How students’ expectations are set
JT MAT schools assign students to one of five starting attainment bands for each subject, using subject level FFT20 estimates (see below). Once assigned, this is a student’s expected attainment band and attainment in all subsequent KS3 assessments will be compared to this.
| Attainment BandFFT Estimate | FFT Estimate | |
| M | Mastered | Grade 9 |
| O | Outstanding | Grades 7 & 8 |
| E | Exceeding | Grade 6 |
| S | Secure | Grade 5 |
| A | Approaching | Grade 4 |
| B | Beginning | Grades 2 &3 |
N.B. there is also an ‘Initial’ band (Grade 1 – below Beginning) but this is not used as an ‘expected band’.
IBASEOM attainment Bands (Table 1 below)
Each Attainment Band has an associated descriptor. In network meetings curriculum leaders are working collaboratively to determine some subject specific descriptors that can be applied broadly to the subject overall. Where curricula are aligned and there is a common assessment the descriptors for the assessment will be agreed and applied.
Table 1
| Attainment BandFFT Estimate | Short descriptor | Long descriptor | |
| M | Mastered | – | Exceptional performance. |
| O | Outstanding | Consistently working above age-related expectations. | Has acquired, learned, and remembered key knowledge, understanding and skills which is consistently above age related expectations. |
| E | Exceeding | Some evidence of working above age-related expectations. | Has acquired, learned, and remembered key knowledge, understanding and skills linked to age-related expectations and there is some evidence of working above age related expectations. |
| S | Secure | Consistently working at age related expectations. | Has acquired, learned, and remembered key knowledge, understanding and skills and consistently works at age-related expectations. |
| A | Approaching | Working at age related expectations but with some inconsistency. | Has acquired, learned, and remembered key knowledge understanding and skills linked to age-related expectations but not consistently so. |
| B | Beginning | Some evidence of working at age related expectations. | Is beginning to acquire, learn and remember some key knowledge, understanding and skills linked to age related expectations. |
| I | Initial | – | Working well below age related standards. |
The minimum expectation is that students’ attainment should fall within their expected band at all points during KS3. If at any point their attainment falls below their starting attainment band, then they should receive subject/class level intervention to raise their attainment back to the level of their expected band. A student’s expected attainment band should never be lowered.
Schools have the freedom to artificially raise the attainment band used with any student, internally (i.e. RADY for the disadvantaged cohort). However, the initial expected attainment band students were assigned to (based on their FFT20 estimate) should always be used as the expectation for these students when reporting to the MAT.
At the end of the academic year, each school should review the attainment bands of its students. If the attainment of a student has consistently been one or more bands above their original expected band, in all (or the majority of assessments within a subject), then the school can lift the expected attainment band for the student ahead of the next academic year.
At John Taylor High School we use Fischer Family Trust (an external organisation) to create ‘minimum expected grades’ for each student. FFT compares each student with all other students nationally who achieved the same KS2 results and the average GCSE grade they achieved for their subjects. We are able to moderate those grades to ensure that they are appropriately challenging, and the resulting grade becomes the initial target grade. These grades are then reviewed again at the end of Year 10.
Minimum expected grades are calculated using each student’s average GCSE points score. Each student is compared with all other students nationally who achieved the same average GCSE points score and the average grade they received in all A level subjects being studied. As such, it should be a realistic but challenging grade. Subject teachers then use their professional judgement to decide whether or not this grade is aspirational enough and may choose to increase it. The resulting grade becomes the target grade.
Here is a link to our Policies & Procedures page, where you’ll find the Assessment Guidance information. Please note this is updated every year.
The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is exceptional. (Ofsted, May 2025)
