EYFS teachers please talk through levels with me...

[HeartSkipsABeat]

Sorry this has been done a million times I expect

Had a chat with DD's Playgroup teacher and browsed her learning journal. Didn't have time to ask lots of questions though. She's 3.8 and had level 5/6 for everything. I gather that's quite good although that's not my concern anyway - she's happy and confident and loves learning, I know that's more important than levels.

But she is SO young in the year (late June birthday) - I see all her friends, who have sept/oct/nov birthdays, writing their names and doing sums etc. I really don't care that DD can't do as much as them NOW, because right now it doesn't matter in this environment. But they will all be starting school together in September and the gap will still be there, I don't want her to feel inadequate next to them.

I know this is a common worry and I have no idea what the truth is in all these debates, sorry for waffling I guess I'd just like some reassurance and/or advice please :)

[mrz]

It's outstanding - more or less where you would expect a reception child to be at this point in the year

[mrz]

An able child starting reception will normally have a score of 3

[lovecheese]

I think I am correct in saying that the EYFS goes up to the end of reception, so for your (Relatively young) DD to be getting 5/6 at this stage must be good. Don't compare her to her peers, I know that it is hard to do; my DD was one of the ones who scrawled paint on a sheet of paper at nursery and then said it was X or Y (?), could not write her name when everyone else seemed to be able to and just wasn't interested in putting pen to paper for anything; roll on 3 years and she is G&T for literacy. Just encourage her at home with books and pencils and she will find her own path.

[HeartSkipsABeat]

Outstanding really? Hmm I guess as most of her good friends are older (she's quite big/boisterous so tends to play with the bigger children) she seems on a level.

I know I shouldn't compare it's only on my mind as I was doing my parent helper session and was amazed at what some of the children were doing.

How does it work, when a new class starts yrR? In our town all DCs start in September, there's no Jan intake. How do they cater for all stages at once? I know much of it is play based (which I am very much in favour of) but how do they do phonics etc with the whole class if they are all at different stages?

[HeartSkipsABeat]

Also was wondering what 'early learning goal' means - she had ELG written next to one category (I think numeracy?) but it wasn't explained what it means.

[mrz]

If she has a score of 5/6 she has achieved 2 or 3 Early Learning Goals in each area ... the early learning goals are the curriculum objectives for the end of reception that make up part of the 117 points on the EYFS assessment profile

[HeartSkipsABeat]

Eek that sounds complicated. I have looked online before but it is all jargon to me

[CoonRapids]

Hi - re phonics, in our infant school they group all the infant children from yrR to yr 2 for phonics so that they are in an appropriate group for their stage. Not sure if that's the same everywhere. It's fluid though, so they can move around groups as necessary and it is necessary as often children tend to make rapid progress at certain points (something clicks).

[mrz]

There are 13 separate strands in the curriculum
3X Social Emotional Develpment
4 X Communication Language and Literacy
3 X Problem Solving Reasoning and Numeracy
1X Creative (music art drama dance)
1X Physical development
1X Knowledge and Understanding of the World (science history geography ICT)

Children are assessed against 9 points in each of the 13 strands

the first three points are stepping stones (most children will be working within these at the end of nursery)
the next four (4-8) are Early Learning Goals
the final point indicates a child working consistently beyond the ELGs

[Gottakeepchanging]

The EYFS profile is an end of Reception assessment. It should not be used in playgroup. It is highly likely that the person has had no training and no moderation. I would take it all with a massive pinch of salt.

[mrz]

No it isn't the same coonrapids

[HeartSkipsABeat]

I don't think it was an assessment as such, more a casual observation and I think they were only using it to see what they could work on next with her.

That makes more sense mrz thanks, I was confused as I thought there were only 6 areas, didn't realise some of them were broken down further.

[HeartSkipsABeat]

And it was numeracy where she had the ELG as they were next to the initials PSRN.

[Gottakeepchanging]

The eyfs profile as we know it is ending. I wouldn't worry about it as the time she gets to the end of Reception it will all be very different.

From the comparisons you make with her friends she is unlikely to be at 5/6. The playgroup leader is using something in a way it wasn't intended probably without the training or exemplification and certainly without the moderation.

Just enjoy her being 3.

[HeartSkipsABeat]

I am very much enjoying it!

As I said in the OP I'm not fussed about where she is in comparison to others etc - just worried what'll happen when she starts school as one of the youngest.

[hoxtonchick]

my dd is the 2nd youngest in her class (end of june birthday). she's in year 1 now, but at the end of reception scored all 8s & 9s in her EYFS profile. so please don't worry about your dd having a summer birthday, if she's bright it won't hold her back.

[magicmummy1]

Please don't worry about her being one of the youngest - each child is different, and the teachers should be able to respond to her needs regardless of how she compares to the rest of the class.

FWIW, my dd in year 1 is one of the youngest in her class (another June birthday) and is significantly ahead of her classmates in both literacy and numeracy. The only other child who comes close to her in terms of ability is August-born, so even younger than dd.

[Dweble]

With respect to Gottakeepchanging'comments, this echoes what my son's Nursery have said - that the EYFS profile should not be used in nursery units. Instead, children?s progress is monitored using the 'phases of development' from the EYFS framework (eg 40-60 months). It doesn't seem to have scores associated with it, rather they highlight individual points in the table as he achieves them (some of these are the same as those in the EYFS profile).

[mrz]

As a reception teacher I often had children start reception with completed profiles (all 117 points ticked off ) We even had one three year old arrive with a completed profile from her day nursery ...

[auntpetunia]

I wouldn't worry my dd has a birthday 6 days before the end of August, so youngest in year never mind class, she never struggled and is now in the highest group for everything.

[waiting2exhale]

Really interested in this as have just received my DCs scores. Question is, what are they used for? And are any of the catergories more important that others in so far as how well they will do later on?

[blackeyedsusan]

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO not another change. i guess we should all be used to the curriculum chaanging every couple of years by now but it is tough to keep up when you are taking a break from the classroom.