Nexus offers users the ability to include statistical neighbours as one of the available comparators in the system.
The comparator applies across both the Insight and Nova modules and is selectable as an additional option in the same options menu where the user selects the DfE Region as an option
There are a number of factors that need to be noted in terms of this statistical neighbour comparison, explained below. The illustrations included are not real and are simplified for ease of reference.
Update - October 2025
The DfE have recently updated the statistical neighbours for most Local Authorities. Nexus has been updated to reflect the new statistical neighbours across the current (2025) and all previous reporting years. For this reason you will not be able to replicate previous Statistical Neighbour comparative results and may see differences.
Mathematical methodology - Pupil Level
This model was selected for Statistical Neighbours in Nexus based on the feedback of LA when presented with two different options and also represents a value for money consideration.
In this model very large Local Authorities have more influence over the statistical neighbour averages than in smaller Local authorities. This is because they have more pupils who undertake the assessment and the number of pupils achieving a standard (or not) is therefore also greater.
The illustration below highlights - in purple - how this works in the aggregate though - in reality - every pupil's results are individually included to get to these results, with column F being looking at the number of pupils passing in each LA (column E), summing this and dividing it across the overall cohort.
Differences to some other data sources
The note about the mathematical methodology above points to the selected method used in Nexus highlights the selected method of reporting, however it should be noted that some other methods exist. This means that Nexus may be different to some other sources such as LAIT with regard to the Statistical Neighbour comparison.
LAIT uses an average of averages approach to producing this comparison. In LAIT that means that the average score for each individual LA is then averaged across all of the LA who are in the statistical neighbour group. This has the effect of ignoring the size of larger and smaller LA and their relative weightings based on numbers of pupils in the results set, instead the LA simply counts once in terms of it's average score being averaged into the statistical neighbour figure.
Neither methodology is more correct than the other, they are just different and Nexus users should understand the basis on which they are being used.
The average of averages methodology represents each LA as an equal (irrespective of how many pupils achieve the target or took the assessment) rather than allowing the results of a bigger LA to be a determining factor of the overall average amongst a number of other smaller LA.
The illustration below highlights - in red - how this works, with column D simply being the average of the values in column C.
This illustrates the differences between the two different mathematical models.
Statistical neighbour changes over time
Statistical neighbours are changed over time by the DfE as the characteristics of areas also change. The Nexus Expert Reference Group of Local Authorities has agreed that Nexus should have the current statistical neighbours applied to historical data.
Vulnerable Groups (CIN, CLA, SEN) analysis
All users who use vulnerable group analysis (CLA, CIN or SEN2) will only see all analyses once all of the required data sets have been imported into Nexus.
Perspective Lite (not available)
This comparison is not available in Perspective Lite as it has little meaning to schools as a concept.