Entry Assessment

[AnonyMouse_42964]

This is a tall order I know but hopefully someone will understand/be able to assist me.

 

I have to overhaul assessment (ofsted inspection recommendations). The Early Years specialist advised me to assess the children against EYFS specifically. The school I am in used their own assessment that basically consisted of - can they speak english, can they understand instructions and what (if any) skills do they have in literacy/numeracy already. I know that we should be assessing using the profile but I am struggling to see the bigger picture.

 

The children are only with me and the other teachers for approx 1 hour (don't separate particularly well either, more so for my FS1 kids) and at the moment I have no idea visually how this sort of assesment will/should look.

 

Just some info that might help. The FS1 kids start coming to me in Feb. They must have turned 3 by September to be considered for the year group. FS2 come to me at the same time and they must have turned 4 by Sept.

 

Any help/documents at all you can pass my way would be great. I have looked at the development matters for the relevant age group but I seem to be getting bogged down by so many of the things they could/should do, this worries me as how can I ever see that in a large group of children in such a short space of time. Logistically on a piece of paper how can I simplfy this for others to use and understand.

 

Thanks in advance.

[AnonyMouse_3735]

not able to help but a question to clarify and help those who can answer..

 

Noting this is not UK and obviously different

 

you say they are only with you an hour... is this for a visit before starting, or how does this work.. how often are they with you...

 

I would think doing an assessment in an hour impossible anyway..and if they have diffuculty separating this really does not show a true picture as they are unsettled and not able to do thier best.. . we used to do them over the first few weeks of starting so all done in a month and worked on them from there..

[Guest]

So ofsted inspect in Dubai? My goodness bet there's a scramble for those roles!!

 

Sorry, seriously it sounds like you have your work cut out if that's what they're expecting of you in just an hour with separation anxiety on top!

 

We had similar experience with our funded two's and we struggled to assess accurately and they were with us for 15hrs per week! We threw caution to the wind and focused on all things well-being, routine and repetitive and it took a good few weeks but it worked, now a term in we've closed the gap (and lowered our stress levels!) we are a private nursery by the way so don't have any one telling us to do a certain thing which is lovely

 

I would break it right down maybe until they are more settled, focus on the prime areas, particularly PSED but as Inge said its almost an impossible task for accuracy

Can you interpret some statements into parent friendly speak and liaise to form a 'paper picture' that would keep ofsted happy (I know that's not what it's about but sometimes they make it that way!)

 

Have you worked this way for a while in terms of seeing them settle in (so you know there's light at the end of the tunnel) or Is this something new?

 

Is there any scope for you to drop 'teaching' and big up the 'fun' side to speed up the settling in process (please know I'm not implying your sessions aren't fun, just that some schools focus too much on teaching and goals, rather than the long game when really there's a compromise in there)

 

Haven't really been helpful but do feel your pain!

Edited February 10, 2013 by gingerbreadman

[AnonyMouse_42964]

Thank you very much for replying. I very much feel that I have an impossible task at the moment.

 

In Dubai the government body KHDA do annual inspections of all schools and they employ Ofsted inspectors to do the job therefore there are huge similiarites but equally I worked in Scotland before and have only ever had HMIE or Care Commission so I am going on what other teachers say in terms of comparions.

 

One of the comments made to me by the specialist is that we should use the profile to initially assess, I can completely agree with this however it is going to prove problematic when once a week I get a batch of 10/20 children into our department (once this year's cohort are gone for the day). I just cannot see how I can make this happen on paper. I know as a team we can observe/assess and make judgements but what we really need to know is if they have any needs/challenging behaviour that wouls potentially require additional support in the longterm. for example, I am with my class from 7:45 - 12:15 every day along with my LSA (25 children to a class) and if a child did require extra support then we would need an additional LSA which is not ideal as I have an FS dept of 375 children. There would be a potential for needing a large number of additional support staff which would be refused by the owners.

 

Basically I need to think - what do I need to know on that first day of meeting them. If I accept them in Feb, the next time I meet them will be in Sept. I can obviously assess again in those first few weeks but what sort of document could I roll out that would make sense to all staff and equally be useful in the long run!

 

As I write this I have no idea how I have managed to remain sane for so long!

[Guest]

I maybe misinterpreting what you've been advised to do but I wouldn't be assessing the children against the "profile" but rather against the development matters statements. As someone else said, I would also focus on the prime areas and just see how the children fit into the development matters on those three areas to see if you can identify any area of delay or specific need. You seem to be in a challenging situation given the numbers and time scales though.

[AnonyMouse_42964]

Thanks Holly. I think DM as well but she definitely said the profile! I think as long as I can show some form of assessment on paper (as simplistic as possible) and then progress to getting them a eProfile once school begins I will be better off. At the end of the day I think we will be pushing it to get a good idea of their abilities over such a short space of time.

 

I have a tough job to do this week !!!

[AnonyMouse_42964]

Also Holly, you mention the 3 prime areas, immediately after inspection I had one individual assessment to do and I did exactly what you have said. The thing I noticed most was that I couldn't see a whole lot in the space of time I was given but at least I am possibly on the right track!

[Guest]

Just to clarify- you see a group of children in feb, once, and don't see them again until September - is this some sort of taster session and you are expected to make a judgement of their needs ready for their start in sept?

 

Definitely can't use the profile as it's developmentally inappropriate. The DM's will be your best bet but your time frames are your biggest enemy. ( if I'm reading your situation correctly)

 

What you see and judge on in feb may have dramatically changed (for better or worse!) by sept.

 

Could you develop a 'getting to know me' booklet for parents to complete (not perfect as parents can be biased) and think carefully about exactly what it is you need to know before they start

 

After that it would be chipping away at getting to know them on their proper start and give your self a cut off date where you record the assessment - then continue to show progress

 

I'm surprised you are still sane!

 

 

[AnonyMouse_42964]

Yes, we are a sort of campus school we have children from 3 right up til they finish their A Levels.

 

I (and the rest of my team) meet a group of children once a week until we have filled all of the seats (the business end) and then the parents and children come to each class to meet their teacher and get some info at the start of term in Sept. The reason for the time scale is down to business competition between schools, as you can imagine with it all being private you want to make sure you have sold every seat possible. You are absoutely right, some of these children have changed so dramatically that the initial assessment means nothing!

 

I think a booklet is a fantastic idea. I have to submit today so this has been really useful. Thank you all very much.

[Guest]

Ah I see!

 

Best of Luck - it's so hard when 'business' has to interfere with the 'right' thing, but without the business there's no-thing!

 

 

Just as an aside - if the children, technically, haven't yet started with you now - are ofsted still expecting an assessment now - or would it be acceptable to have a plan to start assessment in Sept (and have the document that you will be assessing against/on) Would certainly save you some time rather than completing something that would be unusable in 7 months time

[AnonyMouse_42964]

Assessment on the whole needs sorted/rearranged/blown up and rejigged. You get the picture. The specialist recommended to me that my intial assessment be directly from EYFS (instead of what we were doing before which was limited). I will be planning assessment from entry in Sept but I still need something that I can give to teachers that will be useful for their children starting.

 

AGH! Sedative now please.

[AnonyMouse_3735]

this to me would benefit from the All about Me booklet for parents to complete about thier child before the visit.. then you could add to this on the visit / confirm parents comments... may help maximaise the amount of time you have to do this...