Early Years - Assessment

Reception Baseline Assessment

The Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) is a short, statutory assessment that all children in England complete when they start Reception. It is carried out within the first six weeks of a child starting school and helps provide a starting point for measuring the progress children make during their time at primary school. The assessment covers early mathematics and literacy, communication and language skills. It is completed individually with a familiar member of school staff and uses practical activities, pictures and conversation, so it should feel relaxed and engaging rather than like a formal test.

Children do not need to prepare or practise for the RBA, and there is no pass mark or score that parents need to worry about. The assessment is designed to reflect what each child can do when they begin school, and children can take breaks whenever needed. Teachers receive a short narrative statement about how each child engaged with the assessment, while the assessment data is primarily used nationally to help measure the progress of a year group from Reception to the end of Key Stage 2. Most importantly, the RBA is just one small part of getting to know your child; staff will continue to learn about their interests, strengths and individual needs through everyday play, learning and observation.

Information for Parents regarding the Reception Baseline can be found by clicking this link.

Pupil attainment is measured throughout the EYFS using the Development Matters document which sites the expectation at each development (age) stage. The evidence we gather for assessment is tracked on Tapestry which can also be viewed and commented on by parents. 

Early Learning Goals - End of Reception Assessment

At the end of Reception, children are assessed against the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile. The ELGs describe the level of development children are expected to have reached by the end of the EYFS across key areas of learning, including communication and language, physical development, personal, social and emotional development, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design. Teachers make these assessments using their professional knowledge of each child, built up through everyday learning, play, conversations and observations throughout the year, rather than through formal tests. For each ELG, children are assessed as either ‘meeting the expected level of development’ or ‘not yet reaching the expected level’. This information is shared with parents and helps Year 1 teachers understand each child’s strengths and next steps, supporting a smooth transition into Key Stage 1.