discrepancies between Nursery and Reception assessments

[Guest kateh22]

Hi,

I've recently just taken on the sole responsibility for EYFS coordinator in my school (I was sharing responsibility with the Nursery teacher who is now on maternity leave). When coming to do my Reception baseline assessments I have noticed very obvious differences from what we judge for where the children are to what the Nursery have said the children are at the end of the summer. A lot of the 40-60 months are highlighted as the children achieving them without any evidence. I know we don't have to have evidence for everything and we are to use our own judgement, but we are seeing children who aren't even meeting 30-50 as a baseline in Reception and have come up to us with completed 40-60 months. Some of the children only have 1 or 2 observations for each area of learning. Does anybody have any suggestions on what to do for this? I don't know the Nursery children well enough to say they weren't achieving these points in Nursery I can only use my judgements from what I've seen of them in Reception.

Hope this makes sense!

[Wildflowers]

Those things that require confidence may not be expressed for a while in a new environment. It could also be that you and nursery practitioner interpret the statements differently. Perhaps regular moderation meetings would be a good idea?

[finleysmaid]

your issue will come i fear if parents have been told what levels their children are at in nursery,,,,,if you are then going to say they have gone backwards (even if only in data terms )

[jocrow]

kateh22,

I also have the same issue in my school, we don't have a nursery attached and so the children come for many different settings. We have a number at secure at 40-60+ in EVERYTHING...yet aren't writing their name and don't recognise any numerals. I don't know how these issues can be resolved but I thought you'd like to know it's not just your setting!

[Guest]

i'm nursery and reception teacher and i have moderated all prime areas and maths/literacy to ensure we are in line with each other. we included a paragraph at the start of our moderation folder saying that children will probably have regressed after summer/staggered start, and should be back where they were by october half term. also that they will need time to become familiar with new routines/staff/full days/lunch etc, and would need to gain confidence for accurate assessments. we ensure we have certain things in each learning journey each half term, e.g. counting, name writing/emergent writing, exact record of speech etc. also have evidence on adult activity sheets and child's individual 'next steps' records.

unfortunately everyone is expected to have all children making good progress, so the pressure is on ..... maybe this is why? we get records from previous pre-schools that are over-inflated. it's so frustrating

[Guest]

Our management won't allow us to say that a child is secure 40-60 on our tracking unless we have the evidence to prove it (I work in full daycare). It's one of those things where the whole using your professional judgement doesn't work too well.

[Mouseketeer]

We even had this problem within our setting when key workers prepared their own transition sheets, a couple would put children extremely high and others would be more conservative and it gave a completely wrong view of the group and who was more/less able, and to be honest I've rarely seen a sheet from another eyfs setting that we agree with, even allowing for settling in time, and I'm sure people think the same of ours....but then how many of us agree that all the statements are in the correct age bands ?

[Wildflowers]

but then how many of us agree that all the statements are in the correct age bands ?

Which is why we only use statements and not age bands. Each of our children has two key persons who together observe, discuss and conclude if a child does or doesn't have a particular ability. The child's abilities are listed and sent on to the school.

[finleysmaid]

Which is why we only use statements and not age bands. Each of our children has two key persons who together observe, discuss and conclude if a child does or doesn't have a particular ability. The child's abilities are listed and sent on to the school.

Great while they are in your setting wildflower but do your feeder schools also agree with you???

[Mouseketeer]

Our county wouldn't agree, we are expected to include our DM record with transition information, and whilst there is a lot to be said in favour of not 'ticking statements' we don't have much option, and I would love to see all the statements on one page in tapestry (age bands that we select) that then picked up the statements marked off in assessments ( sorry Helen )

[sunnyday]

We even had this problem within our setting when key workers prepared their own transition sheets, a couple would put children extremely high and others would be more conservative and it gave a completely wrong view of the group and who was more/less able, and to be honest I've rarely seen a sheet from another eyfs setting that we agree with, even allowing for settling in time, and I'm sure people think the same of ours....but then how many of us agree that all the statements are in the correct age bands ?

Same here 'Mousie' - that's why, as manager I moderate staffs work - will always discuss with them - i.e. how did you arrive at that.........I do that throughout each child's time with us.........but that's a relatively 'easy' task for me as we are such a small group :1b

Oh and a very warm welcome to the forum kateh22 :1b

Edited October 29, 2014 by sunnyday

[Guest kateh22]

Thank you for all your replies! It's quite reassuring to know that it's not just at my setting this is happening! I like the idea of adding a statement to allow for differences. Does anyone use emerging, secure, confident within the age bands? I thought that maybe if they arrive at Reception as 40-60 emerging from Nursery then it allows for some fall back then and then they can develop on to secure 40-60, confident etc?

Yes the parents are informed of where they are at, they have a report sent out at the end of the year which highlights where they are in terms of the DMs. Which is why it is so frustrating!

Thank you for the welcome to the forum, sunnyday! Never been brave enough to post a question before but desperately needed some advice with this one!

[Wildflowers]

Great while they are in your setting wildflower but do your feeder schools also agree with you???

Based on our records I can easily put the children in age bands if a teacher wants me to do it. It's just my little rebellion against comparing children against norm and each other...

[Mouseketeer]

Welcome from me too, well done on posting, I think everyone's thoughts and opinions are valued, if not always agreed with, but I think this is what makes it so compulsive and also makes you evaluate your practice for the better or to just get the nod that you're on right lines

[sunnyday]

Thank you for all your replies! It's quite reassuring to know that it's not just at my setting this is happening! I like the idea of adding a statement to allow for differences. Does anyone use emerging, secure, confident within the age bands? I thought that maybe if they arrive at Reception as 40-60 emerging from Nursery then it allows for some fall back then and then they can develop on to secure 40-60, confident etc?

Yes the parents are informed of where they are at, they have a report sent out at the end of the year which highlights where they are in terms of the DMs. Which is why it is so frustrating!

Thank you for the welcome to the forum, sunnyday! Never been brave enough to post a question before but desperately needed some advice with this one!

Emerging = child is beginning to acquire the skills and knowledge in this age band and will need lots of opportunities to rehearse and consolidate these

Developing = child is practising and consolidating the skills and knowledge in this age band in lots of situations and is growing in confidence but will need further opportunities before the learning is fully embedded

Secure = child is fully confident in applying the skills and knowledge in this age band independently and consistently in a range of situations

So that's a yes from me! :1b

[thumperrabbit]

We use exactly the same statements as Sunnyday - in fact I may have pinched it off her :1b

[thumperrabbit]

Also just to add I also volunteer in one of the reception classes that some of our children move onto - sometimes I am horrified / amazed by the way that the children are when they move onto school. For example a child who was always such a superstar with us behaviour wise has turned into a horror if I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe it! She was with us for 2.5yrs and always 'did the right thing' and 'could be relied upon' - I can't write what I would say now!!

influences of other new children - staying for a full day - far more structure? who knows, but I can see how the assessment between pre-school and school wouldn't tally

Of course there are also the other ones who just melted into the background at pre-school who become shining stars at school. :1b

[Guest kateh22]

Ah sunnyday exactly what I needed! Thank you a lot! I shall be implementing this after the half term!

[sunnyday]

Ah sunnyday exactly what I needed! Thank you a lot! I shall be implementing this after the half term!

Glad to have been able to help :1b