Guest Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Hi, I've been asked to amend our assessment documentation for 4 year olds so that it is in line with the desirable learning outomes for this age group. This really isn't my area, however, in my ignorance I thought that we already had it covered, but apparently not. Has anyone got an example of and existing assesment document or some pointers to where I can get some futher information. Thanks in anticipation Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 The Curriculum for the Foundation Stage was introduced in September 2000. At this time the previously used Desirable Learning Outcomes were replaced by Early Learning Goals and stepping stones were introduced as indicators of possible learning for attainment of the Goals. Early Learning Goals are the attainments that most children will have reached by the end of the foundation Stage ie the end of the school year in which the child has their 5th birthday. Desirable outcomes stopped at the child's 5th birthday and the said child was expected to move on/ in to the National Curriculum at this point. The Foundation Stage Profile was introduced during the last school year and was 1st completed in June/July 2003. It is now the statutory means of assessment in the Foundation Stage. Unfortunately it is designed to be completed only in FS2 ot the Reception year/ year in which child is 5. If your 4 yr olds will be 5 before 31.8.04, you should use the profile, if not then you need to track progress towards the Goals and I believe most people are using stepping stones to do this but you should recognise that while they are broken into steps thses steps may not be hierarchical and children may progress at different rates and take different routes to attain the Goals. Hope that helps alittle and that I am telling you something you already know. Good luck Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Hi Julian, What sort of assessment documentation do you have already? Is this also concerned with making observations of the children, and therefore recording these as assessments? I'm trying to clarify what it is you need help with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted November 26, 2003 Share Posted November 26, 2003 Hi again, There is a programme called Early Years Complete by Skills Factory that I believe you can use for planning and tracking progress. Trying to find out exactly how useful it would be? Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 16, 2003 Share Posted December 16, 2003 Hi again,There is a programme called Early Years Complete by Skills Factory that I believe you can use for planning and tracking progress. Trying to find out exactly how useful it would be? Susan Hi Susan, Sorry its taken a while to get back - unfortunately I don't have the time I'd like to do the more interesting things (like catch up on the BB regularly)... Thanks for the reply. However, down here in deepest darkest Wales, we will not get the Foundation Stage until next year, from what I understand and our assessments are still built around DLOs and the Six Areas of Learning. I'm not sure if that means I'm possibly talking to the wrong group of people, but I thought I'd see if anyone had any old info still lying around... Cheers Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted December 16, 2003 Share Posted December 16, 2003 HI JUlian, Hadn't realised that Wales were behind in the Foundation Stage stakes. Someone else on another thread was asking about FS. I don't think you'll notice atremendous difference, the biggest shift seems to be that Baseline assessment has disappeared and that the Goals relate to the whole of the Reception year and not until Child's 5 birthday. I was always caught up in the school records that went on throughout the school and that really hasn't changed much in my school. You could get a copy of the profile from QCA (can be downloaded) but not sure if thats what you need. Susan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted December 16, 2003 Share Posted December 16, 2003 Hi Julian, Steve asked me to get back to you. I did receive your PM but wasn't quite sure what it was you were asking for!! Do get back to us on here, and we'll do our best I was puzzled too; I thought Wales were ahead of us re: the Foundation Stage. Can you tell us a bit about how you plan and assess for the FS, and then maybe we can chip in with some (hopefully useful!) ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 16, 2003 Share Posted December 16, 2003 Hi Susan/Helen, Thanks for coming back to me. I've just found what I'm after on the ACCAC website , which will save all concerned time and effort. I appreciate your help, though and continue to find the site interesting, informative and extremely helpful. Regards, Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 17, 2003 Share Posted December 17, 2003 Hi again,There is a programme called Early Years Complete by Skills Factory that I believe you can use for planning and tracking progress. Trying to find out exactly how useful it would be? Susan Hi Susan, Sorry its taken a while to get back - unfortunately I don't have the time I'd like to do the more interesting things (like catch up on the BB regularly)... Thanks for the reply. However, down here in deepest darkest Wales, we will not get the Foundation Stage until next year, from what I understand and our assessments are still built around DLOs and the Six Areas of Learning. I'm not sure if that means I'm possibly talking to the wrong group of people, but I thought I'd see if anyone had any old info still lying around... Cheers Julian Deare Susan, Couldn't find the reply button so used the quote button - must be tired. I use the Early Years Complete system for my planning. I find it very useful only because it produces a nice, neat professional typed planning document, I don't have to spend a long time going through the ELG's as they are all there just to call up and insert into my planning document. At the end of every term you can then produce a nice neat bar chart showing what you have covered and by how much in each area. It was originally designed for schools and there are lots of areas for individual planning etc. producing IEPS etc. You still need to input all your topics!! but there is a planning page you can amend/adapt or say who you like to focus on, what resources you need etc. to support it. I like it a lot, it seems to save me lots of time and produces a standardised report, albeit my standard each time. I trialled it first. As I am a small nursery it only cost me about about £30 for a years licence which I thought was a good investment. Nect time I will probably buy it outright. However, a friend of mine who I suggested it to did not like it. However, they will send you a copy on trial so you can make up your own mind. Let me know what you think. Nikki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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