AnonyMouse_3307 Posted September 14, 2014 Posted September 14, 2014 OK - this is what I know about the baseline in the future. (Not the actual assessments but the timeline). The DFE published their criteria for the development of the baselines last summer. Companies who wish to become accredited are now trialling and developing their assessments. Some are contacting schools to ask if they can try them out One of the criteria is that the assessment must be an indicator of future outcomes at KS1/2. Difficult given we don't really know what that will look like at the moment but also NB it will therefore focus predictably on Literacy and Mathematics as they are the only matched areas of learning. The companies must submit their assessments by 15th Dec to DFE. DFE will announce the lucky winners in Spring (ie late Spring) 2015. Companies will then have to recruit at least 10% of all schools. The baseline is NON STATUTORY. Therefore there will be no central funding or training or anything from your LA. You will be making your own choices as professionals ( ) Any support etc will have to come from your selected accredited provider. They would also be the moderators and training providers. Schools will probably feel pressurised into making a budgetary decision at the end of the financial year, for a product they may not have budgeted for or thought about much. They may think cheap is better. You can use your selected baseline from SEPT 2015. However you will still have to complete the current EYFSP in Summer 2016. If you do your 2022 Yr 6 will be judged on their progress from on entry. From 2016 it's up to you to do baseline or not. However you will be judged in 2023 on the attainment of your cohort alone if you don't. Better hope they are a high performing lot. Although there will be no EYFSP, the DfE is at pains to keep pointing out that the EYFS framework is statutory, therefore you would presumably have to still meet the Assessment requirements, observing and looking at children's progress in Reception towards the ELGs, report to Yr1 and parents. Just not the LA. There would have to be some revision of the framework I guess though. Time will tell. Now, different companies will have different pedagogical ways to assess. Some will look to the world of IT and click/point/record styles and others may root their assessments in observations and knowledge of the child's deeper learning. I would urge you to think carefully and examine all the finally selected assessments. Think about what the point of this assessment will be. What information will you get from it that you can actually use to plan and deliver an appropriate curriculum? The simplest may not be the best. Cx 1
AnonyMouse_73 Posted September 14, 2014 Posted September 14, 2014 Thanks for that update Catma, I was thinking I wasnt that up to speed on this. I wonder how much the 'approved' systems will look like those that are already used in some schools. Also what body of evidence will be used to indicate their strength of the prediction to future KS1/2 outcomes.
AnonyMouse_30128 Posted September 15, 2014 Posted September 15, 2014 Catma ...what do you think will happen to those schools who don't go up to year 6? we have lots of small infant schools still in our system at present? (and one of the few borough's still working on three tier systems!!!)
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted September 15, 2014 Author Posted September 15, 2014 I think then they would be looking at yr 2 outcomes. It's not clear in the bits I've read so far. Cx
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted September 15, 2014 Posted September 15, 2014 Thanks for the summary Catma - really helpful to see it like that. My HT is off to a briefing for headteachers about EY assessment tomorrow morning. I'm interested to see what he comes back with. Am going to make sure I have read the current handbook/ARA tonight as he tends to come back and launch straight into a conversation about things!
AnonyMouse_13401 Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 Hi Catma. This is really useful. Thank you so much for sharing. I am doing my masters dissertation on the profile and wondered where you got your info from so that I can use it. Don't think they will allow me to say it is right as Catma says so! Ha. Your pointer will be much appreciated.
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted January 4, 2015 Author Posted January 4, 2015 Hi, It's all from the DfE/national policy consultations and responses. They have all their consultations etc on their .gov.uk website. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/297595/Primary_Accountability_and_Assessment_Consultation_Response.pdf Cx
AnonyMouse_13401 Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 Very much appreciated Catma. Thank you so much. x
AnonyMouse_42691 Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 May I suggest that you have a look at http://www.earlyexcellence.com/reception_baseline_overview.html This is being endorsed by the Early Years team in our local authority, based on the principle that is child centered teacher assessment in the classroom, rather than testing via a tablet or computer outside of the classroom. It has been written by Early Years Specialists not publishers or speech therapists. If in any doubt then undertake a complete review of all providers using http://tactyc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Summary-Baseline-Assessment-Guidance.pdf Hope that helps. 1
Guest Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 As a cluster of local schools our alliance has decided to go with this one so we are consistent across our area
AnonyMouse_51722 Posted March 10, 2015 Posted March 10, 2015 I've been to a Baseline briefing today, run by Early Excellence. It is, without doubt, the only one that I can even begin to imagine fitting into my normal practice, based on the EYFS values and principles we all know and love. 1
AnonyMouse_51597 Posted April 3, 2015 Posted April 3, 2015 I also went to the Baseline Briefing given by the wonderful Jan Dubiel from Early Excellence - this is by far the most principled approach to the baseline offered and reflects how we already use observation to find out what our little people know, their interests and how we as knowledgeable professionals can actually use this information to support learning and development - not box ticking!!!
Guest Posted April 24, 2015 Posted April 24, 2015 I've not even been given a say! My head has signed up for hodder! A written phamplet test that is completed each term awful! No understanding of early years at all!
AnonyMouse_47865 Posted April 25, 2015 Posted April 25, 2015 I've not even been given a say! My head has signed up for hodder! A written phamplet test that is completed each term awful! No understanding of early years at all! Oh Joanne that's awful that you didn't get a say. Keep your fingers crossed the Hodder baseline hasn't had enough schools sign up to it, then you will be able to choose a different one. Our LA invited heads and Reception teachers to look at all the baselines and we all agreed the Early Excellence was the best by far. Bev
AnonyMouse_5013 Posted April 25, 2015 Posted April 25, 2015 I attended a LA run event this week and out of the 6 providers Hodder was the only that didn't attend .....so you never know they might be out of the race.
Guest Posted April 27, 2015 Posted April 27, 2015 I've not even been given a say! My head has signed up for hodder! A written phamplet test that is completed each term awful! No understanding of early years at all! Mmm ... looks like we're signed up for Hodder, too!
Guest Posted April 30, 2015 Posted April 30, 2015 Have you any info on Hodder? Did you choose it or your management team (part of the furniture)
AnonyMouse_47736 Posted April 30, 2015 Posted April 30, 2015 Early Excellence seems like the best one, but surely all teachers do similar things anyway? I see no reason to sign up for any of the Baseline Assessments, and it is strongly opposed by the Too Much Too Soon Campaign for a wide variety of reasons. Please follow the link to see who agrees and why: http://www.toomuchtoosoon.org/say-no-to-baseline-assessment.html
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted April 30, 2015 Posted April 30, 2015 Early Excellence seems like the best one, but surely all teachers do similar things anyway? I see no reason to sign up for any of the Baseline Assessments, and it is strongly opposed by the Too Much Too Soon Campaign for a wide variety of reasons. Please follow the link to see who agrees and why: http://www.toomuchtoosoon.org/say-no-to-baseline-assessment.html But as Catma says above (and in various other places too!) if your school doesn't do a baseline in 2022/23 your Y6 outcomes will be measured on attainment alone not progress and you would have to be pretty certain of getting a consistently high attaining cohort in order to meet floor targets. At least I think I've summarised that accurately! 2
AnonyMouse_47865 Posted April 30, 2015 Posted April 30, 2015 Unfortunately whether or not the Teachers in Reception classes agree with the baseline or not, the senior leaders are always going to have the final say. I'm sure The reason Early Excellence is getting such good reviews is that it is the closest to what most teachers already do.
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted April 30, 2015 Posted April 30, 2015 (edited) Unfortunately whether or not the Teachers in Reception classes agree with the baseline or not, the senior leaders are always going to have the final say. I'm sure The reason Early Excellence is getting such good reviews is that it is the closest to what most teachers already do. In my case, my HT agrees with me about the changes to assessment in reception. I was given free rein to choose the one I liked best but we have more than just my class to think about. I agree about Early Excellence - pretty much what I do now just that I'm actually reporting it to someone. Edited April 30, 2015 by Froglet 1
Guest Posted April 30, 2015 Posted April 30, 2015 Have you any info on Hodder? Did you choose it or your management team (part of the furniture) Sorry, nothing much - it was chosen by the headteacher.
AnonyMouse_47736 Posted May 5, 2015 Posted May 5, 2015 Thank you for the info., but I still oppose its introduction. I don't see why we should sacrifice our own views on effective pedagogical practice in order to meet the needs of the government. Surely we should be focusing on what is good for our children, rather than what is good for politics? Moreover, I am not convinced that the progress it will show will accurately represent the learning all those children will have achieved. We already have a draconian education system and this is just another step in the wrong direction. I do see how it may be difficult to oppose the introduction of the Baseline Assessment, but if you have any grievances with it please make sure they are heard.
AnonyMouse_47865 Posted May 13, 2015 Posted May 13, 2015 Has anyone been on the Early Excellence baseline training yet? I'm going next week and just wondered what others have thought about it.
AnonyMouse_48226 Posted June 3, 2015 Posted June 3, 2015 I went to a network meeting today where it was discussed that it looks like the majority of schools are choosing the one provider that the Government don't really want. (I don't think it's one they don't like more a case of how the baseline is done) (I hope that makes sense). I am not in Reception so a lot of what they were talking about wasn't clear to me but the lady from the LA was saying that it may all change before it comes in!! Apparently there was an article in Nursery World this week - http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1151726/baseline-approval-process-falters
AnonyMouse_26037 Posted June 3, 2015 Posted June 3, 2015 Does anyone have a link to the letter it mentions that was sent out on the 22nd May from DfE saying that it would be referred to new ministers. Not that I'm expecting it to say anything earth shattering - just that I have various alerts etc on the DfE website but haven't seen anything and wondered if I'd got them set up oddly! Will wait and see what happens...
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