News
Teacher assessment at five
30 Nov 2011
This newly published study investigated whether ongoing teacher assessment at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), around five years old, could be used effectively to identify children with language difficulties in need of early intervention. The study was commissioned by the previous Government as part of the Better Communication Research Programme.
The following key findings are presented in the report:
- Children deemed by their teachers to be developing slowly after one year in school typically perform below national expectations in Key Stage 1 assessments.
- Teachers, with appropriate training, can make valid judgements of children’s development at the age of five in language and literacy.
- There needs to be an ongoing system of monitoring through the Early Years, Key Stage 1 and beyond, rather than a "one-off" screening measure
- A reduced EYFS Profile could be used to support monitoring and early identification of difficulties with literacy and language
