The baseline assessment of four- and five-year-olds during their first seven weeks at primary school in England is to be replaced by a profile assessment scheme which will be completed at the end of the reception year.
The baseline assessment of four- and five-year-olds during their first seven weeks at primary school in England is to be replaced by a profile assessment scheme which will be completed at the end of the reception year.
The national Foundation Stage profile scheme will be introduced from the start of the school year next September and will be based on ongoing assessment and observation of each child. It will replace the 90 or so baseline assessment schemes currently in use and will sum up each child's progress and learning needs in relation to the Early Learning Goals at the end of the Foundation Stage. The profile scheme will be completed during the second half of the summer term.
The Government announced its intention to introduce the scheme earlier this month in both its White Paper, Schools: Achieving Success, and its early years consultation Better Beginnings. The White Paper simply said, 'We will legislate to replace the current baseline assessment arrangements with a single national end of Foundation Stage profile based on the Early Learning Goals.'
Catherine Ashton, the early years and schools minister, explained the thinking behind it last week. She said, 'The new Foundation Stage profile, outlined in the White Paper, will take into account all six of the Early Learning Goals. It will include information from reception teachers and other early years practitioners through observation and the day-to-day teaching of the children in their care.
'The profile will be completed at the end of the reception year. As it is based on observations by teachers during planned classroom activity, the profile will not be a test that children pass or fail, but will represent a valuable tool for teachers and help them build up knowledge of each child's capabilities throughout the year. It will be key in picking up an accurate picture of what children, including those who have special educational needs, are able to do at the start of their primary years.'
Baroness Ashton added, 'I do not want the new arrangements to be burdensome for children or practitioners, and they will be developed with a view to ensuring this.'
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has asked a consortium from Birmingham local education authority and the National Foundation for Educational Research to develop and conduct trials of the national scheme.
Early years organisations gave the new profile scheme a warm welcome. Pat Wills, national chair of Early Education, said, 'The fact that the scheme is to be based on observation and assessment is very reassuring. This cumulative assessment will mean you will have a composite picture of children in a variety of situations, and so ultimately it should be a more accurate and fairer picture.'
Irene Pilia, assistant chief executive of the National Early Years Network, added, 'We are very pleased to see the Government moving to a profile scheme for young children. This is a very sensible and positive move in the right direction and is along the same lines we called for in our response to the consultation which ended back in January.'
The national Foundation Stage profile scheme will be introduced from the start of the school year next September and will be based on ongoing assessment and observation of each child. It will replace the 90 or so baseline assessment schemes currently in use and will sum up each child's progress and learning needs in relation to the Early Learning Goals at the end of the Foundation Stage. The profile scheme will be completed during the second half of the summer term.
The Government announced its intention to introduce the scheme earlier this month in both its White Paper, Schools: Achieving Success, and its early years consultation Better Beginnings. The White Paper simply said, 'We will legislate to replace the current baseline assessment arrangements with a single national end of Foundation Stage profile based on the Early Learning Goals.'
Catherine Ashton, the early years and schools minister, explained the thinking behind it last week. She said, 'The new Foundation Stage profile, outlined in the White Paper, will take into account all six of the Early Learning Goals. It will include information from reception teachers and other early years practitioners through observation and the day-to-day teaching of the children in their care.
'The profile will be completed at the end of the reception year. As it is based on observations by teachers during planned classroom activity, the profile will not be a test that children pass or fail, but will represent a valuable tool for teachers and help them build up knowledge of each child's capabilities throughout the year. It will be key in picking up an accurate picture of what children, including those who have special educational needs, are able to do at the start of their primary years.'
Baroness Ashton added, 'I do not want the new arrangements to be burdensome for children or practitioners, and they will be developed with a view to ensuring this.'
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has asked a consortium from Birmingham local education authority and the National Foundation for Educational Research to develop and conduct trials of the national scheme.
Early years organisations gave the new profile scheme a warm welcome. Pat Wills, national chair of Early Education, said, 'The fact that the scheme is to be based on observation and assessment is very reassuring. This cumulative assessment will mean you will have a composite picture of children in a variety of situations, and so ultimately it should be a more accurate and fairer picture.'
Irene Pilia, assistant chief executive of the National Early Years Network, added, 'We are very pleased to see the Government moving to a profile scheme for young children. This is a very sensible and positive move in the right direction and is along the same lines we called for in our response to the consultation which ended back in January.'
