Sometimes it is quicker to be able to assess children in groups, where all or the majority of the children have achieved the same statements. For example the whole class may all have achieved Disposition and Attitudes EYFSP statement 1.

It is possible to do this using the EYFS Planner. This Planner has all EYFSP statements and also all Development Matters statements.

 

To further speed up Development Matters data entry it is now possible to assess all DM statements for one area of learning and one month range at once, or even to choose to back fill previous month ranges in one go. To do this simply right click the heading of a DM month range e.g. DM 16-26 Months in the EYFS Planner and choose from the options to Set Working Towards or Achieved, in the current period or historically, for just this period or for all statements between 0-11 and the chosen period. You will be asked to confirm what you are about to do - click Set Working Towards or Set Achieved as appropriate.

 

To use the EYFS Planner

Load EYFSTT and select your file

Select the year group or class you wish to assess

Click the EYFS Planner button

Select the subject area from the drop down list

Click on appropriate names to highlight the children you wish to assess from the list on the left, or right mouse click on the names and choose Select All if you wish to assess all children at once. 

You will notice that as soon as you have clicked more than one pupil the Group Breakdown area appears at the bottom of the screen with all children in the Not Begun section

 

In the centre of the screen you will see the DM and EYFSP statements – you can choose to display just DM's, just EYFSP's or both by selecting the appropriate radio button from the options at the top of the screen

Any assessments entered at this stage will appear as working towards or achieved in the current term. If you wish to enter assessments historically click the Historical Assessment button and choose the required term from the drop down list next to the Assessing in box.

 

There are various ways to record the assessments –

Set a statement as Working Towards by double clicking on it – the text will change to Red

Set a statement as Achieved by double clicking on it twice – the text will change to Blue

Achievements can also be recorded by right mouse clicking on a cell which will give you a number of options

Set the statement as Not Begun

Set as Working Towards – in the period displayed in the Assessing in box or by choosing a different period from the fly out menu

Set as Achieved – in the period displayed in the Assessing in box or by choosing a different period from the fly out menu

To switch off Historical Assessment and return to assessing in the current term click the Historical Assessment button again

 

You will notice that as you assess the group of children their names move across the Group Breakdown area at the bottom of your screen. The 3 stages are Not Begun, Working Towards and Achieved. It is possible to fine tune your assessments by clicking on any child or group of children's names in the Group Breakdown area and dragging and dropping them into the box you feel they should appear in.

 

The colour of the text in the cells may appear as black, red, blue or purple depending on the status of the children that you have selected at the time. There is a Colour Key on the menu bar to explain the colours

Achievements recorded in the EYFS Planner screen will appear in the DM or the EYFSP grid accessed from the Home tab