Tracking, Monitoring & Assessment

SBC Trackers & Developmental Overviews

What is it?

In order to plan and deliver a range of appropriate learning experiences, which motivate, support and challenge children, practitioners must have an accurate understanding of each child’s development, knowledge and skill levels. Settings must have systems in place to allow practitioners and managers to assess and monitor children’s progress in learning to inform their knowledge of the child and future planning. The form these systems take will differ between settings but should be manageable, informative and relevant to ensure quality learning is taking place, supporting the needs of all children.

Assessment happens in the moment and continually throughout the day (as part of responsive practice) as practitioners make professional judgements of children’s progress based on a range of evidence, e.g. observations or interactions. However, the tracking and monitoring of children’s progress allows staff to make higher level judgements which inform planned improvements or targeted interventions. High quality professional conversations about progress in learning and analysis of data should lead to improved outcomes for children.

“The use of a range of information to monitor and track learners’ progress and achievement is a key aspect of raising attainment and achievement. The analysis of information helps to inform planning to ensure the continued and appropriate progress of all learners.”

(Monitoring, Tracking and Reporting of Pupil Progress and Achievement, Highland Council, 2013, p. 1)

Key messages:

Tracking gives a picture of where a child is in their development and learning at any one time. It not only provides an opportunity to see what the child can do and has yet to do, but also tells us about the pace of the child’s progress and provides useful information which can inform planning of experiences, interactions, spaces and targeted interventions.
Practitioners gather information to get to know the child and build an holistic picture of them as individuals. This begins prior to a child’s arrival in the setting and continues to be added to during their first few weeks in the setting (see Personal Plan for more information).
Practitioners use this information, data, to assess the children’s interests, strengths, developmental stages and needs.
Ensure that processes for tracking and monitoring are manageable and effectively inform staff about children’s progress and how they can extend learning in a developmentally appropriate way.
“It is important that any tracking system takes into account the holistic view of a pupil. Information such absences, incidents in the school (or other setting), (both positive and less so). Individual Education Plans and Child’s Plans, levels of concern and support should be integral to any effective tracking system.”

(Monitoring, Tracking and Reporting of Pupil Progress and Achievement, Highland Council, 2013, p. 2)

Settings ensure that parents and families receive regular opportunities to discuss their child’s learning and progress. They have a clear understanding of their role in supporting learning at home.
Practitioners use the information from tracking and monitoring to plan interventions to improve outcomes for children.
Practitioners can talk confidently about children’s progress.
Practitioners work across the Early Level to monitor and evaluate children’s progress, and to build confidence in their professional judgements.
Practitioners systematically discuss children’s progress as a team, and senior practitioners maintain an overview of attainment and take appropriate action to support and challenge staff.
Practitioners record children’s progress linked to the Benchmarks of Curriculum for Excellence.
Practitioners take appropriate action based on tracking information, to ensure all learners progress as expected with their next steps in learning.
Tracking and monitoring data is shared effectively in order to ensure optimum progression for all children at points of transition.

Ways we can do this:

Careful observation of the child within daily routines and during play inside and outdoors, supported by sensitive interactions allows practitioners to tune into the child’s interests.

Playing alongside the child can provide further information about the child’s knowledge base and skill levels, allowing the adult to appropriate challenge in the moment and inform future planning.

Gathering information from families through conversations will develop the accuracy of a child’s personal plan and regular timetabled review will ensure the document is relevant and meaningful to the child.

Time must also be given to evaluate strategies being implemented to support children for their effectiveness and relevance. If something is not having an impact, then consider as a team what could be put in place instead.

Settings can make use of tracking facilities on e-journals, using them effectively to communicate to parents and to assess progress in learning.

A consistent use of the language of learning (including learning dispositions) with children so they can identify what they are learning and how their learning has developed over time.

Staff regularly discuss children’s interests and progress in learning as part of professional dialogue. This knowledge is then implemented in changes to the environment to extend and challenge learning or through intentional promotion planning for specific learning experiences.

When gathering evidence of learning progression, practitioners should consider:

Ensuring focus of observations includes documenting the learning that took place and what the adult did to support and extend the learning.

Adding a variety of evidence of learning into learning journeys or journals, e.g. written observations, film clips, photos, examples of work with notations, WOW moments with comments, and examples of achievements from home. Giving a full picture of the child’s learning experiences and their progression in learning.

Using a floor book or learning wall to capture progression of group learning activities. Examples of this may include photographs, drawings and child’s voice, with adults making the learning visible for the children during daily routines.

When using tracking documents, practitioners should consider:

Completing trackers & Developmental Overviews (see tabs at the bottom of this page) to demonstrate where the child is in their learning and how they are progressing.

Trackers are stored for easy access to enable practitioners to update on-the-go.

Tracking and monitoring are an integral part of daily practice and longer term tracking is timetabled into the yearly plan.

Progress and attainment conversations are planned termly.

Moderation of these processes are timetabled in to ensure equity and high quality for all.

Trackers are used to support planning by highlighting gaps in provision or where children’s current interests lie, rather than as a tick-list.