Tracking tools can help keep track of a child's development assessments to help identify their strengths and weaknesses and analyse their progress.
The tracker is a formative assessment tool, which is used to gather the individual child's development assessments, so that these can be analysed to see the progress made over time in the aspects of learning.
For all new children starting the setting it is important that their starting points are recorded on the tracker.
The formative assessment process is an integral part of the learning and development process, because they inform and help you, to plan your provision and meet individual child's needs and interests.
Download the tracking document produced by the Early Years team in Waltham Forest.
As the leader and/or manager of the setting there is an expectation that you will identify the strengths and weaknesses of your provision. By collecting information about a group or cohort of children, you will be able to look for patterns across areas of learning and development that will enable you, and your practitioners, to further improve the quality of provision within the setting.
In particular within the EYFS It is stated, practitioners are to identify how children are progressing and that this should be documented for others to see. The documenting of children's progress enables both parents and professionals to recognise the child's achievements as well as highlight areas of concern.
To further explore the subject of cohort tracking Ofsted has produced a useful PowerPoint presentation.
Evaluating children's learning in the EYFS is concerned with identifying what children know, addressing their next steps and evaluating the effectiveness of the program/curriculum that is being accessed.
'A fundamental principle of the EYFS is that each child is A Unique Child. But do we really practice what we preach? How often in practice are children viewed as if they are all the same, expected or even pushed into following the same progression at roughly the same ages?'
The individual summary tool can be used to collate and summarise the child's phase of development each term. This will enable practitioners to see at a glance their Key children's level of development in each of the areas of development.
The transition document is used by the Key Person/ Practitioner to record and communicate the child's achievements, phase of development and next steps, in all areas of learning and development.
The transition document should be completed prior to the child leaving the current setting (or room), so that the information can be provided to the new provider/ staff before the child starts the new setting/ room. It is also important that the transition record is shared with the parent/carer of the child and that they are invited to contribute to the transition record. The manager of the setting should also contribute to the record.