Early Years education for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities

In the final term of the year in which the child reaches age five, an EYFS Profile will be completed for your child. The Profile provides parents and carers, practitioners and teachers with a well-rounded picture of a child’s knowledge, understanding and abilities, their progress against expected levels, and their readiness for Year 1. The Profile must reflect: ongoing observation; all relevant records held by the setting; discussions with parents and carers, and any other adults that the teacher, parent or carer thinks can offer a useful contribution.

Your child’s level of development must be assessed against the early learning goals and the setting will indicate whether or not your child is meeting the expected levels of development. This is the EYFS Profile.

Your child’s Year 1 teacher will also be given a copy of the Profile report together with a short commentary on your child’s skills and abilities in relation to the three key characteristics of effective learning:

• playing and exploring – how your child investigates and experiences things, and ‘has a go’;
• active learning – how your child concentrates and keeps on trying if he or she encounters difficulties, and enjoys achievements; and
• creating and thinking critically – how your child develops his or her own ideas, makes links between ideas, and develops strategies for doing things