On entry into the EYFS class we will gather evidence to assess children. We do this by looking at their achievements in their pre-school provision and from observations during the first weeks of school. Our initial assessments inform our planning and provision for the children and we continue to assess the children across the year.

At St. Luke's we assess and track the progress and attainment of Reception age children through adult on going observations in all seven areas of learning plus the three characteristics of effective learning. 

Areas of Learning

Prime Areas

• Communication and Language
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development

Specific Areas

• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and Design

Characteristics of Effective Learning

1.Playing and exploring – engagement

            Finding out and exploring

            Playing with what they know

            Being willing to ‘have a go'

2.Active learning – motivation

            Being involved and concentrating

            Keeping trying

            Enjoying achieving what they set out to do

3. Creating and thinking critically – thinking

            Having their own ideas

            Making links

            Choosing ways to do things

The children are made aware of their next steps of learning through verbal feedback during activity/small group work sessions and the language and depth of discussion is altered to account for the wide range of abilities.

By the end of the year the national expectation is that the children will be working within the 17 Early Learning Goal descriptors. The judgements made will then form the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile for each child as to whether they are:

• Emerging  - working below national expectations
• Expected - working at national expectations

Children will be defined as reaching a good level of development at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage if they achieve at least the expected level in the three prime areas of learning - Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and Physical Development, in addition to Literacy and Mathematics.

We keep parents updated on their child's progress via parents evenings and we speak to parents if they have any questions or concerns. We send out a full report on each child's progress at the end of the academic year.