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Foundation Stage Profile
Q1: What is the Foundation Stage Profile?
Q2: What are the purposes of the Foundation Stage Profile?
Q3: How are the stepping stones and early learning goals to be used?
Q4: How does the Foundation Stage Profile fit with key stage 1?
Q5: What support is available?
Q6: What is a good level of attainment at the end of the Foundation Stage?
Q7: How do you demonstrate/track progress across the Foundation Stage?
Q8: How much evidence do we need to keep against each scale point?
Q9: My school has recently been inspected by Ofsted and the inspector requested Foundation Stage Profile data to demonstrate value added – is this reasonable?
Q10: Should we be levelling high achieving children against National Curriculum levels 1 and 2?
Q11: My local authority expects me to complete Foundation Stage Profile in Year 1. Is this appropriate?
Q12: What about children who have not achieved early learning goals? Should they be working within the National Curriculum in Year 1?
Q13: If a child achieves the early learning goals for communication, language and literacy as well as mathematical development early in Reception year should they go on to key stage 1 whilst in Reception?
Q14: Should we use p-scales for assessing special educational needs in the Foundation Stage?
Q15: Should we use the Foundation Stage Profile scale booklet for assessing special educational needs?
Q16: As a new early years coordinator I'm not sure what to consider when I complete the early years data sections of the school's School Evaluation Framework for my head teacher. Can you give me some info please?
Q1: What is the Foundation Stage Profile?
A1: The Foundation Stage Profile is a way of summing up a child's progress and learning across the six areas of learning at the end of the Foundation Stage. The Foundation Stage Profile is made up of 13 scales based on the early learning goals and stepping stones set out in Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage. The Foundation Stage Profile handbook and Observing children - building the profile provides guidance for practitioners on how to make assessments on the basis of their observations and knowledge of the whole child.
Full details of what practitioners need to do can be found in the Foundation Stage Profile section of the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 Assessment and reporting arrangements (www.qca.org.uk).
A child's attainment on the 13 scales can be recorded in the optional Foundation Stage Profile booklet or the eProfile. These are optional - schools and setting may want to use their own systems. Whichever is used there is no need for extensive collections of evidence for individual children and no need to complete more than one record.
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Q2: What are the purposes of the Foundation Stage Profile?
A2:
- To summarise children's achievement at the end of the Foundation Stage:
The Profile provides valuable information about a child's progress, achievements and future learning needs at the end of the Foundation Stage.
- To provide information to help plan next steps in children's learning as they enter Year 1:
Information about a child's learning in the Foundation Stage needs to be passed on to their new teacher before the start of Year 1 as it will help them plan the next steps in the child's learning. A setting or school may want to supplement this documentation with additional information such as portfolios of 'work' or early learning records of achievement.
- As a basis for reporting to parents:
The Profile also provides the basis for reporting to parents. Schools and setting may choose to use the Foundation Stage Profile booklet or eProfile as a means of reporting to parents, or they can design their own report or booklet which describes what the child knows, understands and can do across the six areas of learning. Parents, however, must be shown their child's Profile if requested.
- To provide data to local authorities:
Schools and setting must submit to their LA the 13 Profile summary scores for each child on the software provided. The deadline for submitting this data will be determined by the LA. LAs usually consult their schools on the ways to use this data to analyse children's achievement and plan appropriate learning and teaching. The LA will use the data for its own monitoring of achievement across the LA and to refine and develop the training and support offered to schools.
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Q3: How are the stepping stones and early learning goals to be used?
A3: The stepping stones and early learning goals are used throughout the Foundation Stage for planning and assessing learning. The stepping stones (non-statutory) show the kinds of knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes that children are expected to need if they are to achieve the early learning goals. The early learning goals, which are statutory, establish the expectations for most children by the end of the Foundation Stage.
Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage provides examples of 'what children can do' that will help practitioners identify how children in their setting are progressing. The guidance note What does the practitioner need to do? shows how the practitioner can use this information to support and consolidate the child's learning and help them to make progress.
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Q4: How does the Foundation Stage Profile fit with key stage 1?
A4: The Foundation Stage areas of learning can be mapped on to subject-based key stage 1 curriculum. The links are clearly shown in What does the practitioner need to do? for each of the early learning goals in Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage. How schools organise the curriculum in key stage 1 is for them to decide and there is sufficient flexibility for schools to adapt the content and pedagogy to their children's needs. The National Assessment Agency (NAA) has produced Continuing the learning journey. This is designed to promote awareness and understanding of the Foundation Stage and the Foundation Stage Profile. It provides support and guidance for teachers on using the Foundation Stage Profile information to plan children's progression in Year 1.
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Q5: What support is available?
A5: The DfES has:
- asked the National Assessment Agency (NAA) to establish a programme for overseeing local authority moderation to ensure it does not impose an unreasonable burden on schools.
- produced an e-version of the Foundation Stage Profile - the eProfile - available to schools through their LA. We are providing technical support to LAs in the use of this software.
Through the NAA and the Primary National Strategy, the DfES has provided:
- examples on the QCA website of completed profiles which report on children's progress at the end of the Foundation Stage and in transition to key stage 1;
- training materials which show how assessment information to complete the Foundation Stage Profile can be gathered through day-to-day teaching activities;
- funding for additional training for Reception and Year 1 teachers in using the Foundation Stage Profile;
- moderation guidance for LAs including clear messages to LAs that they should not require schools to complete additional assessments.
The Minister has also written to LAs (2004) asking them not to require schools to complete additional assessments.
Further information is available on the QCA website (www.qca.org.uk) and the Primary National Strategy website http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/features/foundation_stage/fsp_data/.
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Q6: What is a good level of attainment at the end of the Foundation Stage?
A6: All six areas of the Foundation Stage are equally important and all are interdependent. For instance, a child cannot learn to read (Communication, language and literacy scale 6) without the appropriate attitudes and dispositions (Personal, social and emotional development scale 1) and will also need to link sounds and letters (Communication, language and literacy scale 5). Learning to write (Communication, language and literacy scale 7) is dependent on developing fine motor skills (Personal, social and emotional development scale 12) and is also closely linked to attitudes and dispositions (Personal, social and emotional development scale 1), linking sounds and letters (Communication, language and literacy scale 5) and learning to read (Communication, language and literacy scale 6). Consideration will need to be given to the stepping stones that lead towards particular early learning goals, not just in one area of learning but across all of them if this is considered relevant by the practitioner.
Each scale of the Foundation Stage Profile consists of nine statements or items.
- The first three reflect the stepping stones described within the context of the final year of the Foundation Stage.
- Items 4 to 8 are the early learning goals which most children are expected to achieve by the end of the Foundation Stage. Points 4 to 8 of the Foundation Stage Profile across all scales have equal value and can be achieved in any order. These five scale points (4-8) are the early learning goals, reordered and occasionally edited for the purposes of assessment.
- Item 9 describes achievement significantly beyond what is expected during the Foundation Stage. It has the level of challenge found in aspects of level 1 and sometimes aspects of level 2b of the National Curriculum.
Items 1-3 (based on the stepping stones) are likely to be achieved first, 4-8 can be achieved in any order. Item 9 can only be achieved once all other 8 items have been achieved.
The early learning goals (points 4 to 8 across all 13 scales) cover a wide spectrum, reflecting children's development at the end of the Foundation Stage. A score of 5 would not necessarily mean that a child had achieved points 1 to 5 on one of the scales. The child might have achieved 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 (total equals 5) and still be working towards the other early learning goals.
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Q7: How do you demonstrate/track progress across the Foundation Stage?
A7: The stepping stones and early learning goals provide a very detailed formative assessment framework populated with rich and varied examples of what the practitioner might do and what the child might do to exemplify attainment within the Foundation Stage. The Foundation Stage Profile handbook and the accompanying CDROM provide an additional wealth of written and visual material relevant to the final year of the Foundation Stage. Progress will be at the rate determined by the responses of the child. This will vary according to interest, age, circumstances and a whole host of other variables. Progress constitutes 'doing better than one's previous best'; the rate of progress may provide clues to the appropriateness of the environment, resources, pedagogies, opportunities for child-initiated learning and so forth.
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Q8: How much evidence do we need to keep against each scale point?
A8: The amount of evidence collected will vary from child to child and from scale to scale depending on their individual learning journey. Some children may have quite extensive folders charting their achievement: these may focus on specific areas of learning, where achievement has been significant. They may be detailed and more broadly based where children are facing barriers. NAA and the Primary Strategy hope to produce further exemplification in this area through the medium of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
There is no requirement to collect written evidence to support every item achieved by every child. Practitioners are expected to use common sense and professional judgement. For example, evidence for scale point 4 in Dispositions and Attitudes:
'Dresses and undresses independently and manages own personal hygiene.'
is more likely to be about the small number of children who are unable to achieve this point, and what provision the setting and practitioner are making, than to be a collection of evidence relating to how 28 children can achieve this point.
It is important that staff consider what kinds of evidence are appropriate for their setting, how they intend to collect it, share it and use it to inform their planning. The level of evidence kept should be decided by the practitioner, the staff in the setting and the manager or head teacher, in the light of the advice from QCA in the Foundation Stage Profile handbook,
'To help children progress, practitioners need information about what the children know, understand and can do. Through observing children at work, and by making notes when necessary about what has been achieved, practitioners can make professional judgements about their children’s achievements and decide on the next steps in learning. They can also provide information for parents and carers about how children are progressing. This process, known as ‘assessment for learning’, is central to raising achievement. It also enhances the professionalism of practitioners by recognising their role in making judgements about their children’s progress and in deciding how much record keeping is necessary.'
Each local authority offers advice about the level of information that they expect to review during the moderation process. They provide opportunities for practitioners to discuss what constitutes "evidence" and how to collect it during cluster or twilight sessions.
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Q9: My school has recently been inspected by Ofsted and the inspector requested Foundation Stage Profile data to demonstrate value added – is this reasonable?
A9: The issue of value added is a complex one. Within the Foundation Stage, what is the age of entry? There is a full investigation of this at the following location: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/features/foundation_stage/fsp_data/attainment
If the starting point is one point of entry to a Reception class (two point entry and three point entry raise different issues), then children's attainment will vary considerably across Birth to Three Matters, the six areas of learning and the 13 scales of the Foundation Stage Profile. Progress will depend on children’s particular strengths and interests and the time they have spent in a funded setting prior to entry to the reception class. For some children, it may be possible to track progress over the 3 terms of the reception class using the Foundation Stage Profile. This would provide an appropriate form of value-added. However, it may not always be appropriate to do this. For example, where children are still working within Birth to Three Matters or the stepping stones.
Linkages to key stage 1 outcomes should be approached with caution. Key stage 1 National Curriculum tests are carefully designed to measure specific aspects of the English and mathematics curriculum. The Foundation Stage Profile is a whole key-stage, whole curriculum teacher assessment designed to assess both affective and cognitive aspects of learning. Key stage 1 tests rely on QCA’s rigorous test evaluation procedures for their accuracy. Teacher assessment is dependent upon effective moderation. Moderation is the statutory responsibility of the head teacher and of the local authority. At a local level, some authorities have yet to fully implement their statutory duties. In some schools, the Foundation Stage is not yet fully implemented. In these situations, the whole process of considering value-added that conforms to statutory requirements will be extremely difficult.
Lead inspectors looking at the Foundation Stage Profile data may make reasonable assumptions about children’s attainment and the progress they should make as they move into key stage 1 and 2. For example, children achieving a total of six points on all scales might reasonably be expected to reach level 2B in key stage 1 assessments. Children achieving a total of eight points on all scales might reasonably be expected to reach level 3 in key stage 1 assessments.
The situation under the new inspection framework remains as outlined in the letter to all schools issued in 2002:
'From September 2003, the Foundation Stage Profile will provide for inspectors a useful benchmark of attainment by the end of the Reception Year. The Profile will complement the wide range of evidence of children's progress collected on inspections. Inspectors are aware that baseline assessments are no longer required and will not expect schools to take a particular approach to an 'entry assessment'. Inspectors will, however, evaluate the contribution that assessment makes to the quality of teaching and learning and the progress made by pupils. They will also judge how effectively the Foundation Curriculum is being implemented.
'It is important to remember that Ofsted inspections focus on the effectiveness of provision. Ofsted does not require schools or settings to organise themselves in a particular way in respect of assessment, planning or any other aspect. Inspections, however, will note compliance with statutory requirements, such as implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum from September 2002 and, from June 2003, the completion and use of the Foundation Stage Profile for all children approaching the end of the Reception Year. Further guidance will be issued to all inspectors in October.'
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Q10: Should we be levelling high achieving children against National Curriculum levels 1 and 2?
A10: For high achieving children in the Foundation Stage their attainment in particular areas of learning need to be recognised in Foundation Stage terms through deepened and enriched experiences based on the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage that may draw on ideas implicit within point 9 of the scales of the FSP. Please read the sections in the Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage entitled 'What does the practitioner need to do?'. It is not appropriate to use levels designed for children who have been taught the subsequent key stage for planning next steps in learning within the Foundation Stage.
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Q11: My local authority expects me to complete Foundation Stage Profile in Year 1. Is this appropriate?
A11: The statutory requirement is to complete and return summative information for the 13 scales of the Foundation Stage Profile at the end of the Foundation Stage (Reception Year.) This information is built up during the reception year as formative assessments to support planning that meets the learning needs of children. We know that at present 48% of children are achieving 6 scale points on the 7 scales of PSED and CLL by the end of the Reception Year, so it would be sensible to continue the approach of observing and assessing children’s progress towards the early learning goals in Year 1 where this is appropriate. It would be sensible to refer to the Profile handbook to inform this process. For some children, it may be agreed that it is in their best interests to remain in Reception for an additional year or to start school a year later than their peers (often because of their special educational need). Where this is agreed with parents, then the Foundation Stage Profile should be completed when the child reaches the end of their time in Reception.
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Q12: What about children who have not achieved early learning goals? Should they be working within the National Curriculum in Year 1?
A12: The Foundation Stage has been part of the National Curriculum since the Education Act 2002. Learning and teaching should reflect the level of attainment of the child. Styles of pedagogy should match the learning needs of the child, as described in the Primary Strategy publication Learning and teaching in the primary years.
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Q13: If a child achieves the early learning goals for communication, language and literacy as well as mathematical development early in Reception year should they go on to key stage 1 whilst in Reception?
A13: A child who has achieved all 8 scale points in the four scales for communication, language and literacy or all 8 points for the three scales of mathematical development and who is showing aspects of attainment in point 9 over all of these seven scales, should of course enrich and deepen their learning (in a Foundation Stage context) in those areas of learning.
It is often the case that young children forge ahead in certain areas of learning, whilst 'marking time' in other areas. In the examples above, it may be the case that the young mathematician or early reader and/or writer excels in these narrow areas but would benefit from work in personal, social or emotional development, for example.
Practitioners should always look at the child’s learning across all the areas of learning. They are all inter-linked and inter-dependent and must be considered holistically for the purposes of assessment and planning.
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Q14: Should we use p-scales for assessing special educational needs in the Foundation Stage?
A14: P-scales were developed to reflect the achievement of children in key stage 1 and beyond whose additional needs meant they were not achieving National Curriculum level 1. They should not therefore be used in the Foundation Stage for formative or summative assessment.
Where children are not achieving any of the Foundation Stage Profile scales then alternative assessment applies both in the Foundation Stage. These alternative assessments may relate to demonstrating progress using the stepping stones or Birth to Three Matters, whatever is pertinent to the individual child.
In the Foundation Stage it is important to remember that the stepping stones and early learning goals are not hierarchical. It is not appropriate to implement a deficit model. This means that the concept of being 'two stages behind' cannot be used in the Foundation Stage.
In some local authorities, it appears that special educational needs teams may be required to provide 'hard data' for the purposes of statutory assessment. If this is so, then it is important to explore the processes surrounding the statutory panel, and not try to create inappropriate assessment systems for children in order to meet the requirements of the panel.
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Q15: Should we use the Foundation Stage Profile scale booklet for assessing special educational needs?
A15: Early identification and intervention is crucial if children are to be prevented from experiencing failure. It would be inappropriate to wait until the completion of the Profile at the end of the Foundation Stage. The Foundation Stage Profile, or any other statutory assessment, is not a diagnostic tool. They cannot be used to identify children's special educational needs.
The information gleaned throughout the Foundation Stage, as children are observed in a range of contexts, will indeed alert practitioners to the fact that a particular child is progressing more slowly than others, or has particular areas of difficulty, and will highlight areas for further observation and assessment, working closely with the child's parents. This may steer practitioners towards a more diagnostic multi-professional assessment, such as linguistic assessments, and the involvement of additional advice and support from within and beyond the setting.
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Q16: As a new early years coordinator I'm not sure what to consider when I complete the early years data sections of the school's School Evaluation Framework for my head teacher. Can you give me some info please?
A16: The new inspection framework has generated many queries from head teachers and early years co-ordinators about the Foundation Stage Profile and the evaluation schedule which inspectors use to make judgements during Section 5 inspections. The Guidance for inspectors provides a helpful steer for such queries. Information about this is available on the Ofsted website (www.ofsted.gov.uk).
The guidance for inspectors makes it clear that when evaluating the quality and standards in the Foundation Stage, inspectors take account of:
• the extent to which children progress in their knowledge, understanding and skills and personal development, enjoy their education and make a positive contribution to their nursery (and reception) class and community;
• the extent to which children stay safe and healthy, and their well-being is nurtured;
• the quality of education and care that children experience;
• the extent to which parents are involved in their children’s learning;
• the effectiveness of senior managers in promoting good levels of progress, evaluating performance and identifying and tackling weaknesses.
To summarise the information provided on the website:
when evaluating how well children are doing, inspectors take account of how well learners progress relative to their starting points and capabilities, with any significant variations between groups of learners. They will also make clear whether there is any underachievement generally or among particular groups who could be doing better.
The Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage and the Foundation Stage Profile handbook ask that teachers and nursery nurses track and record the progress children make in relation to their starting points.
There has been some confusion about what a “good” score is. Nationally, the data tells us that many children are only scoring 5 scale points for the linking sounds and letters, writing and reading scales. So in the context of national results, a score of 6 points or more across all areas of learning indicates that a child is working securely within the early learning goals. When thinking about the individual, we need to consider their starting point. If a child achieves a score of 6, that may not represent good achievement if they are of above average ability and have made little or no progress since joining the Foundation Stage. If a child achieves a lower score than 6 but had limited personal, social and language skills on entry to the Foundation Stage and has made swift progress since joining the school or setting, then this lower score could represent good achievement. Ofsted’s inspectors look for the value which schools and settings add to children’s education, including their personal development and well-being, and effective schools and settings do this too.
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