![](/media/k42lijhx/aaassessment2.jpg?width=1002&height=668&bgcolor=White&v=1da4d9a1f101160)
How often do you hear early years practitioners complaining about the chores connected with assessment and paperwork? I hear this a lot when I am working with schools and settings. I also see practitioners endlessly scribbling on Post-Its or holding up iPads to snap photos of children so that they can collect evidence of their learning, when it looks to me like those children would do better if they had someone to listen to them and play with them.
This bothers me greatly, because it makes me feel like we must have taken a wrong turn in the early years. In this age of measurement and ranking, we are in danger of placing so much emphasis on our Learning Journeys, online journals and collections of assessment information that we end up neglecting what matters: children’s minute-by-minute experiences in the early years, and our opportunities to support their learning, offer them the best possible care, and teach them new skills.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here