Best Start Kindergarten Assessment

Information for communities and staff

What is this initiative?

• One component of a NSW Government initiative to increase literacy and numeracy support in the early years.

• The government has committed $81.6 million over 4 years.

The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment will:

• continue the strong school entry assessment practice of effective teachers

• identify students’ literacy and numeracy skills and understandings at school entry

Who will be involved?

• 2008 – 434 schools have participated

• 2009 – a further 600 schools will join

• 2010 – all government primary schools will be on board

How can schools join for 2009?

• By indicating to regions their willingness to participate

• By their commitment to effective early school assessment practices

What is the Assessment for?

• To provide information that supports teachers in meeting students’ individual learning needs;

• To provide parents and caregivers with feedback on what their child can do, and how they can best support their child’s learning; and

• To assist the monitoring of student learning throughout the school years.

When will the Assessment take place?

• Early in the Kindergarten year, once the children have settled in.

• (It is assessing what students bring with them to school.)

For 2009

The Kindergarten Assessment process will need to be completed by the end Term 1, Thursday, 9 April 2009.

How will the data be recorded and analysed?

From 2009 software will assist teachers to record and analyse data to

• support teaching and learning

• provide feedback and practical advice to parents and caregivers.

How will teachers be supported?

Kindergarten teachers will participate in funded professional learning on:

• conducting the assessment

• collecting and analysing the data

• providing feedback to parents and caregivers

• using the data to inform teaching and learning.

How can school leadership teams support the assessment

process?

• By maintaining collegial support in a professional learning culture

• By providing resources and assistance to Kindergarten teachers

• By keeping the school community informed

What will be assessed?

• Student’s school entry skills and understandings in literacy and numeracy

• Critical aspects in each area, as determined by research

How does it links to the Early Stage 1 English and Mathematics syllabuses?

• All aspects to be assessed are critical parts of the English and Mathematics syllabuses

What are the critical aspects of literacy to be assessed?

Reading text Writing

Speaking Comprehension

Concepts about print Phonics

Phonemic Awareness

What are the critical aspects of numeracy to be assessed?

• Counting (numeral recognition and forward number word sequences)

• Counting as a problem solving process

• Pattern recognition

How will the Assessment be implemented?

• Classroom teachers will observe and record student responses

• Most tasks will be completed individually, though some may take place within small groups

What are students asked to do during the Best Start Literacy Assessment?

Teachers ask a series of questions to

gather information about children’s early

literacy knowledge.

For example:

To assess a child’s understanding of a

text read to them, the teacher may ask

the student to retell what happened in

the story in their own words.

What are students asked to do during the Best Start Numeracy Assessment?

Teachers ask a series of questions to

gather information about children’s initial

mathematical knowledge.

For example:

To see how far a child can correctly

count, the teacher may ask them to

start counting.

The child will be asked to stop when the

teacher gets a sense of how well they can count.

Will all children be assessed?

• Best Start is inclusive. All children will have the opportunity to participate.

• The Assessment will provide critical information for teaching and learning programs that meet the individual needs of students.

How will student assessment information be communicated to

parents and caregivers?

Parents and carers will receive clear,

accessible feedback on:

• their child’s learning at school entry

• next steps in the learning process

• how to support their child’s learning.

Best Start Website

For further information:

http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/beststart/index.htm