Assessment help!

[cathyuhu]

Hi all,

Just wondered what kind of assessment record you all keep as I seem to be in an assessment nightmare!

 

I've inherited the assessment system that was put it place by the deputy (I was new eyfs leader in September) and both head and deputy rave about it, neither of them having actually tried to work it.

 

All our observations we reference to the Dev matters statements/elg's etc we then have to take each post it/observation from each child and tick it off in our assessment file where each child has a set off the dev matters statements/elg's. We use colour coded ticks for professional knowledge, observational evidence and assessment task evidence, once achieved 3 times with 3 ticks we can say the child is secure in that statement and it's gets highlighted. This totally goes against what we all know about not using the statements as a checklist.

 

We also keep a tally of each child's post it's/observations so we know where the gaps are. Then and only then can we put the evidence in the learning journey. It takes so long to do one child let alone 30!

 

Can anyone share with me what their assessment file looks like, I am desperately trying to find an easier way as the head said if I can come up with a system that does all of the above and is less onerous I am free to go ahead, but I am stumped. The teachers in my unit have no work life balance at the moment, does what we are being made to do sound excessive?

 

Advice please?

[BevE]

One word 'Tapestry'. No more cutting and sticking and the cross referencing is all done at the touch of a button.

 

Your head and deputy need some serious updating though. Have they not heard about 'best fit' and that the dev matters statements are not a ticklist? Do you have any local authority support? We have EYFS cluster meetings, where all local reception teachers get together to share good practice. If you don't have these could you start one and ask for other schools to share their assessments with you.

 

Good luck

Bev

[Guest]

this is what i use in nursery, and we date box when evidence of statement being achieved is put in folder. and each post-it is usually evidence of 2/3 areas/strands, so 2/3 dates can be put down. when there are 3 lots of evidence for a statement, then as long as they are a mix of CI and adult, we would usually feel that the child is secure in that statement. i know we shouldn't be doing checklists - my staff need it, and if we didn't have it one staff member would be over-inflating her levels and so it's essential! also it forces staff to have enough evidence and in all areas/over all aspects, as you can easily spot gaps. and accurate on entry to nursery is really important for whole school progress measure

 

look at me cover 1.docx

on entry assessment 1.docx

[cathyuhu]

broadlea we have all that you suggest with cluster meetings and LEA support, the Early Years advisor was very impressed with the record keeping system hence the head and deputy feeling that its the best thing since sliced bread! Yet when it came to a moderation meeting with our moderation advisor, she didn't look at one LJ or assessment folder and just said tell me about your children.

I just feel it's so unmanageable from a workload point of view, moral is low and staff are desperate for another way of doing things. It doesn't benefit us and seems to be a paper exercise, I could ask anyone of my team to tell me where they're children are and they would be ale to do it and evidence would be there to support their judgements in the LJ's. I have been looking into Tapestry so thanks for that recommendation.

Sooty, we had the same issue with overinflated levels and data analysis this term has been an absolute nightmare, those members of staff have moved from the unit so we have a team that actually knows what they're doing and I trust their professional knowledge, I just need to get this across to SLT. Your format looks similar to mine, do Reception do the same?

Edited November 7, 2014 by cathyuhu

[BevE]

All the moderation events and agreement trialling that I have attended states that the evidence you keep should be to assist your professional judgement of where a child is, so when you are moderated they should be looking for the fact that you know your child. Some areas of learning such as writing does require physical evidence, but talking about the CoEL characteristics and really knowing your children (I feel) and their next steps, is so much more important than reams of paper that are not only time consuming but not useful to you.

Do look into Tapestry, it makes capturing evidence so much easier, saves you time and assists with your planning.

[Guest]

broadlea we have all that you suggest with cluster meetings and LEA support, the Early Years advisor was very impressed with the record keeping system hence the head and deputy feeling that its the best thing since sliced bread! Yet when it came to a moderation meeting with our moderation advisor, she didn't look at one LJ or assessment folder and just said tell me about your children.

I just feel it's so unmanageable from a workload point of view, moral is low and staff are desperate for another way of doing things. It doesn't benefit us and seems to be a paper exercise, I could ask anyone of my team to tell me where they're children are and they would be ale to do it and evidence would be there to support their judgements in the LJ's. I have been looking into Tapestry so thanks for that recommendation.

Sooty, we had the same issue with overinflated levels and data analysis this term has been an absolute nightmare, those members of staff have moved from the unit so we have a team that actually knows what they're doing and I trust their professional knowledge, I just need to get this across to SLT. Your format looks similar to mine, do Reception do the same?

reception highlight sheets and not sure they date. we don't work together enough ..... some of our practise is consistent, some not