Celebrating Children’s Learning Assessment Beyond Levels in the Early Years

In response to growing pressure on early years practitioners to adopt a ‘tick-box’ approach to recording children’s progress, Celebrating Children’s Learning sets out a bold, alternative vision for assessment in the early years. Drawing upon an inspiring collaboration between London nursery schools, this book explores and reconsiders the purpose of observation in early years settings. Contributors provide a range of examples to guide early years practitioners as they develop their own methods of observation. Play, social interaction, and cooperation with parents are shown to be valuable opportunities for keen observation. Chapters discuss: - moving beyond data-focussed assesment - Characteristics of Effective Learning - ensuring inclusive assessment - collaborating with parents from diverse backgrounds - outdoor learning – a Forest School approach. Inspiring and empowering, Celebrating Children’s Learning is essential reading for teachers, practitioners, and students involved in early education.

Foreword Acknowledgments Author biographies Introduction Chapter 1: Beyond data Julian Grenier Chapter 2: Putting the Characteristics of Effective Learning at the heart of assessment Nancy Stewart and Helen Moylett Chapter 3: Valuing and celebrating small steps for children with special educational needs and disabilities: Inclusive Assessment Practice Alison Lentz and Megan Panayiotou Chapter 4: Assessment in diverse contexts: talking with Bangladeshi-British parents about children’s early learning Tania Choudhury Chapter 5: Celebrating children’s learning outdoors: a Forest School approach Lesley Webb

Julian Grenier is the headteacher of Sheringham Nursery School and Children’s Centre in East London, UK, and is a National Leader of Education. Sue Finch has worked in the early years sector for over 40 years and is a highly experienced education consultant. Sue has worked on a wide range of national projects in the early years, including the Pen Green Teaching Centres Project. Caroline Vollans worked as a primary school teacher for 15 years before completing clinical training in Lacanian psychoanalysis. She now works as a student counsellor, as well as providing staff supervision in nursery settings.