Welcome!
Early Years Foundation Stage
Profile
Yeovil Federation
4th November 2014
Sarah McGahern (NS Early Years Consultant and Moderation Manager)
Sarah.Mcgahern@n-somerset.gov.uk 07411 682 375
Check in!
What is going well for you in terms of being
in/knowing about the EYFS and transition
into Year 1?
What worries/concerns do you have?
Write it down!
Statutory Framework for the Early
Years Foundation Stage
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It’s the law.
Overarching principles.
Play is essential for children’s
development.
Mix of adult-led and child-initiated
activity through planned and
purposeful play.
Balance will gradually increase
to more adult-led activities.
School readiness.
Statutory Framework for the Early
Years Foundation Stage
The Prime Areas of Learning:
Communication and Language: Listening and Attention, Understanding
and Speaking
Physical Development: Moving and Handling and Health and Self-Care
Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Self-Confidence and
Self-Awareness, Managing Feelings and Behaviour and Making
Relationships
The Specific Areas of Learning:
Literacy: Reading and Writing
Mathematics: Numbers and Shape, Space and Measures
Understanding the world: People and Communities, The World and
Technology
Expressive arts and design: Exploring and Using Media and Materials
and Being Imaginative
Statutory Framework for the Early
Years Foundation Stage
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All areas of learning are important.
All areas of learning are interconnected.
0-3 focus on Prime areas as the
basis for successful learning in
the 4 Specific areas.
Progress check at age 2.
Equal focus on all areas of learning
in Reception.
Statutory Framework for the Early
Years Foundation Stage
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In planning and guiding children’s
activities, practitioners must reflect
on the different ways children
learn.
3 Characteristics of Effective
Learning:
Playing and exploring;
Active learning; and
Creating and thinking critically.
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20 items!
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EYFSP Handbook 2014-2015
 The handbook is a detailed
reference material for all
LA moderators and EYFSP
practitioners.
 The handbook has been
developed to support
practitioners in making
accurate judgements about
each child’s attainment.
 14 HTML documents.
Primary Purpose of the EYFSP
The EYFS Profile summarises and describes children’s attainment at the end of the
EYFS.
The EYFS Profile is based on ongoing observation and assessment in the three prime,
four specific areas of learning and the three learning characteristics.
The main purpose of EYFS Profile is to provide a reliable, valid and accurate assessment
of individual children at the end of the EYFS.
EYFS Profile data is used to:
 inform parents about their child’s development against the ELGs and the characteristics
of their learning;
 support a smooth transition to Key Stage 1 by informing the professional dialogue
between EYFS and KS1 teachers;
 help Year 1 teachers plan an effective, responsive and appropriate curriculum that will
meet the needs of all children.
In addition, the EYFS Profile provides an accurate national data set. The DfE uses this to
monitor changes in levels of children’s development and their readiness for the next
phase of their education both nationally and locally.
Ongoing Assessment
Ongoing Assessment
 The EYFS Profile is not intended to be used for
ongoing assessment or for entry level assessment
for Early Years settings or Reception Classes.
 The Government does not prescribe how ongoing
assessment should be undertaken.
 Development Matters or Early Years Outcomes.
 It stresses on every page of Development Matters
that it should not be used as a checklist.
Ofsted Guidance
On Entry
Incorporated into Handbook
September 2014
July 2014
September 2014
Ofsted Guidance
‘Substantial proportion’ means more than the 20% that
might be outside the definition of ‘most’.
‘Most’ means the majority of or nearly all children.
Ofsted’s definition of ‘most’ is 80–96%.
Revised Subsidiary Guidance January 2013
Ofsted Teaching Definition
August 2014
‘Teaching should not be taken to imply a ‘top down’ or
formal way of working. It is a broad term which covers
the many different ways in which adults help young
children learn. It includes their interactions with children
during planned and child-initiated play and activities:
communicating and modelling language, showing,
explaining, demonstrating, exploring ideas, encouraging,
questioning, recalling, providing a narrative for what they
are doing, facilitating and setting challenges. It takes
account of the equipment they provide and the attention
to the physical environment as well as the structure and
routines of the day that establish expectations. Integral
to teaching is how practitioners assess what children
know, understand and can do as well as take account of
their interests and dispositions to learning
(characteristics of effective learning), and use this
information to plan children’s next steps in learning and
monitor their progress’ (page 7).
EYFSP Handbook
Observational Assessment
Observational assessment involves reaching an understanding of
children’s learning by watching, listening and interacting as they
engage in everyday activities, events and experiences, and
demonstrate their specific knowledge, skills and understanding.
It is the most reliable way of building up an accurate picture of
children’s development and learning, especially where the attainment
demonstrated is not dependent on overt adult support. Observational
assessment is key to understanding what children really know and
can do.
Some observations will be planned but some may be a spontaneous
capture of an important moment. It is likely that observations of
everyday activities will provide evidence of attainment in more than one
area of learning.
EYFSP Handbook
Responsible Pedagogy
Responsible pedagogy enables each child to demonstrate learning in
the fullest sense. It depends on the use of assessment information to
plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for each child.
Effective assessment can only take place when children have the
opportunity to demonstrate their understanding, learning and
development in a range of contexts.
Children must have access to a rich learning environment which
provides them with the opportunities and conditions in which to flourish
in all aspects of their development. It should provide balance across the
areas of learning. Integral to this is an ethos which respects each child
as an individual and which values children’s efforts, interests and
purposes as instrumental to successful learning.
Complex?
Generous?
Surprising?
EYFSP Handbook
Child Initiated Activity
Key aspects of effective learning characteristics include children:
• being willing to have a go;
• being involved and concentrating;
• having their own ideas;
• choosing ways to do things;
• finding new ways; and
• enjoying achieving what they set out to do.
Accurate assessment of these characteristics depends on observing
learning which children have initiated rather than only focussing on
what they do when prompted. For children to develop learning
characteristics to be assessed by the EYFS Profile, and to support lifelong
learning, they require rich opportunities to initiate ideas and activities.
EYFSP Handbook
Embedded Learning and Secure Development
A child’s embedded learning and secure development are
demonstrated without the need for overt adult support. Where
learning is secure it is likely that children often initiate the
use of that learning. Judgements about this are made through
observing behaviour that a child demonstrates consistently and
independently, in a range of situations. Attainment in this
context will assure practitioners of the child’s confidence and
ownership of the specific knowledge, skill or concept being
assessed. Skillful interactions with adults and learning which is
supported by them are necessary on the journey to embedding
skills and knowledge.
‘Independently,
‘Consistently and in a Range of Contexts’
15.09. Gracie
made a repeating
pattern with the
pegs (green,
yellow, green,
yellow, etc.). Child
initiated (S.R.).
23.09. Gracie
made a “really big
mountain” with the
‘Tap-a-Shape’.
Gracie identified
that the repeating
pattern went; “red,
yellow, red,
yellow” (child
initiated). S.R.
24.09. Gracie made a
three colour repeating
pattern with the ‘Link ‘n’
Learn’. She said that she
had to concentrate [to get
it right] and that it was a
“difficult pattern.” Child
initiated (L.C.).
Practitioner Knowledge
Most evidence for EYFS Profile judgements will come
from the practitioners knowledge of the child gained
from observation of the child’s self-initiated activities.
Adult-led activities can offer insight into children’s
attainment.
Balance?
Levels of Development
Practitioners must review their knowledge of each child
from all sources, and make a judgement for each ELG
as to whether the child’s learning and development is
best described by:
 the description of the level of development expected
at the end of EYFS;
 not yet at the level of development expected at the
end of EYFS (emerging); or
 beyond the level of development expected at the end
of EYFS (exceeding).
Making a Judgement
 Because children do not necessarily achieve uniformly,
the practitioner should judge whether the description
within the ELG best fits the child’s learning and
development, taking into account their relative strengths
and weaknesses.
 ‘Best fit’ does not mean that the child has equal mastery
of all aspects of the ELG.
 Practitioners should look to the entirely of each ELG
when making this summative judgement. Avoid splitting
the descriptor into sections and ‘ticking them off’.
 Practitioners must refer to the exemplification of
expected descriptors when making decisions.
The Exemplification Materials
 A variety of evidence and forms of presentation to
demonstrate the wide range of ways in which information
may be gathered to support EYFS Profile judgements.
 Illustrates the Expected descriptors.
 Pitch and breadth.
 No one piece of evidence meets the
ELG as a standalone item.
Completion of the Profile
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All EYFS providers completing the EYFS Profile must give parents a
written summary of their child’s attainment using the 17 ELGs and a
short commentary on how a child demonstrates the three
characteristics of effective learning (1-2 paragraphs).
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Year 1 teachers must be given a copy of the EYFS Profile report
together with a narrative on how the child demonstrates the three
characteristics of effective learning.
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All EYFS providers must report EYFS Profile data (the 17 ELGs) to their
Local Authority for each child, upon request. The narrative on how a
child demonstrates the three characteristics of effective learning should
not be submitted.
Internal Moderation and Transition
 Year 1 practitioners should be involved in the EYFS
Profile moderation in order for them to understand
the judgements made by EY practitioners.
 Exceeding judgements.
Assessment and reporting
arrangements (ARA) 20142015
The ARA contains
specific details of school
& LA responsibilities for
completion of the profile
and associated activities.
4 HMTL documents.
Defining a Good Level of
Development
 the early learning goals in the prime areas of learning
(personal, social and emotional development; physical
development; and communication and language) and;
 the early learning goals in the specific areas of
mathematics and literacy.
National and Local Data
Good Level of Development
National
2013
52%
North
Somerset
64%
Somerset
National
2014
60%
North
Somerset
70%
Somerset
53%
61%
Supporting Measure for the Good
level of Development
The average point score across all Early learning goals.
Assessment rating:
Emerging 1
Expected 2
Exceeding 3
This would measure the total number of points achieved on the
EYFSP.
The national measure would be the average of every child’s
total point score.
National and Local Data
A Supporting Measure for a GLD (APS)
National
2013
32.8 APS
North
Somerset
34.2 APS
Somerset
National
2014
33.8 APS
North
Somerset
35.1 APS
Somerset
33.8 APS
34.5 APS
National and Local Data
Narrowing the Gap Based on APS
National
2013
36.6%
North
Somerset
23%
Somerset
National
2014
34.5%
North
Somerset
24.8%
Somerset
33.6%
30%
Progress:
Within the EYFS into KS1
September 2014
STA and LA Updates
Exceeding.
ELGs for Speaking, Reading, Writing and Number.
Visit note.
Code A.
Performance Descriptors.
Baseline.
Future EYFSP Dates
23rd March 2015. Letters sent out to schools. Visit or
cluster.
20th April 2015. Moderators will make contact with
schools to arrange a visit.
7th OR 8th May 2015 EYFSP Cluster Meetings. 9am to
12noon OR 1pm to 4pm.
EYFSP Completion window 8th June to 19th June.
EYFSP Deadline 24th June 2015.
EYFSP Visits in the weeks beginning 1st, 8th and 15th
June 2015. Re-moderation 22nd June 2015.
Future KS1 Dates
23rd March 2015. Letters sent out to schools. Visit or
cluster.
20th April 2015. Moderators will make contact with schools
to arrange a visit.
27th OR 28th April 2015. KS1 Cluster Meetings. 9am to
12noon OR 1pm to 4pm.
KS1 Deadline 15th June 2015.
KS1 Visits in the weeks beginning 4th, 11th and 18th May
2015. Re-moderation 15th June 2015.
KS2 Deadlines 22nd June 2015 NS and NCA Tools 26th
June 2015.
Evaluation
Home Time!