggle 1) gradepoint selector. This means that if you have used this dataset for the analysis of outcomes and determination of development priorities in August/September 2025, there are likely to be changes to this analysis.
The Alps Customer benchmark for 2024-2025 will remain on the Customer (toggle 2) selector. If you have made development judgements using this dataset there will be no change to your analysis.
Note that the LIBF qualifications form part of this release as does the L3 Core Maths.
Monitoring 2025-2026: The 2025 DfE national benchmark will become the default benchmark for these students. It had previously been the DfE 2019 dataset as we felt this was the most representative benchmark for this cohort in terms of prior attainment and outcome context. This means that your tracking analysis may have changed with the switch of datasets.
High level summary from A level outcomes 2025
The value-added outcomes for the DfE 2025 national dataset for A level is very similar to the Alps Customer benchmark for 2025. Therefore if you have been monitoring your current Year Groups against this Customer benchmark, you are likely to see little change in your analysis.
As predicted at the beginning of the academic year, the 2019 DfE national dataset is slightly more exacting than the new 2025 DfE national dataset, therefore for the majority (but not all) colleagues, you are likely to see broadly no change or a slight uplift in term of value-added in terms of your Quality Indicator (QI) grade.
2. KS5 Vocational
From week beginning 16 March 2026
Supporting article on KS5 Vocational qualifications analysis and decisions: will be available March 2026
The release of KS5 Vocational benchmarks in March will contain the following qualification types:
L3 BTECs
L3 Cam Tecs
L3 WJECs
UAL
CACHE qualifications
Information and analysis from the DfE 2025 dataset will appear here in early March 2026 when the benchmarks have been generated.
It is anticipated that the new DfE 2025 national benchmarks will be applied to Connect and Summit retrospectively to all gradepoints for vocational qualifications across the academic year 2024-2025, including results from 2025 examinations. This will therefore replace the previous 2019 DfE benchmark on our National (toggle 1) gradepoint selector. This means that if you have used this dataset for the analysis of outcomes and determination of development priorities in August/September 2025, there are likely to be changes to this analysis.
Whilst we carried out an analysis of our customer data in August 2025, we did not publish the resulting benchmark. The 'Customer' (toggle 2) gradepoint selector for vocational qualifications has therefore been the 2024 DfE national dataset, as the subject coverage was wider than that of the DfE 2019 dataset. We anticipate that we will replace this 2024 toggle 2 benchmark with the DfE 2025 national benchmark, therefore your analysis will become identical across both benchmark selections for your vocational analysis.
Monitoring 2025-2026: The 2025 DfE national benchmark will become the default benchmark for current Year 12 and 13 students. It had previously been the DfE 2019 dataset as we felt this was the most representative benchmark for this cohort in terms of prior attainment and outcome context. This means that your tracking analysis may have changed with the switch of datasets.
3. International Baccalaureate, IB
From week beginning 6 April 2026
Supporting article on IB analysis and decisions: will be published April 2026
Information and analysis from the DfE 2025 dataset will appear here in early April 2026 when the benchmarks have been generated.
It is anticipated that the new DfE 2025 national benchmarks will be applied to Connect and Summit retrospectively to all gradepoints for IB across the academic year 2024-2025, including results from 2025 examinations. This will therefore replace the previous 2019 DfE benchmark on our National (toggle 1) gradepoint selector. This means that if you have used this dataset for the analysis of outcomes and determination of development priorities in August/September 2025, there are likely to be changes to this analysis.
The dataset is also likely to be deployed to monitoring gradepoints affecting the current Year 12 and 13 students, i.e. all IB gradepoints from September 2025 onwards. These cohorts will also have been tracked across the first part of this academic year on the 2019 DfE dataset, and therefore resulting analysis is likely to change.