On your marks, get set, go! Baseline Assessment in the Early Years

Add to My Folder

By Lorelli Mojica

It’s the first few weeks of the academic year and there’s a buzz in the air. Excitement, curiosity and anxiety are just some of the feelings that children experience as they begin their journey of school life. Practitioners help the children settle into the environment, making them feel secure. As children get to know practitioners, practitioners learn more about them. Subtle observations are skilfully being made as the children play, explore and learn to feel secure in their new environment…

New direction for Baseline

In early 2018, the government announced plans to introduce a new mandatory baseline assessment for children entering Reception in state schools – the plan will officially come into action in September 2021. The government intends to measure how a school performs by the progress the children make from the time they begin primary school to the time they leave Key Stage 2.

To date, we know that assessments will:

Take place on a one to one basis during class time.
Last about 20 minutes.
Assess the skills of language and communication, early mathematics (and possibly self-regulation).
Be interactive and practical, with the use of age-appropriate resources.
Be carried out within the first six weeks of starting school.
Be carried out in English.
Be trialled in selected schools in September 2018.