ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses issues for early years professionals with regard to the assessment process, including some questions that are especially important in early years education: What is assessment? Why is assessment needed? What should assessment look like? It addresses issues that arise in assessment practice, including different forms of assessment in early childhood and school sectors. The chapter highlights the importance of assessment in the transition to school settings. Across the early years, assessment appears to be understood in different ways among the professionals who are engaged with infants, toddlers and young children and their families. Assessment for learning therefore has the capacity to promote more intentional teaching, to help professionals be more responsive to the strengths, interests and abilities of individual children. The chapter discusses the importance of assessment throughout the early years from birth and raised significant issues.
