Management Information Sheet

The DfE has released information about the following this week:

• Administering and submitting outcomes for phonics screening check - Y2 children, autumn term
• Assessing pupils working below the standard of the Pre-key Stage Frameworks - KS1 and KS2
• Updated EYFS Development Matters, in line with the changes to EYFS curriculum and the EYFS Profile

Action needed: Y2 Autumn Administration of the Phonics Screening Check

In the 2020/21 academic year only, it is statutory for schools to administer a past version of the phonics screening check to year 2 pupils during the second half of the 2020 autumn term and return results to the local authority (LA). Guidance has been published to help schools to prepare. This can be found here.

More detailed guidance for schools on how to submit the data will be issued in an MI sheet later in the term. The DfE have published the deadline for schools to submit their data by the end of Autumn Term 2020 - but we want to aim to have all the data submitted, checked, cleansed and all finalised before we close for Christmas.

Use of P-scales or the Engagement Model

The 2020/21 academic year will be a transitionary year for the assessment of pupils working below the standard of national curriculum assessments and not engaged in subject-specific study at the end of key stages 1 and 2.

During the transitionary year, schools will have a choice to use either the engagement model or P scales 1-4 to assess their pupils. There will be a flexible approach for the submission of teacher assessment outcomes.

The DfE have published guidance for schools on the assessment and reporting arrangements during the transitionary year.

Publication of the New EYFS Development Matters

New non-statutory curriculum guidance for the EYFS has been published by the DfE. This document brings the non-statutory curriculum in line with changes to the EYFS framework and the new EYFS Profile. These will become statutory from September 2021.

Development Matters is non-statutory guidance which supports the delivery of the EYFS framework. The DfE have re-focused this guidance on curriculum, with the intention that it is not used as a tracking document to the Early Learning Goals. The key objectives of this work are to improve early years outcomes, reduce workload burdens and to use this as an opportunity to develop specific guidance for reception year that sits clearly within the EYFS but links fluidly with the national curriculum.

Please be aware that if you have chosen to be an early adopter of the new EYFS Profile, you will use this to assess the children in Reception in June 2021. If you have not chosen to be an early adopter of the EYFS Profile, you will continue to use the existing EYFS Profile to assess the pupils in June 2021, at the end of their Reception year.

The DfE will be publishing exemplification materials to support accurate assessment using the new EYFS Profile, in the spring. The assessment team will be offering training to support colleagues in assessing using the new Development Matters and the new EYFS Profile. Further details to follow.

Development Matters can be found here.