Ofsted chief under fire from early years experts on assessment

The letter also asks for clarification about the work experience of early years inspectors.

Last month Sir Michael called for ‘a major change in our approach to assessment in the early years’ and said that the EYFS Profile was ‘too broad an assessment’ and did not link effectively to subsequent Key Stage assessments, with ‘a weak basis for accountability'.

TACTYC is also concerned that some early years inspectors ‘do not necessarily have direct knowledge’ of working in early years provision with children from the full age range from birth to five, and might instead have only worked in schools.

In the letter, Dr Jane Payler, (pictured), chair of the association, says, ‘Primary head teachers do not necessarily have deep knowledge of care and education in the early years.  It is vital that those responsible for assessing and improving the quality of early years care and education have a full understanding of appropriate  pedagogic approaches and strategies to enhance welfare and learning, which are quite different for babies and very young children in non-statutory provision compared to those for older children in school contexts. Please could you reassure us by providing information on the curricula vitae of early years HMIs.’