Management Information Sheet
Fischer Family Trust - Important Updates
(1) Recommendation for continued use of Fischer Family Trust (FFT) data
(2) Access to FFT data on the FFTLive website
(3) FFT and the changing education environment
(4) New FFT KS1 estimates
(5) Advance notice of future FFT subscriptions
(1) Recommendation for continued use of Fischer Family Trust (FFT) data
As mentioned in MI Sheet 231/11, published last week, the Local Authority continues to recommend the use of Fischer Family Trust (FFT) estimates to support the process of target setting in Norfolk's schools and academies. The use of FFT value added data is also recommended, to support school self evaluation and inform intervention strategies.
When using FFT estimates to inform your target setting, as mentioned at the recent Headteacher briefings, you should select an estimate which will challenge aspiration by using an estimate rank of 25% or higher. In line with the government publishing non-contextualised value added measures, you could consider using PA (Prior Attainment) as the estimate basis, leaving out the school's context, or continue to use the SE (Socio-Economic) estimate basis (SE estimates are 25% Type D estimate rank). Whichever estimate basis you choose, you should adjust the estimate rank (the highest for pupil estimates by subject being 5% to place your school in the top 5% of schools nationally) to ensure that the estimates provide an appropriate level of realistic challenge in the light of your school's circumstances.
(2) Access to FFT data on the FFTLive website:
Every school has an Administrator's user-account to access FFT's website at www.fftlive.org. If no-one in your school has the user-account details, please contact:
Email Chris Jackson or phone 01603 224223,
or
Email Dom Mingaye or phone 01603 222984
Once you have an Administrator's user-account, you can set up user-accounts for colleagues as appropriate. We recommend that you also set up a second FFT Live Administrator account to provide back-up (eg. if a member of staff with an Administration account is ill or forgets their password)
(3) FFT and the changing education environment
The education landscape has changed significantly over the past year. Some data no longer exists e.g. the removal of DfE CVA measures and the collection of school targets; some data has gained prominence e.g. increased emphasis on 'expected progress'; and some data will change eg. a review of the use of 'equivalences' at KS4. In this changing landscape FFT continues to provide 'data to support continuous improvement for individual pupils, groups of students and schools'.
FFT has always responded to change to ensure LAs and schools have the data they need, whilst also pioneering new ideas. Their ethos is that at the heart of school improvement lies high quality evidence-based planning, appropriate intervention and challenging but realistic expectations. Moreover, with the removal of CVA and 'estimates/targets' from RAISEonline, you may find the range of data available from FFT especially useful in supporting continuous improvement.
The links below provide access to short papers for Primary and Secondary education setting out some of the important issues raised by national changes along with a rationale for the approach that FFT is taking.
FFT Briefing Paper Primary
FFT Briefing Paper Secondary
(4) New FFT KS1 estimates
Schools and academies with KS1 pupils are now able to access end of KS1 estimates, based on EYFSP outcomes, for their Year 1 and 2 pupils, in the "Development" area of the FFTLive website.
The following link provides access to a document explaining the background of FFT KS1 estimates: FFT Development Paper - KS1 Estimates
(5) Advance notice of future FFT subscriptions
FFT is a non-profit-making Trust that, until now, has covered its costs by charging Local Authorities an annual fee, supplemented by other income streams. From April 2012, FFT will be introducing a new pricing structure for their services to LAs, schools and academies, which will include a base subscription for the LA, plus an optional subscription for each school or academy. The optional subscription will be required for the school or academy to have access to their school and pupil level data via the FFTLive website. Schools and academies will have the option to subscribe via their Local Authority, or direct from FFT. The latter will involve higher subscription charges.
A link below will provide access to a helpful document detailing FFT's services and the new subscription arrangements:
FFTLive Subscriptions Overview Primary
FFTLive Subscriptions Overview Secondary
The annual subscription costs mentioned in the document relate to schools and academies subscribing via FFT direct.
For the first year, from April 2012 to March 2013, the Local Authority will be purchasing FFT data for all Norfolk schools and academies. Therefore, for one final year, schools and academies in Norfolk will have FREE access to their data on the FFTLive website.
After the first year, the cost of subscribing via the Local authority will be as follows. These costs are significantly lower than subscribing direct through FFT.
Primary School: per pupil £0.20* (minimum cost £50, maximum capped at £125)
Secondary School: per pupil £0.30* (minimum cost £200, maximum capped at £425)
Academies subscribing via the Local Authority:
Primary Academy: per pupil £0.30* (minimum cost £65, maximum capped at £165)
Secondary Academy: per pupil £0.45* (minimum cost £250, maximum capped at £540)
*Based on the total number of Y1-Y11 pupils in Autumn DfE Census.
(2) Access to FFT data on the FFTLive website
(3) FFT and the changing education environment
(4) New FFT KS1 estimates
(5) Advance notice of future FFT subscriptions
(1) Recommendation for continued use of Fischer Family Trust (FFT) data
As mentioned in MI Sheet 231/11, published last week, the Local Authority continues to recommend the use of Fischer Family Trust (FFT) estimates to support the process of target setting in Norfolk's schools and academies. The use of FFT value added data is also recommended, to support school self evaluation and inform intervention strategies.
When using FFT estimates to inform your target setting, as mentioned at the recent Headteacher briefings, you should select an estimate which will challenge aspiration by using an estimate rank of 25% or higher. In line with the government publishing non-contextualised value added measures, you could consider using PA (Prior Attainment) as the estimate basis, leaving out the school's context, or continue to use the SE (Socio-Economic) estimate basis (SE estimates are 25% Type D estimate rank). Whichever estimate basis you choose, you should adjust the estimate rank (the highest for pupil estimates by subject being 5% to place your school in the top 5% of schools nationally) to ensure that the estimates provide an appropriate level of realistic challenge in the light of your school's circumstances.
(2) Access to FFT data on the FFTLive website:
Every school has an Administrator's user-account to access FFT's website at www.fftlive.org. If no-one in your school has the user-account details, please contact:
Email Chris Jackson or phone 01603 224223,
or
Email Dom Mingaye or phone 01603 222984
Once you have an Administrator's user-account, you can set up user-accounts for colleagues as appropriate. We recommend that you also set up a second FFT Live Administrator account to provide back-up (eg. if a member of staff with an Administration account is ill or forgets their password)
(3) FFT and the changing education environment
The education landscape has changed significantly over the past year. Some data no longer exists e.g. the removal of DfE CVA measures and the collection of school targets; some data has gained prominence e.g. increased emphasis on 'expected progress'; and some data will change eg. a review of the use of 'equivalences' at KS4. In this changing landscape FFT continues to provide 'data to support continuous improvement for individual pupils, groups of students and schools'.
FFT has always responded to change to ensure LAs and schools have the data they need, whilst also pioneering new ideas. Their ethos is that at the heart of school improvement lies high quality evidence-based planning, appropriate intervention and challenging but realistic expectations. Moreover, with the removal of CVA and 'estimates/targets' from RAISEonline, you may find the range of data available from FFT especially useful in supporting continuous improvement.
The links below provide access to short papers for Primary and Secondary education setting out some of the important issues raised by national changes along with a rationale for the approach that FFT is taking.
FFT Briefing Paper Primary
FFT Briefing Paper Secondary
(4) New FFT KS1 estimates
Schools and academies with KS1 pupils are now able to access end of KS1 estimates, based on EYFSP outcomes, for their Year 1 and 2 pupils, in the "Development" area of the FFTLive website.
The following link provides access to a document explaining the background of FFT KS1 estimates: FFT Development Paper - KS1 Estimates
(5) Advance notice of future FFT subscriptions
FFT is a non-profit-making Trust that, until now, has covered its costs by charging Local Authorities an annual fee, supplemented by other income streams. From April 2012, FFT will be introducing a new pricing structure for their services to LAs, schools and academies, which will include a base subscription for the LA, plus an optional subscription for each school or academy. The optional subscription will be required for the school or academy to have access to their school and pupil level data via the FFTLive website. Schools and academies will have the option to subscribe via their Local Authority, or direct from FFT. The latter will involve higher subscription charges.
A link below will provide access to a helpful document detailing FFT's services and the new subscription arrangements:
FFTLive Subscriptions Overview Primary
FFTLive Subscriptions Overview Secondary
The annual subscription costs mentioned in the document relate to schools and academies subscribing via FFT direct.
For the first year, from April 2012 to March 2013, the Local Authority will be purchasing FFT data for all Norfolk schools and academies. Therefore, for one final year, schools and academies in Norfolk will have FREE access to their data on the FFTLive website.
After the first year, the cost of subscribing via the Local authority will be as follows. These costs are significantly lower than subscribing direct through FFT.
Primary School: per pupil £0.20* (minimum cost £50, maximum capped at £125)
Secondary School: per pupil £0.30* (minimum cost £200, maximum capped at £425)
Academies subscribing via the Local Authority:
Primary Academy: per pupil £0.30* (minimum cost £65, maximum capped at £165)
Secondary Academy: per pupil £0.45* (minimum cost £250, maximum capped at £540)
*Based on the total number of Y1-Y11 pupils in Autumn DfE Census.