Assessment can be a tricky subject, particularly when considering assessment for children with SEND. Over the past few years, I have begun to question the way we assess children with learning differences through a neuro typical lens, often resulting in a negative view of the child. As practitioners, it seemed we were setting SMART targets and planning next steps in line with neurotypical goals which resulted in a deficit assessment of a child. I felt that there was a need to develop a strengths-based approach which celebrated a child’s individual learning profile.
Alongside this, the EYFS reforms mean providers have more autonomy in the assessment models they use. This is a welcome opportunity to rethink assessment models and consider an increasing strengths-based approach.
In Doncaster, where I work, providers use a range of additional assessment tools for children with SEND to reflect on children’s learning styles, for example sensory assessment and communication assessment, but often these individual tools run alongside an EYFS assessment tool.
This results in a range of isolated assessments and means it is hard for practitioners to establish a holistic picture of a child’s learning characteristics. Instead, I wanted to develop an approach to assessment which would enable practitioners to celebrate children’s strengths, the different ways they learn and bring together the range of assessment tools in one holistic assessment.
So, what are the features of a holistic approach to assessment?
It is child centred and embraces learning differences. It advocates the importance of practitioners’ in-depth knowledge of a child including knowing their special interests, their family, their culture, the way they learn, how they communicate and what engages and stimulates them. Supported by an embedded knowledge of child development it aims to reduce barriers to learning, encourage practitioners to reflect on provision, adjust what they provide to give an individual child the best possible opportunity to fulfil their potential and celebrate strengths and learning differences.
This is important because there is often such an emphasis on how a child fits into a setting, instead of how the setting fits around the child. How does a child feel a sense of belonging in a setting? How is their individuality truly valued?
Changing our thinking
An important step in the journey towards an inclusive approach to assessment is that we need to change our own thinking around SEND. I’ve recently worked on a new project to help support practitioners in assessing children with learning differences. Produced in collaboration with Stephen Kilgour from Tapestry, developing the Reflection Toolkithas been a valuable professional learning opportunity for me, as well as hopefully creating something useful for early years educators.
A key lesson was the need for us all to be an advocate in developing a neurodiversity affirming approach. Many current models of assessment reference a solely neurotypical pathway. It is vital that we reconsider how we assess children and address the notion of ableism, drawing on the work of pro-neurodiversity campaigners such as Emily Lees, an autistic apeech and language therapist and co-founder of Divergent Perspectives and Kerry Murphy, author of A Guide to SEND in the Early Years. Their work shaped the development of the Reflection Toolkit and the focus on celebrating individual learning profiles.
This inclusive approach to assessment does need us all to shift our thinking. For instance, how often do we connect children listening with behaviours such as sitting down, maintaining eye contact, being still and ‘looking’ attentive? However, for a child with learning differences, listening may look very different, they may prefer not to make eye contact, or movement may help their listening and engagement.
Practitioners are very knowledgeable about their children but it is easy to slip into thinking that there is a set pathway for a child’s development. When a child diverges from this pathway we can view this as a problem or issue. I think we all need to be more curious and challenge ourselves to throw previous thinking up in the air! This is about celebrating differences rather than solving difficulties, and embracing the authenticity of every child’s play and learning.
Supporting and enabling settings under pressure
I am very aware that settings in Doncaster are coping with lots of pressures and I know it is a similar picture across the country. Coupled with the range of assessment tools being used, it makes it a challenge for settings to find the time to devise inclusive approaches to assessment.
This is why we created the Reflection Toolkit, we hope it provides a useful starting point for practitioners to change the assessment culture in their setting to be more reflective, holistic and inclusive. When Pen Green described its Celebratory Approach to SEND Assessment it talked about the notion that ‘children must not be defined by their needs, we need to be courageous and aspirational for all children, igniting curiosity and encouraging them to be all that they can be’.
This continues to resonate with me and why getting this right is so important for children who learn differently.
Download the toolkit here