1. family and parenting
2. children

Welcome to the April edition of the EYFS Quality Matters bulletin
brought to you by EYCC Quality Improvement
EYFS Courses
Available on EES
Reception Baseline
Summer term
The deadline set by the DfE for selecting your first choice of Reception Baseline
provider is the end of April 2015. You can still sign up to introduce this assessment
in 2015 after the April deadline, but your first choice of provider may no longer be
available. This is due to providers being required to sign up a specific amount of
schools to remain on the approved list.
The following sets to out answer some the frequently asked questions picked up
from briefings and discussions held with Heads and teachers from around the
county to help in making that final decision.
Is there a funding implication for children who do not show typical development
or at risk of delay after taking the new assessment?
The most recent information from the DfE, as of March 2015 is as follows
Allocating prior attainment funding
The reception baseline will also allow us to allocate low prior attainment funding
to primary and infant schools from 2016 once the EYSF profile stops being
compulsory. This funding helps schools support pupils whose attainment was
below the expected level before reception year.
You can find more information in our response to the primary assessment and
accountability consultation.
Are children in reception classes getting Early Years Pupil Premium?
Pupil Premium gives schools extra funding to raise the attainment of
disadvantaged pupils from reception to year 11.
The early years pupil premium (EYPP) is different in that it gives providers of early
years education extra funding to support disadvantaged 3- and 4-year-olds.
Early years providers are any organisation that offers education for children aged
under 5, including nurseries and child-minders.
The Government will introduce the EYPP in April 2015. In the financial year 2015
to 2016, they will spend £50 million on the EYPP.
Early years providers will have to use this extra funding to improve the quality of
education for disadvantaged children. Essex EYCC have been offering briefings to
settings to make them aware of these changes as Ofsted inspections will report
on whether providers spend their EYPP funding effectively. More information
about the EYPP, including details of which children are eligible, is available.
Experienced Teachers
New to the Early Years
Foundation Stage
Full Details
EYFS Developing Best
Practice - Outdoor Play
Full Details
NQTs: Exploring the
Early Years Foundation
Stage - Summer Term
Full Details
For consultancy
requests please
contact the Early Years
Quality Improvement
team at
earlyyears@essex.gov.
uk
Will they not be given it if they don’t do baseline?
There is currently no link between allocation of Pupil Premium or EYPP and the
introduction of a baseline assessment in 2015
Do Independent schools have to implement the Reception Baseline?
Independent schools may use the reception baseline, but the DfE won’t collect
your data.
EYFS Profile Moderation
Local Authorities have a statutory duty to moderate schools and settings
implementing the EYFS Profile on a regular basis. All practitioners implementing
the EYFS Profile are required to take part in either a moderation visit or EYFS
Profile training (including agreement trialling activities) each year. Visits will take
place on a four-year cycle within each LA, ensuring that at least 25% of settings
will be moderated.
EYFS Courses
Available on EES
Summer term
Early Years Foundation
Stage EYFS for Learning
Support Staff /
Teaching Assistants
This popular course is
being offered in three
venues this term:
Wickford
Colchester
The purpose of moderation is to:
• secure the consistency and accuracy of judgements made by different
practitioners;
• reassure practitioners that their judgements are accurate, valid and consistent
with national standards; and
• assure moderators that an acceptable level of accuracy and validity has been
achieved for assessments recorded and reported by the settings for which they
have responsibility.
The updated EYFS Profile handbook for 2015 was released in October and is only
available online. A minimum of 25% of schools and settings will be visited; all
others are required to attend a training and moderation session.
Braintree
For consultancy
requests please
contact the Early Years
Quality Improvement
team at
earlyyears@essex.gov.
uk
During the spring term schools will receive notification about visits and meetings,
which will mainly take place between 5th May and 19 June.
If you have not received details of your moderation visit, or an invite to attend
training please contact earlyyears@essex.gov.uk
The LA will ask for EYFSP data outcomes to be submitted by Monday 22 June.
New courses will be
added over the next
few weeks so keep
checking back for
updates