Teacher training for new Foundation Stage Profile

This week, teachers across the County will be trained on the new Foundation Stage Profile. The Foundation Stage Profile is an assessment of children's achievements at five years old and replaces Baseline Assessment which used to take place seven weeks after a child started reception. 

The first completed profiles of children's achievements in their last year of the Foundation Stage will begin in September this year. The Foundation Stage covers the development of a child from age three to five. Teachers and others involved in working with children will be assessing their progress through the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Assessment will be based on observation and discussion. 

Parents will play a key role in the assessments and will be asked to comment on how they think their children are managing. 

County Councillor Joan Stocker, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education says 

"This new assessment procedure provides a reliable and affective way to assess the educational progress of young children. It is very important that parents are involved in this process to make sure that they are aware of how their child is managing. It will ensure that every child leaves the Foundation Stage with their strengths acknowledged and their needs identified for the next stage of their education." 

Janet Farebrother, Foundation Stage Co-ordinator at Cumbria Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership says 

"The most positive aspect of the new profile is that children's progress is assessed and recorded through teacher's observations, not league tables or tests and it provides comprehensive information for teachers at the next stage, which is key stage one. For parents it's good news as their children will be assessed on their progress through all six areas of learning and each is given equal status. They will also be asked to comment on what teachers have observed about their children's learning and be asked to get involved in aspects of their child's learning. The profile is completed over the three terms which a child spends in reception class." 

Jan Massey, reception class teacher at Newlaithes School in Carlisle says 

"My staff support the move to finalising assessment at the end of the Reception year, as they will know the children very well by then. The profile is based on on-going assessments and observation throughout the year which should make judgement much more secure by the summer term. 

We hope that from a parent's perspective the profile will not be seen as a measure of success or failure but a reflection of what their children can do and what they have achieved at that point in time in their continuing education." 

For further information on the Foundation Stage Profile, please contact the Foundation Stage Co-ordinator within the Early Years & Childcare Team on 01228 601164.