The Department for Education has released their analysis of this year’s EYFS Profile results. Some of the key findings, which cover England only, include:

• 69.3% of children are now achieving a ‘good level of development’, up 3 % increase from last year

• Girls still continue to do better than boys, but the gender gap has decreased. The gap in the average point score has fallen from 2.6 points in 2015 to 2.5 points for 2016.

In a statement to Parliament, Education Secretary Justine Greening announced a series of changes to primary assessment including that the EYFS Profile is to remain statutory for 2017/18. This was following the Government u-turn on the baseline tests which were intended to replace it.

PACEY has long called for the retention of the EYFS Profile as a measure of children’s development  and has been an active supporter of the Better without Baseline campaign to protest against the use of baseline assessments for reception children.

Commenting on these figures, PACEY Chief Executive Liz Bayram said:

"It is fantastic news that EYFS profile results continues to improve. This reflects the hard work and commitment put in every day by childcare professionals across the sector to help prepare children for a brighter future. However, there is still more to be done to help close the gaps between girls and boys achievement.

“PACEY has played a key part in the campaign to retain the EYFS Profile and we are pleased that government has listened. Now that the government has announced a review of primary assessment, we will continue to argue for the importance of assessing children’s physical, social and emotional development as well as educational attainment in any future assessment.”