The Department for Education is introducing a baseline assessment in reception year, the reception baseline, to improve how they measure primary schools’ progress. From 2016, the reception baseline assessment will be the only measure the DfE will use to assess the progress of children who enter reception year. The baseline assessment will score each pupil against the knowledge and understanding typical for children at the start of reception year. It will be linked to the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) and to the key stage 1 national curriculum in English and mathematics.
The DfE has now published guidelines for head-teachers of primary schools about how to sign up and pay for the new reception baseline assessment which can be accessed here.