We've been told to continue doing what we're currently doing until we get advice from DfE/government in September on what the new assessment guidance/profile will look like.

Our LA are currently reviewing our tracker that we use across the city in all settings and schools.  It will just be updated to incorporate the revised Development Matters statements and revised ELGs.

We will observe and assess in much the same way, I see no reason to change practice that works well.

We will use Development Matters grids (7 per child) to highlight achievments as an on-going document, and observations will be kept with these.

The new profile, so I understand, is an end of Key Stage summative assessment and as such will be completed at the end of the year - I may see if it is appropriate to highlight anything for individuals sooner, but I think the statements will be too big to be achieved much earlier than end of year.

I went on an EYFS update today with regards to the new framework. I've come out feeling a bit confused.

They were saying that we shouldn't use the Development Matters statements as a checklist (either by ticking or highlighting) but should just be guidance for the evidence you need to look for and how to provide opportunities to get this. The only thing you should tick or highlight is the ELG that evidence then supports. The profile paper work/report will then be done in the final term a child is in EYFS. This will probably be literally a side of A4 with the 17 statements and you tick if the child is exceeding, expected or emerging. This then goes with their Learning Logs/journeys with the evidence you have gathered. Learning Logs should also be done in chronological order rather than in areas so that you can show progression far more easily (esp if OFSTED look through them!).

 To be honest it's all still very up in the air and nobody in our authority could tell us a difinitive way to do things so it felt a bit of a waste of time today! But they made the Safeguarding and Welfare section more clear for me.  

But what about progress during Nursery? Surely we'll be using Development Matters for that. And if so, it makes sense to continue it through to ELGs?

If this is the suggestion, I for one am all for it, sounds manageable and sensible. The thought of having to use DM  as a checklistinstead of the current profile would not slim down the paperwork at all, but increase it. I have my own system of showing progress in reading, writing and maths, which seems to fit in quite well with the whole school approach to tracking/added value.

On a briefing I went on yesterday there is a statement which states that only significant observations should be recorded. I suppose this is where paperwork is cut down. It was pointed out that we record what we feel is something significant until something better, or more significant comes along, if that makes sense. So it wouldnt really cut back on paperwork. Also some areas within the new framework are just being piloted now with guidelines being published "in the autumn." So it strikes me that its not well thought out, and not even finished, yet it will be statutory in September. Madness I dont know how we ware going to assess but I heard the phrase"best fit" a lot. I felt that with the idea of "exceeding" it would suit those exceptionally bright children, something I dont se a lot of where I work

alisonw73

I heard the phrase"best fit" a lot.

Yes so did I today.

It is all very wishy washy still and even our LA EY team couldn't tell us much.

I agree. Trying to pick through all the information that I can find online, but it isn't very clear. Will we be given a new profile template or do we have to create our own? The one we have now is actually very good as it has a brief desc of all the levels..If nec we are going to try and adapt it to the new strands. The information is coming through so slowly. so it isn't giving us a lot of time to get it ready for Sept.

Tomorrow I'm at training with the Early Excellence team who had a big hand in writing the new Eyfs so will post here if they make assessment any clearer.

 I'm going to Early Excellence's conference next month ...however I don't think they were involved inproducing the actual EYFS curriculum

Their name is on it ‼

 Where? I'm probably being blind but I can't see it

 http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/eyfs%20statutory%20framework%20march%202012.pdf

We've been sent copies of the guidance that has their name on - it's different from this document - gets down to the detail with the early learning goals and levels for the different ages (the guidance).

 That explains it

My link is to the official document produced by the DfE but Early Excellence have produced support guidance (that is unofficial and just their interpretation). Thanks for clearing that up I was really confused.

Is this helpful...? Early Learning Goals on One A4 sheet.

http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/The-Early-Learning-Goals-2012-All-on-One-A4-Sheet-6229218/

I think you mean Early EDUCATION not Early EXCELLENCE. Early Education wrote the (non statutory) Development Matters

Yes sorry I did ...

We had a short notice OFSTED inspection last week under the new frame work and I was asked for the development matters for our baseline. I could show where the children were on the profile for on entry but was told that this basically wasn't good enough. I am definately going to use the new development matters in Sept.

the new ofsted framework or the new EYFS framework? *confused*