A Unique Child: Progress check at two - Decision time

Many practitioners in settings across England are now wrestling with the Progress Check at Two - a statutory requirement under the revised Early Years Foundation Stage since 1 September 2012. In settings with a history of providing families with regular summative (snapshot) assessments, the introduction of the check has simply meant some judicious editing of current documents and arranging a face-to-face discussion with parents. In others, however, the assessment - to be completed when a child is between 24 and 36 months - is causing anxiety and confusion.

Some of this anxiety stems from a lack of support. While some settings have received local authority training or a selection of pro-formas on which to base the check, others are relying solely on the national non-statutory guidance, The EYFS Progress Check at Age Two - A know how guide (National Children's Bureau, 2012). Although this document offers good suggestions on how to proceed with the assessment, when used in isolation, it can result in settings in a given area using several formats in various ways and, hence, a lack of consistency for practitioners and families.