It seems scores of schools are followingВ its advice. PiXL describes itself as the largest partnership network of schools in England that work together to вЂњachieve the highest outcomes for students and improve their life chancesвЂќ. The not-for-profit organisation, in return, provides access to conferences, online resources and development programmes with the aim of improving exam results. PiXL now has more than 1,500 schools that pay around ВЈ3,000 a year to join. I will be making sure inspectors look at a range of measures and, as importantly, the curriculum and its appropriateness.вЂќ He also tweeted: вЂњThis is why itвЂ™s so important not to get fixed on a single measure. The blog provoked a lively response on Twitter вЂ“ including from Ofsted chief Sean Harford who described the part of the blog detailing the вЂњtacticsвЂќ as вЂњdepressing for educationвЂќ. Mr Sherrington added: вЂњWeвЂ™re playing for advantage against each other, amassing credit from an arbitrary algorithm that defines success.вЂќ He said: вЂњIt seems to be an explicit PiXL goal to maximise P8 for the schoolвЂ™s benefit вЂ“ pretty much by whatever means necessary вЂ“ and I found myself feeling increasingly saddened that weвЂ™re in a state where this thinking holds sway on such a big scale.вЂќ Mr Sherrington described it as вЂњdisturbing and depressingвЂќ. He added that another speaker suggested whole-cohort entry into such exams to boost P8 scores. One of the suggestions was to enter pupils for the ECDL course, Mr Sherrington wrote. He explained how the day included a section on Progress 8 buckets and how schools can maximise grades. One school leader who received the advice called it вЂњdumbing down and gamingвЂќ, while PiXL chief Sir John Rowling hit back, claiming: вЂњThis is not a con trick.вЂќД«ut the story has flared up again after Tom Sherrington (pictured above), headteacher at Highbury Grove School in Islington, blogged about a PiXL meeting he attended. PiXL suggested enrolling вЂњvulnerableвЂќ pupils who could take the exam as an вЂњinsurance policyвЂќ to ensure they got GCSEs.

Schools Week revealed in May last year how the PiXL Club, an organisation that aims to raise attainment in schools, was encouraging its then 1,300 members to enter pupils for the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) qualification. A row over the use of a controversial fast-track ICT qualification that can be taught in just three days has again flared up after a leading headteacher raised concerns.

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