Nursery World - Call for re-introduction of baseline check

A new report recommends the re-introduction of baseline assessments in reception to measure children’s progress.

Written by an independent Assessment Review Group established by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), the report – Readdressing the Balance, puts forward proposals for an alternative model of statutory assessment in primary school.

The proposals include the introduction of a start of primary school observation-based assessment that would be carried out by teachers during a child’s first year of school. The majority of the group were supportive of the baseline assessment taking place in the second half of the Autumn term to give children time to settle in.

The group, comprised of teachers and academics, recommends a single, nationally agreed assessment to ‘avoid a repetition of the problems experienced in 2015/16’ with the commercial baseline assessment packages, which resulted in the Government making a U-turn decision about introducing the tests.

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