ABSTRACT
The purpose of baseline assessment is two-fold. Firstly, the information collected on the children at school entry allows teachers to take action in the short term. Secondly, the collection of information over time allows a longer-term review of practice, leading to possible changes. Returning to our typology of the purposes set out in Chapter 1, we may see that the child-based purposes are essentially linked with short- and medium-term initiatives, as set out in our model in Chapter 3. Here, the teacher will take note of the information from the baseline assessment as a screen and provider of data on current performance. This might be followed up by a further screen, and/or a more detailed assessment of children considered to have difficulties. Also, for those children who are judged to be progressing satisfactorily, to have 'passed' the baseline assessment, the information adds to that available to the teacher from other sources for use in gaining a picture of the class for the purpose of general curriculum planning.
