Assessment in the Early Years takes place on a daily basis through observations and interactions with children, rather than formal testing. The Development Matters guidance sets out the pathways of a child’s development in broad ages and stages, these help staff to make informed decisions about what a child needs to learn next. Professional judgement and knowledge of a child’s development is vital in making accurate assessments which will inform future planning.
On Entry Assessment
The Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is an assessment of maths, literacy and communication and language skills. The RBA became statutory in September 2021, with all children being required to be assessed during their first 6 weeks in Reception. The purpose of the RBA is, ‘to provide an on-entry assessment of pupil attainment’ (Standards and Testing Agency). The assessment consists of practical tasks and is carried out in a fun, informal way by a member of staff who knows the children well.
Assessment Framework: Reception Baseline Assessment
Assessment at the end of the EYFS
The Early Learning Goals set out the level of development children are expected to have attained at the end of the EYFS. The Early Learning Goals support teacher’s in making a ‘best-fit’ judgement about a child’s development and readiness for year 1. Children are considered to be ‘emerging’ or ‘expected’ within each area. We report our data to the Local Authority through the completion of an EYFS Profile for each child. The results of the Profile are shared with parents/careers and year 1 teachers.