Assessment in Early Years
Observation, Assessment and Planning for the EYFS
What are assessments in early years?
Assessment is an essential aspect of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. It is a continuous process that helps practitioners to understand children’s learning and development and plan appropriate activities and experiences that promote progress. The EYFS framework requires practitioners to carry out a range of assessments, including observations, formative assessments, and planning.
Observations in Early Years
Practitioners use observations to gain insight into children’s interests, strengths, and areas for development, allowing them to provide targeted support that addresses individual needs.
Observations can take many different forms, from informal observations during play to more structured assessments that provide specific information on children’s progress. Practitioners often use a combination of both types of observation, as well as a range of tools and methods to gather information.
These observations are recorded in children’s learning journals or files, allowing practitioners to keep a record of their progress over time. This information is then used to inform planning and support children’s progress. For example, if a practitioner observes that a child is particularly interested in building structures with blocks, they might plan activities that focus on engineering and design, such as constructing bridges or towers.
They can also be used to identify areas where children need additional support. For example, if a child struggles to communicate with their peers, a practitioner might observe them during play to identify specific communication challenges. They can then plan activities that support the child’s language development, such as games that encourage conversation or storytelling.
You can get access to some observations sheets and other documents to support your practice here: Child Development Documents
Formative Assessment in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Formative assessment is a continuous process of assessing children’s learning and development in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
This type of assessment is formative, meaning that it is designed to support children’s progress rather than to assign grades or measure achievement against specific standards. Practitioners use a range of methods to carry out formative assessments, including:
- observations,
- conversations,
- and questioning.
Observations are an essential tool for carrying out formative assessments.
Practitioners use observations to gain insight into children’s learning and development, identifying their interests, strengths, and areas for development. By recording these observations in children’s learning journals or files, practitioners can keep track of children’s progress over time and use this information to plan activities and experiences that build on children’s strengths and address areas where they need additional support.
Conversations and questioning are also important methods for carrying out formative assessments. Practitioners use conversations and questioning to engage children in discussion and gain insight into their understanding and knowledge of different topics. By using open-ended questions that encourage children to explain their thinking and reasoning, practitioners can gain a deeper understanding of children’s learning and development.
The knowledge acquired from formative assessments is used by practitioners to create suitable activities and experiences that foster the learning and development of children. By building on children’s strengths and addressing areas for development, practitioners can support children’s progress and prepare them for success in later life.
Planning in the Early Years
Planning in the early years is a cyclical process that involves using assessments to plan appropriate activities and experiences that promote children’s learning and development. Practitioners use observations and formative assessments to identify children’s interests, strengths, and areas for development. They then plan activities and experiences that build on children’s interests and strengths and support their development in areas where they need additional support.
The planning cycle in the early years is a continuous process that involves four key stages:
- observing and assessing,
- planning,
- implementing,
- reviewing.
Practitioners use this cycle to continually assess children’s progress, plan appropriate activities and experiences that promote learning and development, and evaluate the effectiveness of their provision.
The first stage of the planning cycle in the early years involves observing and assessing children’s learning and development. This stage is critical, as it provides practitioners with important insights into children’s interests, strengths, and areas for development, which can inform subsequent planning.
Practitioners use a range of tools and methods to carry out observations and formative assessments, such as anecdotal notes, checklists, and learning stories.
These tools enable practitioners to gather a wealth of information about children’s learning and development in different areas, such as communication and language, physical development, and personal, social, and emotional development.
Observations and formative assessments allow practitioners to gain a holistic view of children’s learning and development, taking into account their unique strengths and challenges. Practitioners use this information to inform planning, ensuring that activities and experiences are tailored to individual needs and interests.
For example, if a practitioner observes that a child is particularly interested in animals, they might plan activities that focus on learning about different animals, such as visiting a local farm or creating a role-play area based on a zoo.
This approach ensures that activities and experiences are engaging and relevant to children’s interests, promoting their overall motivation and enjoyment of learning.
Observations and formative assessments also enable practitioners to identify areas where children may need additional support. For example, if a practitioner observes that a child struggles with their fine motor skills, they might plan activities that specifically target these areas, such as playing with manipulatives or using scissors to cut out shapes.
The second stage of the planning cycle in the early years involves using the information gathered during the observation and assessment stage to plan appropriate activities and experiences that promote learning and development. Practitioners use this information to create a curriculum that is tailored to the unique needs and interests of each child.
Practitioners consider the different areas of development when planning activities and experiences. These areas include physical development, communication and language, personal, social and emotional development, literacy, and mathematics. They use this information to create activities that promote learning and development in each of these areas.
When planning activities and experiences, practitioners also consider the different learning styles of children. Some children learn best through visual stimuli, while others may respond more to auditory or kinesthetic stimuli.
Practitioners try to incorporate different approaches to cater to the different learning styles of each child.
Planning appropriate activities and experiences also involves considering children’s interests and preferences. Practitioners take into account children’s likes and dislikes to ensure that activities are engaging and motivating.
This approach promotes children’s enjoyment of learning and helps to foster a positive attitude towards learning.
The third stage of the planning cycle in the early years involves implementing the planned activities and experiences. This stage is where the learning and development opportunities identified in the planning stage come to life. Practitioners use a range of teaching methods and strategies, such as play-based learning, to engage children in meaningful and purposeful activities that promote learning and development.
Play-based learning is a common method used in the early years, as it allows children to explore and experiment with the world around them in a fun and engaging way. Through play, children can develop their imagination, creativity, problem-solving skills, and communication skills.
Practitioners use different types of play, such as construction play, imaginative play, and physical play, to provide children with a wide range of learning experiences.
Other teaching methods and strategies used in the early years include storytelling, role-playing, and group activities. These methods help to foster children’s communication and social skills, as well as promote their overall learning and development.
In the implementation stage, practitioners also adapt their teaching methods and strategies to meet the needs of individual children. They provide support and guidance to children who may need extra help or encouragement, while also providing challenges to children who are more advanced in their learning and development.
Practitioners also promote positive attitudes towards learning by providing positive feedback and encouragement to children. This approach helps to build children’s confidence and self-esteem, encouraging them to take risks and explore new ideas.
The final stage of the planning cycle in the early years involves reviewing the effectiveness of the provision. This stage is critical as it allows practitioners to assess the impact of the planned activities and experiences on children’s learning and development. Practitioners use a range of methods, such as observations, evaluations, and feedback from parents and carers, to gather information about the effectiveness of the provision.
Observations and evaluations provide practitioners with valuable insights into the effectiveness of the planned activities and experiences. They help practitioners to identify areas where children have made progress and areas where they may need further support. For example, if a practitioner observes that a child has made significant progress in their language development, they may plan more activities that focus on developing communication skills.
Practitioners also seek feedback from parents and carers to gain a more complete picture of children’s learning and development. This feedback helps practitioners to understand the impact of the planned activities and experiences outside of the early years setting. It also helps to identify any areas where parents and carers may need additional support.
Using this information, practitioners can then make informed decisions about future planning. They can adjust the curriculum to better meet the needs of individual children, ensuring that activities and experiences are tailored to their individual needs and interests. This approach helps to ensure that all children are supported to reach their full potential.
Conclusion
Assessment is a critical aspect of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum.
Observations, formative assessments, and planning are essential tools that practitioners use to understand children’s learning and development and plan appropriate activities and experiences. By carrying out assessments in a continuous and structured way, practitioners can provide high-quality provision that supports children’s progress and prepares them for success in later life.
