Foundation Stage Profile Supporting Learning Journeys 7 th February 2007 Jan Dubiel Principal Officer Foundation Stage Profile National Assessment Agency Worcestershire LA

FSP; aspects, discrete aims and agendas… Nature of the FSP… Reclaiming the word ‘assessment’ Professional responsibility Respecting and acknowledging professionalism

Assessment Recording and documenting

Definitions… Assessment What is there to see? How best can we understand what we see? How can we put our understanding to good use? Mary Jane Drummond

“The purpose of the assessment process is to make explicit children’s achievements, celebrate their achievements with them, then help them to move forward to the next goal” Vicky Hutchin

Why do we need to assess? Assessment, planning and development are inextricably linked Assessment is an essential part of meeting children’s needs Children have different starting points and rates of development It informs planning for the group or the individual by identifying strengths and areas of development It enables practitioners to evaluate their setting

What do we need to assess? Demonstrations of skills, knowledge, understanding and attitudes All six Areas of Learning What is said, done or shown as an individual or as a participant in a group Adult directed and child-initiated activities What is SIGNIFICANT

How do we put this information to good use? To plan appropriate provision to meet the needs of individuals and groups of learners To reflect on and evaluate the quality of existing provision and identify areas for development

What does the Foundation Stage guidance say? “ To be effective, an early years curriculum should be carefully structured…” “Provision from the different starting points from which children develop their learning building on what they can already do” Practitioners must be able to observe and respond appropriately to children – informed by a knowledge of how children develop and learn and a clear understanding of possible next steps in their development and their learning” “Effective teaching requires…skilful and planned observation of children”

The process of assessment in the Foundation Stage Evidence collected through: Knowledge of the child A range of contributors Observation Anecdotal “significant moments” (Focussed Assessment) –Judgements made through assessing behaviour that is demonstrated: Consistently Independently –Moderation –The role of additional assessments

Exploring approaches to assessment Production of draft guidance and a CD of exemplification materials to support all practitioners to: –Reflect on their observation and assessment practices for children from birth to the end of reception –Support their understanding of appropriate record- keeping for individual children –Audit their environment and use of resources to support effective observation and assessment –Develop their understanding of the importance of observing children’s well-being and involvement –Identify children following different learning pathways –Tracking children’s progress from birth

The Foundation Stage Profile is an important part of this implementation. It builds on the curriculum guidance. It reflects the key role of skilful and well-planned observations in providing reliable assessment information on young children. It recognises the important contribution parents and children can make to Assessment It has been developed drawing on the extensive expertise of that same group of early education specialists who contributed to the development of the curriculum guidance. It sets out a way of summarising young children’s achievements at the end of the foundation stage and provides important information for parents and year 1 teachers. (FSP Handbook Foreword)

Key features of the FSP Statutory scales and points of Assessment An assessment of the end of the Foundation Stage Curriculum covering all Areas of Learning A Summary of children’s achievements by the end of the Foundation Stage A basis for planning to meet the needs of children at the start of Key Stage 1 Assessment scales arrange ELGs and composite Stepping Stones as manageable assessment criteria Specific guidance to ensure access for children with SEN and EAL

Structure of the FSP 13 Scales covering aspects within all 6 Areas of Learning: PSED 3CL&L 4MD 3 KaUotW 1PD 1CD 1 9 points on each scale –Points 1 – 3 represent composite Stepping Stones –Points 4 – 8 represent the ELGs; split where appropriate and are not hierarchical –Point 9 is above the ELGs Yes / No judgement against each point

FSP is … Reflection and consolidation of the CGFS A vehicle to support transition to Y1 and the development of effective pedagogy The process of assessment for learning Utilising the results of the process to support individual learning journeys 13 nine point scales that record children's attainment on entry to Y1 FSP isn’t…. A tick list of skills and knowledge A standardised assessment

Demonstrating Progress in the Foundation Stage Words of warning: –Numerical scores –Test based systems Key principles and effective practice –Individual child’s development –Use of moderated Stepping Stones judgements –The importance and interconnection of all 6 Areas of Learning –Attainment on entry Initial observations and judgements Information from Pre-school settings Stepping Stone expectations

Inspection Matters 10 September 2006 Evaluating standards on entry 9.In order to decide how well pupils make progress within a school it is important to assess their standards on entry. Gathering evidence about standards on entry 10. Take account of pre-inspection and first hand evidence. In particular look at standards on entry information in the SEF. In primary schools with a Foundation Stage the school’s analysis of any baseline assessment data will be important. see the reference booklet referred to in paragraph 8 1 In all schools, your own evidence from observations, talking to the staff and the youngest pupils and looking at their assessment records and work will help to establish their starting points. 1 Remember that there are no longer nationally accredited baseline assessment schemes

Understanding and using FSP Data Basic operational principles of FSP assessment Observational and Focussed assessment evidence 13 scales 9 scale points Schools submit data to LA LA submit data to DfES DfES use of data School use of data Teacher use of data What does it mean? What do we do with it?

Informed, intelligent and creative use of FSP data and additional Early Years information A formative assessment to support appropriate practice and provision in Y1 A tool to support self-evaluation of the Foundation Stage ‘Drilling down’ data to identify issues and areas for development Identification of different groups Tracking progress / development Impact on practice and policy

FSP and the NC P Scales are designed for children accessing the National Curriculum in KS1+ who are not attaining Level 1 No equivalence between FSP Scale points / scale scores and NC levels No reliable statistical correlation between FSP attainment and NC KS1 attainment at national level –FSP is a record of 6 Areas of learning –Interrelationship and dependence between scales and scale points –Variables in children's development –OFSTED requirements / advice –Differentiation and expectations Informed, intelligent and creative use of data enables effective and appropriate tracking of progress

Using the FSP data for… Identifying areas for development in practice and provision in –YR –Y1 Performance management School improvement planning Comparisons of achievement

What data is generated Two types of data / information 1.Statutory data – data collection chart; submitted to DfES via LA 2.Individual / class data – individual, transferred to Y1 3.Supplementary information

What does this data tell us? What are the implications for: –Provision in Y1? –practice in the Foundation Stage? –School improvement?

What does this data tell us? What are the implications for: –practice in the Foundation Stage? –Provision in Y1? –School improvement?