How hard is it to get 'Exceeding' in reception?

[Wornout8]

With the expectation having been raised is this now harder to achieve? particularly in Maths and writing, Thanks

At end of Reception they're measuring against the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. I don't think that has changed in recent years. It's KS1 and KS2 that have got harder.

It is perfectly possible to get Exceeding against all 17 objectives at the end of Reception, though I don't suppose it's very common.

Agree with gin. I don't think it has been changed.

I think it also varies from teacher to teacher as in a way it is their judgement call.

Writing seems impossible for the age of children. The rest are achievable, maybe not a line of exceeds

There were similar threads this time last year. One or two children did get all Exceeding.

I agree with Tomorrow that some teachers may be more generous than others. I was surprised that my DD got 'exceeding' on the gross motor skills one, for example.

I think my DD was 'exceeding' for physical development' in Reception, because she understood what happened when you took exercise or whatever. She is 12 now and still struggles walking down the stairs...

What is the context behind your question?

• your child is exceeding and you want to know how well they are doing
• you want to push your child to get Exceeding
• or something else?

Also it will depend on cohort too.

This years booklet
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/564249/2017_EYFSP_handbook_v1.1.pdf#page28

Pg42 for exceeding descriptors

Does cohort matter? I thought each children are judged against each criteria?

I'm wondering if schools with cohorts that in general of a lower starting point may be more generous as something unusual and exceeding in that school may be usual in another and just meet expectations especially in the targets for maths or reading.

Dd got exceeding in everything. Ds won't !!! It was easy for dd , harder than flying to the moon for ds.

Actually I think ( no proof just my experience) that reception has changed my ds is doing things in reception his yr 4 sister didn't do till yr 2

It has changed in that time

Do independent schools complete this at the end of reception as well?

Don't think so

Only my youngest dc received a report with this criteria, I seem to remember her having 4 or 5 'exceeding' results and the rest expected. It seemed a reasonable reflection of her abilities at the time (quite a bright child, not one of the youngest for year group).

However reading over the booklet linked above, I think it must be very difficult for teachers to appraise 30-odd children according to the outlined criteria accurately.

I think they set aside time to observe the children doing specific things, and if the child isn't performing well on that particular day, the opportunity to exhibit their ability may be lost.

I may be a cynic, but I also think some schools have a tendency to mark subjective criteria at the lower end of the spectrum, espec in lower years, because it offers greater opportunities for 'improvement' as the children progress through school.

Reception assessments can be moderated by the local authority to ensure consistency. Schools are also judged on the progress each child makes, so it's somewhat in their favour to have children as meeting expectations, rather than exceeding, as a child judged to be exceeding expectations in Reception and is still judged to be exceeding at KS1/2 hasn't made as much progress as a child who was meeting expectations at end Reception, but then exceeds expectation by KS1/2

Slightly cynical, but it seems to me to be much more about how well the teachers manage to offer opportunities to demonstrate the skills and get the evidence down than anything the child can or can't do.

DD was bizarrely marked as somewhere in the 40-60 range for reading at the first reception parents' evening. She could actually read as well as DS who had just aced Y2 SATs at the time! That one they've caught up on a bit, but there are still plenty of areas she's way way ahead of where DS ended reception and still not marked as "achieving" let alone "exceeding". The teacher herself said to me that it's not that they think she can't do the things, it's all about the evidence.

Even at the end of reception, it wasn't all caught up. DS was bizarrely exceeding for writing (his writing was awful and extremely reluctant) and not for maths (where he was and is very strong).

My daughter is in year 3 now, but got exceeding in all 17 areas at the end of reception. She was a bright, but not exceptional child. However, children who get exceeding in all 17 areas at the end of reception are expected to stay on an upward trajectory and be high achievers all the way through primary. She did well in her sats in year 2, got working at greater depth for all maths and English. But she is by no means top of the class and in some ways I think the pressure is really on her- she is expected to keep up with the top few children in her class but probably isn't naturally as able as them. I am a teacher and did a LOT with her at home before reception year, so I think that maybe helped push her a bit. Maybe without that she wouldn't have done so well in reception and therefore wouldn't now be expected to keep performing quite so well...

I think that can be an issue in some schools, catkind.

I'm. not convinced there's a great deal of consistency in EYSP judgements.

A lot of it is age dependent in Reception. Autumn born children, particularly girls, are more likely to get exceeding, especially in the prime areas (physical, language and social development). Harder to exceed is maths and literacy. Summer born children, particularly boys, are less likely to get expected/exceeding.

Christ my 10 year old can't meet some of those. *disclaimer - he has ASD.
Year R DS probably won't get many either and he's an academically able child - top group in class.

In my experience, different teachers from different schools gave my DD similar reports. In nursery she got exceeding for almost everything. In reception she switched schools half way and the teacher told me after four months she is doing very well and exceeding in different abilities. She is ahead of what is required, writing, reading etc. He said the only thing to work on if I feel like it, which would be exceeding is help her learn to count by 2's, 5's, 10's. I will ask my DD if she understands this. I'm not going to be pushy, but she seems to pick things up easily. If she seems like she understands, I will help her. But I don't think it's necessary for a 5 year old to be able to do this. I think I learned these things age 7! At 5 we were just playing when I grew up! My DS on other hand, will def not get same kind of report end of year. I already warned the teachers. He will be the youngest in class. My DD is in the middle age wise. And she is def more advanced when she was his age. I think girls advance quicker perhaps? Or could just be luck!

don't assume some teachers are more generous than others. Moderation takes place and regular scrutiny through school systems too.