FFT’s HML bands for target setting differ to the Department for Education fixed thresholds in that FFT rank all pupils within a cohort based on the full range of available prior attainment data, (test and teacher assessment), and then break the ranks into exact thirds. This has the effect of defining a pupil’s performance relative to all pupils in the same year group; whereas the DfE method defines the general make up of a year group comparative to the other year groups based on fixed thresholds.
However, the HML bands for self-evaluation, FFT has adopted the Department for Education’s calculations.