Targets

[blackcat]

Does anyone set targets for the children to achieve scale points

eg target ladders where the child get a sticker on each rung ans they have met this target. If possible could you share your ideas of how I can set child friendly or parent friendly targets. help needed thanx

[Guest]

Oh! please don't do this with such young children! I wouldn't do it with any and have never but targets are definately not appropriate in reception. All six areas have the same weighting so how will you decide which target? Just make sure children are working at their right level, have high levels of well being and involvement and that you discuss their learning with them and really you will not need ladders and targets.

 

If your school insists on targets them make them for yourself and your support member of staff!

[catma]

Profile is for attainment not progress and I wouldn't recommend it's use in this way!

Cx

[HappyMaz]

We've just had a child (three years old) join our preschool from another setting. In amongst the various obs/photographs etc was a statement that said "little Johnny didn't meet his target for this month". Not that it told us what the target was...

 

Maz

[KST]

I was asked to do targets for literacy and numeracy but really felt it wasn't right for children in reception because children learn at different rates and because the profile early learning goals can be achieved in any order. I do PLODs (individual plans) which are based on their interests and to some extend gaps in the profile. I use them for me as the teacher to plan from and to support the children in their play. I do share them with parents but not the children. It certainly is not right for a child to feel they have failed to reached their target.

[HaytonSchool]

I too have been asked to set targets for children to achieve scale points and I am finding it really tricky to do. Hence searching on FSF for some inspiration and advice.

Our SIO came in on Friday and asked to see them...oops! She did suggest I decided on how I group my children then work out where I want them to be each half term then set targets accordingly. I think a crystal ball would be easier! I thought the EYFS was not about tick lists, learning ladders, I can statements and 'must, should and could'?? Help - please I've got to get something in place by Monday.

[catma]

The scale points are related to the ELGs, so use the development matters to identify "Next steps". These will have to be related to the child's developmental stage anyway.

 

And tell them QCDA say quite clearly that they are not for measuring progress.

 

Cx

[HaytonSchool]

Thank you very much that's really useful x

[KST]

What is the best way to measure progress in reception? x

[catma]

In my humble opinion - I don't think there is anything fundamentally "wrong" about marking children's attainment of the scale points over time as they attain them (with moderated judgements etc etc), but technically you are only required to complete them at the end of the key stage.

 

However I do fundamentally disagree with them being used as termly progress targets because they are not about that. They are end of key stage expectations so who is to say a child should get x or y in the spring term?? They are arching statements across many different aspects of learning! You're not going to necessarily get all the evidence in one term to attain say creative dev scales and many could realistically take a year to allow you to see the independent mastery of skills etc.

 

Progress is the movement towards the ELGs from where you were before. You could look at it from the point of view of what can a child do now that they couldn't do before, but you can't say they must be getting 2 scale points a term, if you see what I mean. Just trying to bring it all down to measures and numbers defeats the very purpose and principles of the EYFSP, which is about attainment being referenced against agreed criteria.

 

We should also be relating progress to the developmental stages of the EYFS to ensure our assessments match the child's stage of development, so I might also be considering where a child was/is in relation to national expectations when they started to identify progress and seeing what I might reasonably expect, ie a child who is just emerging into 40 - 60+ on entry to reception might reasonably be expected to get a secure level of development in that area, because they are at national, so I would expect to be able to ensure they stayed or exceeded national when they are through with FS but I cannot say "which" scale points they might attain.

 

I may be alone in this but there you go!! Hope that rather rambling comment makes some kind of sense!

 

Cx

[KST]

Yes it does make lots of sense! Thank you!! In fact I totally agree. I have just been made foundation stage coordinator and have been asked to analyse data etc. My head spoke to some at our LEA who told him average children should be scoring about 3 points by now! That didn't exactly fit with my children and certainly did not fit with my way of thinking so thank you for reassuring me! x

[Guest LornaW]

In my humble opinion - I don't think there is anything fundamentally "wrong" about marking children's attainment of the scale points over time as they attain them (with moderated judgements etc etc), but technically you are only required to complete them at the end of the key stage.

 

However I do fundamentally disagree with them being used as termly progress targets because they are not about that. They are end of key stage expectations so who is to say a child should get x or y in the spring term?? They are arching statements across many different aspects of learning! You're not going to necessarily get all the evidence in one term to attain say creative dev scales and many could realistically take a year to allow you to see the independent mastery of skills etc.

 

Progress is the movement towards the ELGs from where you were before. You could look at it from the point of view of what can a child do now that they couldn't do before, but you can't say they must be getting 2 scale points a term, if you see what I mean. Just trying to bring it all down to measures and numbers defeats the very purpose and principles of the EYFSP, which is about attainment being referenced against agreed criteria.

 

We should also be relating progress to the developmental stages of the EYFS to ensure our assessments match the child's stage of development, so I might also be considering where a child was/is in relation to national expectations when they started to identify progress and seeing what I might reasonably expect, ie a child who is just emerging into 40 - 60+ on entry to reception might reasonably be expected to get a secure level of development in that area, because they are at national, so I would expect to be able to ensure they stayed or exceeded national when they are through with FS but I cannot say "which" scale points they might attain.

 

I may be alone in this but there you go!! Hope that rather rambling comment makes some kind of sense!

 

Cx

 

No Catma you are no alone you always talk sense and I agree with you wholeheartedly just wish HT read these forums then we may get some sense!!!

 

Lorna