Fischer Family Trust???

moneypooh

Can anyone explain in smple terms what this actually is and why schools use it. I have looked at the websites and now more confused than before.
I'd like to know more about secondary school level.

RightyTightyLeftyLoosey

Summary: an organisation that takes academic performance data and uses it to predict likely future performance.

e.g. Key Stage 3 SATs data was used to predict likely GCSE outcomes for students

Schools use it for target setting for GCSEs.

mintymoneysaver

I'm a teacher and all I know is that it's something that somebody designed which sets totally unrealistic targets for schools to achieve, e.g we have something ridiculous as our target like 70 % of children to achieve level 5 at the end of primary school ( when the average 11 year old should achive level 4 so it's obviously not an average then....)
Apparently it was something about the Fischer family leaving a lot of money to be used for educational purposes and this is what some idiot decided to spend it on!!!

More info here....
http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/curriculum/assessment/index.php?category_id=64

moneypooh

I've looked at the info available but it doesn't explain how they make these predictions. I appreciate they use old achievement levels but I have read that they use other parameters too, anyone know what these are? Another parent thought they used the children's postcodes and parents occupations, is this true??

I am so fed up with these so called 'educational markers' that are suppose to predict a child's future. My daughter is predicted a C in next years GCSEs by her teacher (FFT used to predict) in a subject where she has achieved A's for the past 2 years!! If teachers use these as guidelines then is my daughter not being taught to her best potential???

RightyTightyLeftyLoosey

moneypooh wrote: »

I've looked at the info available but it doesn't explain how they make these predictions. I appreciate they use old achievement levels but I have read that they use other parameters too, anyone know what these are? Another parent thought they used the children's postcodes and parents occupations, is this true??

I am so fed up with these so called 'educational markers' that are suppose to predict a child's future. My daughter is predicted a C in next years GCSEs by her teacher (FFT used to predict) in a subject where she has achieved A's for the past 2 years!! If teachers use these as guidelines then is my daughter not being taught to her best potential???

Often these organisations offer different 'bands' of grades, depends which the school used to set targets. My school uses the most ambitious band to set 'challenging' targets. The targets are a baseline, a minimum expected grade, not a prediction. I sometimes adjust these upwards, based on my knowledge of the individual child.

The FFT grade issued is unlikely to take any account of teacher awarded grades over the last few years, it normally draws on Key Stage 2 and 3 SATs data. The school might also have used CAT testing, again this is externally marked. This is not an exact science, it is based on how an average child who achieved Level X at KS2 and Level Y at KS3 might perform at GCSE.

Schools are subject to huge scrutiny over performance data, they have to use something to set baseline markers and are often not trusted by local authorities and central government to do so. It is no reflection on how well your child is or is not being taught.

Lunar_Eclipse

moneypooh wrote: »

My daughter is predicted a C in next years GCSEs by her teacher (FFT used to predict) in a subject where she has achieved A's for the past 2 years!!

This is probably due to the value added provided by the school (and/or your daughter not performing in line with her true ability in this baseline testing.)

Schools nowadays are excelling at preparation for exam/curriculum success, along with improved teaching due to stringent standards. Thus many schools boast improving GCSE results by 1-1.5 grades per pupil and per subject. Thus the value added provided by the school (ie exam results achieved in relation to pupil ability upon entry to the school) is a key thing to look at when choosing or comparing schools.

Either exams are continuing to get much, much easier as years go by, or schools are doing a great job at maximising their students' potential. Or it's a combination.