Statutory Assessment for Early Years Foundation Stage

Reception Baseline Assessment

From September 2021 it is a statutory requirement to administer the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NfER). Schools will have registered with NfER and received a password to enable them to access their training. Some schools will receive a monitoring visit by a trained professional to ensure appropriate administration of the checks. All aspects of the RBA are run through NfER rather than through the local authority so for any queries, training, data submission, etc, schools must contact NfER by ringing the RBA helpline on 0330 088 4171 or emailing receptionbaseline@nfer.ac.uk.

The RBA will be used to create school-level progress measures for the primary age range which will show the progress pupils make from reception until the end of Key Stage 2. Schools will not receive a copy of their data or any comparative data. Schools will receive a short narrative about each child which is intended to support in using the assessment for planning learning. Starting points across the curriculum and in learning characteristics will need to be established in the usual way, the RBA will not replace this.

Preparing for the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA)

Listed below are some key considerations for the administration of the RBA in 2024/2025 academic year.

Identify who will administer the RBA: it must be someone known to the child - it may be the class teacher, teaching assistant, Early Years Lead, SENDCo, or other suitably qualified professional
Ensure that the test is administered on a one-to- one basis
Ensure that practitioners are familiar with the preview assessment, assessment training videos and administration guidance on the Baseline ePortal ahead of administering the RBA to their pupils. Training can be completed individually, in groups, or across schools
Ensure that each practitioner administering the assessment has their own named BeP account. The school's Admin account must create these accounts and give them practitioner permissions. Practitioners can also be given admin permissions, if required.
Ensure practitioners have time to read the guidance documents and information in the Reception Baseline Assessment: Assessment and Reporting Arrangements and feel fully prepared prior to administering the check
Ensure practitioners are clear on how adaptations can be made to be inclusive of all children
Inform all staff, governors and parents about the RBA; the DfE has produced information for parents
Plan for administration to take 30 minutes for each child, including settling the child and submitting the data (20 minutes for the assessment)
Keep the password for the e-portal safe ready to upload the information about each child in the first week of September
Ensure internet access in the quiet space is allotted to undertake the RBA
You will need space as activities are physical and practical
Reminder it only covers three areas of learning, so will not give all the starting point information needed to inform teaching
Don't forget to sign the headteacher declaration form at the end of the assessments and before 5 November 2024

Assessment at the end of Reception

From September 2021, it is mandatory to adhere to the requirements outlined in the revised EYFS Statutory Framework and EYFS Profile.

General Assessment Training Support

The following training is available to book on the S4S website and is fully funded for all LA maintained schools and academies who subscribe to Norfolk Statutory Assessment and Monitoring Services.

If you have any queries, please contact us at assessment@norfolk.gov.uk.