Qatar National Evaluation Framework for Early Years Education (QNE-EYE)

Transcription

1 Qatar National Evaluation Framework for Early Years Education (QNE-EYE) Foreword... 2 Glossary... 3 Section Introduction... 4 Summary of the Evaluation Standards... 6 Quality standards Standards and Code of Conduct Section Early Years Education Framework for Evaluation Standard 1: Children s progress and development Standard 2: Educational quality Standard 3: Care and Welfare of Children Standard 4: Partnerships with Parents and the Community Standard 5: Resources Management Standard 6: Effectiveness of Educational Leadership Overall Performance Section Self evaluation Guidelines PAGE 1

2 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful The Kindergarten Stage is considered one of the most important and rich stages of education. It represents an important aspect in the educational process, due to the fundamental role it plays and provides for all educational stages. It ensures the facilitation of the whole learning process. This is especially true in the early years, as the foundation, of the primary stage in education. In addition, the kindergarten stage is sought to be a way of bridging children s domestic lives and their coming life of knowledge in the primary education stage encompassing all its subjects, programs, and social relationships. Therefore, it is an independent educational stage with a unique entity as important as the other learning stages, having its own comprehensive educational goals. In addition, it meets children s different needs and promotes their mental, social, linguistic, and religious aspects in exciting educational approaches. Further, it discloses their abilities, willingness, talents, and interests. Considering the importance of the kindergarten stage as a starting point, the School Evaluation Office of the Evaluation Institute of the Supreme Education Council, has been keen on setting unified standards to evaluate all kindergartens. These standards provide a unified basis when evaluating the kindergartens in the State of Qatar to identify areas of strength and weaknesses. Hence, the School Evaluation Office is pleased to deliver the Qatar National Framework for Early Years Education (QNE-EYE) to all early years practitioners. We consider the QNE-EYE as a significant addition that, by God s willing, will nurture the educational process of this important stage. This framework includes six comprehensive standards. These standards are (1) Children s Progress and Development. (2) Educational Quality. (3) Care and Welfare of Children. (4) Partnerships with Parents and the Community. (5) Resources Management and (6) Effectiveness of Educational Leadership. We hope this ambitious effort, in the near future, will impact positively on the process of evaluating the quality of the kindergarten education stage in the State of Qatar relying on excellence in educational standards for the aim of ultimate improvement across all kindergarten programs in Qatar. School Evaluation Office Evaluation Institute PAGE 2

3 GLOSSARY This glossary is intended to ensure that all users of this document have the same understanding of a term when using it in the context of early years education in the State of Qatar. Terms and meaning in this document are not definitive in all contexts and circumstances. However, for the purposes of evaluation in early years settings, we recommend that words and definitions should be used according to the definitions below. Term or Acronym Assessment Child protection Curriculum Leadership Learning Play Special education needs Staff Transition Meaning The practices of observing, recording and reflecting upon how well children learn what they are taught. This is a continuous process using a variety of forms for different purposes. Measures and structures to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect and violence affecting children Also referred to a programme, this refers to the learning experiences both formal and informal that take place while the child is in the setting. Leadership at any level involves setting direction empowering staff to work effectively, creating a suitable environment for learning and setting an example for others. They way children undertake and participate in activities and play leading to gains in their development, knowledge and application of newly acquired skills. This is when children direct their own learning and experiences through choosing what to do, when to do it, how to do it and when to stop. Children playing have fun, are curious and creative. They have the option to play alone, with other children or adults. Educational needs that are different from those of the majority of children. These children may include those who need additional support or challenge in their learning. All teachers, teaching assistants and adults on site in the early years setting that come in contact with children. This may include security personnel, cleaners or child minders. The points in time when a child moves from one setting to another, such as from home to the early years setting, between levels in the early years setting and to primary school. PAGE 3

4 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION The Evaluation Institute has been mandated since 2009 to develop and implement a system of assessment of educational institution. In response, all providers of pre-school (early years) education will now undergo separate evaluations. This document describes the process for the evaluation of settings providing early years education in the State of Qatar. It also sets out and explains the different standards that early years settings must satisfy and aim to achieve. Early years education is defined as education provided for young children from the age of three years until they begin the primary stage, in accordance with the system of education or curriculum they are following. Primary stage in most systems begins at age five or six years. An early years setting will either be a stand-alone setting meaning that the setting is dedicated to early years only. Or it may be part of an all-through school; meaning that the early years section is part of a school that also caters for older children. Why evaluate early years settings? The fundamental purposes of evaluating early years settings separately are to promote improvement in both the quality of the education and care that settings provide, and to allow settings to be evaluated against a framework that is catered to reflect the specialist practices and care of an early years settings. It also aims at promoting children s progress and development by: 1. Helping schools and settings to undergo a processes of self-evaluation 2. Generating, through the work of evaluators from the Supreme Education Council (SEC), independent, authoritative information about education quality in every setting, leading to effective action for improvement. Early years settings do not improve as a result of the evaluation process alone. They need internal capacity for continuous improvement and this can only be achieved through effective self-evaluation and action plans. The evaluation visits will support self-evaluation and improvement planning by providing: A framework for structuring the self-evaluation Clear descriptions of educational excellence, to which settings can aspire An agenda to give senior staff a developed, modern concept of leadership in early years settings A means of objective verification of the results of self-evaluation A model for the analysis of information about performance that settings can use as a dayto-day management tool for benchmarking their performance against similar settings, helping them to set ambitious but realistic targets for improvement. Evaluators from the SEC will use each early years setting s self-evaluation document as the starting point for their work. In settings where the outcomes of self-evaluation are well PAGE 4

5 organised and convincing, evaluators are able to focus on confirming their accuracy and on framing recommendations for further improvement. Evaluation reports provide information to parents and local communities about the quality of the education their children receive. Parents can apply pressure at institution level to ensure that priorities are addressed; and they are able to use the information in reports as the basis for their choice of setting. Evaluation reports help the proprietors and the professional leaders of settings to do their jobs more effectively by identifying clearly the aspects of their provision that need to be improved. They indicate the areas in which teachers need to develop their practice in order to improve teaching and learning. Evaluation reports provide government authorities with key management information about the current capacity of the school system to deliver the increasingly ambitious educational targets required to place student achievement in Qatar on a par with those in the most advanced nations. Policy-makers are able to use an accurate, up-to-date picture of the current strengths and weaknesses of the education system to inform key decisions about future educational investment. National Evaluation-Early Years Education (QNE-EYE) Standards The framework sets out the criteria to be used in the evaluation of all early years settings. It comprises the six Standards that form the basis for self-evaluation and for the work of visiting evaluators in every setting. The first standard is concerned with children s progress and development: how much progress they make in language, mathematics and in their ability to learn; and how well they are developing personally, socially and physically. Above all, this standard is concerned with the extent to which children are ready, by the time they leave the early years setting, to begin the primary phase of their education. The other five standards concern the aspects of the work of settings that have the most impact on children s progress and development: the quality of the curriculum; the teaching and assessment; the care and welfare of children; partnerships with parents and the community; how well staff and resources are managed; and the effectiveness of the leadership of the setting. Each Standard includes a number of Aspects and Focus Areas, around which the self-evaluation and the assessments made by visiting evaluators are structured. The six Standards are: 1. Children s progress and development 2. Educational quality 3. Care and welfare of children 4. Partnerships with parents and the community 5. Resource management 6. Effectiveness of Educational Leadership PAGE 5

6 It is important to use this proportions table as a guide. Please note that this is not an exact science but an estimation. Proportions Descriptions 90% 100% Almost all More than 75% but less than 90% Most More than 50% but less than 75% Majority More than 20% but less than 50% Some Less than 20% Few SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION STANDARDS Standard 1: Children s progress and development Aspects 1.1 Progress in language and communication 1.2 Progress in mathematics 1.3 Personal and social development 1.4 Ability to learn and cognitive development 1.5 Physical development Focus Areas Listening and understanding Speaking and interacting Reading for understanding and enjoyment Writing Numbers and counting Calculating Shape, space and measures Awareness of self and others, including awareness of living in the context of Qatar and where appropriate Islamic values. Social interactions and relationships, including managing feelings and behaviour Attitudes to learning and motivation Working independently Emerging scientific skills and natural curiosity Control and coordination Health and body awareness PAGE 6

7 Standard 2: Educational quality Aspects 2.1 How well the curriculum meets the needs of the children 2.2 Teaching and assessment Focus Areas Rationale, planning and review of the curriculum Breadth, balance and enrichment of the curriculum Promotion of Islamic values and Qatari culture Management of transitions and continuity in learning Teachers understanding of young children s learning and development Planning and teaching, including: Meeting the needs of all children Management of the learning environment Use of resources, including ICT, to support learning The impact of assessment on children s progress and development Standard 3: Care and welfare of children Aspects 3.1 Health, safety and hygiene 3.2 Care and learning support 3.3 Behaviour and relationships Focus Areas Safety, security and monitoring policies and practices, including: Attendance and punctuality Arrival, departure and transport Child: adult ratios, class and group sizes Risk assessments for school excursions, the building and play equipment Emergency evacuation Health, hygiene and first aid policies and practices Arrangements for ensuring child care, welfare and protection Provision for children with special educational or additional needs Impact of behaviour policy and procedures Relationships between adults and children PAGE 7

8 Standard 4: Partnerships with parents and the community Aspects 4.1 Partnerships with parents 4.2 Partnerships with the community Focus Areas Communication and feedback Involvement and collaboration Support and reporting Engagement with other early years settings and schools Involvement in community activities Standard 5: Resource management Aspects 5.1 Staff management and support 5.2 Learning resources and care facilities Focus Areas Sufficiency, recruitment and retention Qualifications, skills and experience Deployment, teamwork, roles and responsibilities Communication and participation in decision-making Processes for staff review, support and professional development Quality and variety of equipment, materials and resources, including ICT Quality and range of care facilities Aspect 6.1 Leadership and management 6.2 Self-evaluation and improvement 6.3 Governance and accountability Standard 6: Effectiveness of Educational Leadership Focus Areas Vision, mission and objectives Communication and relationships Development and review of effective policies Strategic leadership and impact on children s progress and development across the setting Management of day-to-day activities and routines Development, implementation and evaluation of processes for effective self-evaluation and next steps Impact of action plans on improving provision and outcomes Participation in improvement and decision making leading to improved provision and outcomes Ensuring accountability of leaders Ensuring implementation of statuary requirements PAGE 8

9 To help ensure that they reach balanced assessments, visiting teams of evaluators are required to determine whether, with respect to each Aspect, the performance of the setting is: Excellent Good Acceptable Poor A final evaluation is made of the setting s overall performance. This final evaluation is used to decide the length of the evaluation cycle (i.e. when the next evaluation visit will take place). THE STRUCTURE OF THE FRAMEWORK Each standard in the Framework comprises the following components: A brief introduction A table indicating the Aspects and Focus Areas attached to the standard A discussion of a number of issues for consideration when assessing the setting s performance against the Standard A list of likely sources of information and evidence to support the Standard evaluation Illustrative descriptions of quality at four levels: Excellent, Good, Acceptable and Poor. These are best fit descriptions, intended to help to identify the rating to be awarded for each Aspect. They should not be regarded as definitive or exhaustive. THE EVALUATION PROCEDURE A. Evaluation date and preparations All settings have to do the self-evaluation along with the action plan yearly and once the school will be visited for evaluation it will be contacted by the Evaluation Institute to submit its selfevaluation and action plan before sufficient period of the date of its scheduled evaluation visit. Settings can download the self-evaluation document from the SEC website and complete it. The self-evaluation document will have a template for the action plan. All settings must use the provided template for their action plan. B. Self-evaluation All the documents needed for the self-evaluation can be found on the Supreme Education Council website Evaluation Institute (EI). The two documents are: 1. The QNE-EYE self-evaluation aide 2. The QNE-EYE self-evaluation template (includes the action plan template) The QNE-EYE self-evaluation aide is a document that outlines some important prompts and questions a setting should consider before and during conducing their self-evaluation. This is a guiding document, and settings are NOT expected to answer each of these questions in the selfevaluation document. PAGE 9

10 The QNE-EYE self-evaluation template must be completed and sent to the Evaluation Institute in both soft and hardcopy. The setting should designate a senior member of staff responsible for leading the self-evaluation. During the self-evaluation phase, settings should: Conduct the self-evaluation according to the Standards set out in this Evaluation Framework Develop a plan of improvement (action plans) Provide supportive evidence of achievement against the evaluation standards Show how the setting has collaborated in the self-evaluation with representatives from all stakeholder groups. This includes the governing body, administration, teachers, other staff, and parents Provide a written report on self-evaluation and any other supportive materials to the members of the visiting team Prepare to host the external quality assurance visiting team. Section three of the QNE-EYE Framework is dedicated to providing leaders and practitioners with guidelines when undertaking a self-evaluation as part of their evaluation. These guidelines offer a structure for the evaluation of the main Aspects and Key Focus Areas outlined in the six standards. C. The evaluation visit The visiting team will spend between 3 to 5 days at the setting, depending on its size and other aspects, to study the education and care available in order to deepen their understanding of the self-evaluation report. The visit will include meetings with various stakeholder groups and review of evidence at the site. The responsibilities of the evaluating visiting team are to: Ensure the setting has taken the views of stakeholders into account regarding the strengths and areas of growth, and the ability of the school to achieve its vision and objectives Report on the setting s commitment to the standards Review the setting s commitment to the process of continuous improvement Assess how well the setting is meeting the learning and care needs of all the children The Chairman of the visiting team submits a report to the School Evaluation Office, which in turn, studies in-depth the recommendations made. PAGE 10

11 D. The evaluation cycle The evaluation team submits its findings to the School Evaluation Office of the Supreme Education Council who then makes a final decision on the evaluation cycle which will be as follows: Evaluation finding Excellent Good Acceptable Poor Evaluation cycle Re-evaluated on the 4 th year Re-evaluated on the 3 rd year Re-evaluated on the 2 nd year Re-evaluated during the 2 nd year, with follow-up visits E. Re-evaluation After obtaining an evaluation cycle, the setting commits to targeting further improvements in preparation for the next self-evaluation process. All early years settings must commit annually to: Carrying out the continuous improvement of operations as required Conducting internal quality assurance processes. All visiting teams and every individual evaluator will adhere to the following quality standards and standards of conduct: Objectivity and respect for evidence QUALITY STANDARDS 1. Evaluators must make objective and impartial evaluations. 2. Evaluators must arrive at fair and accurate judgements. 3. They must present an accurate, honest, fair and reliable report of the performance of every setting. 4. The judgements made about the standards children achieve and the strengths and weaknesses in the teaching and other aspects of educational provision must be based upon sufficient valid and reliable evidence. 5. Evaluators must aim to ensure that those involved in running settings recognise the credibility of the evidence base as well as understand and respect the assessments that emerge. 6. Everyone involved in the work of the setting should feel that the evaluation has provided a valuable contribution to its strategy for improvement. PAGE 11

12 Commitment to transparency 1. Through their communications with the staff of settings, evaluators will make every effort to ensure a clear and shared understanding of what is involved at each stage of the evaluation process. 2. Evaluators will readily explore issues through professional dialogue with the staff of settings. 3. Evaluators must maintain dialogue with those whose work they evaluate and must communicate the outcomes clearly. 4. The feedback to senior staff, given orally and in writing, must be clear and unambiguous. PAGE 12

13 STANDARDS AND CODE OF CONDUCT Professionalism 1. Evaluators must at all times adhere to the highest standards of personal conduct in speech and action. For example, mobile phones must be switched off or left on silent during the course of the school day. 2. Evaluators must always act with the best interests and wellbeing of children and setting staff in mind. 3. Evaluators must respect the confidentiality of the information they receive, particularly about individuals and their work. 4. Evaluators must not interfere in the smooth running of the setting and only intervene if there is a risk to the health and safety of any child or member of staff. Courtesy 1. Evaluators must endeavour to establish effective working relationship with the staff of every setting, based on respect for and sensitivity to their concerns and the circumstances in which they work. 2. Evaluators must do all they can throughout the evaluation process to allay worry and anxiety among the members of the staff of settings. PAGE 13

14 SECTION 2 EARLY YEARS EDUCATION FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATION Standard 1: Children s progress and development This standard is concerned with how well children develop intellectually, socially, creatively and physically. The key point for evaluation in each Aspect is the extent to which children are ready, by the time they leave the early years setting, to begin the primary phase of their education. There should be evidence throughout the setting of the natural progression in these skills. Aspects 1.1 Progress in language and communication 1.2 Progress in mathematics 1.3 Personal and social development 1.4 Ability to learn and cognitive development 1.5 Physical development Focus Areas Listening and understanding Speaking and interacting Reading for understanding and enjoyment Writing Numbers and counting Calculating Shape, space and measures Awareness of self and others, including awareness of living in the context of Qatar and where appropriate Islamic values. Social interactions and relationships including managing feelings and behaviour Attitudes to learning and motivation Working independently Emerging scientific skills and natural curiosity Control and coordination Health and body awareness Issues to consider in standard 1 Progress in language and communication (in all languages taught in the setting): Self-evaluation and external evaluation require an assessment of how well children of all abilities and backgrounds perform in all languages taught at the setting. Are children across the setting developing age-appropriate linguistic skills to be able to access the curriculum, communicate with others and express, for example their thoughts and needs? How well do they develop an understanding and appreciation for the use of language, symbols, drawings and written text to communicate meaning effectively? This includes assessing the progress of children who are learning an additional language. PAGE 14

15 Evidence may come from the analysis of children s engagement in learning activities and other forms of observational assessment, as well as evaluations of oral work and portfolio documentation, written language samples, photographs and videos of projects. Progress in mathematics Children in the setting are expected to be developing their mathematical skills. This is not only reflected in session or activities dedicated to these skills, but should be integrated in a wide range of areas across the setting. Evaluators will determine how well children are developing their mathematical skills, such as familiarity with numbers, the concept of counting and mathematical operations such as adding and subtracting. Can they count in order, sort, match, compare, contrast, measure and identify proportions and numbers? This will be observed in a range of activities across the setting and should not be limited to mathematics sessions. Personal and social development Children should be developing and learning about who they are, where they come from, how to interact with others, manage their own behaviour and express themselves in an age-appropriate manner. They should be developing an awareness of others and acceptable social behaviour in the context of their environment. This includes an awareness of living in the Arabic, Islamic State of Qatar. Observation will give first-hand evidence of how adaptable children are and whether they have developed self-regulation, enabling them to take turns, share and co-operate with one another. How well do children listen to one another and build on each other s contributions when they are working in groups? How willing and often to children share games, toys or other objects? Do they interact well with other children? Ability to learn and cognitive development Observations will give first-hand evidence of how well children have developed the selfconfidence to work independent of the teacher. Do they pursue problems as far as they can, or do they give up easily and request assistance from adults? Children s attitudes to learning will be evident in play and learning activities and in the way they behave around the setting. In an effective early years setting, children are enthusiastic about and absorbed by what it provides, and are keen to participate fully. The extent of their enthusiasm is seen in their engagement and their willingness to ask and respond to questions and to volunteer ideas. Children will be expected to be developing their cognitive skills and this is reflected in them developing their scientific skills. Can they understand sequence and the concept of time, such as before and after or recognise when a story is being told out of order? How do they approach solving problems or give an alternative or more complex explanation to a situation? Effective setting will be developing the children s ability to analyse, give reasons for a particular phenomenon, evaluate, describe cause and effect, explore, predict, retain specific information, remember experiences and make links with prior learning. Children will also be expected to be developing an understanding and practice of using art to represent symbols and drawings; for example, their drawings should be developing to become more realistic as children develop in the setting. Do children demonstrate an understanding for different textures, forms of matter and explore their properties? Curiosity and imagination are important attributes and early years settings should seek to foster them. Do children ask PAGE 15

16 questions about what they observe, and offer comments as part of discussions? Do they contribute ideas and try things out for themselves? Do children show imagination in practical and play-based activities? Do they devise their own responses, choose which resources to use and draw their own conclusions? Do children respond creatively to experiences, using media and materials, music, physical activity and imaginative play? Are they able to communicate their ideas by using a widening range of materials, tools, role-play, songs and musical instruments? Do they understand the effects they can create by choosing different media to work with? Physical development Evaluations of children s physical development during activities and free play should concentrate on assessing how much progress they are making in their control and coordination using, for example, a range of small and large equipment. Do they, for example, show increasing control over an object, such as a ball, by touching, pushing, patting, throwing, catching and kicking it? Do they experiment with different ways of moving? Are they becoming increasingly aware of space, of themselves and of others? Do older children show that they know the importance of keeping healthy by exercising, eating well, getting enough sleep and keeping clean? Likely sources of information and evidence to support evaluation Observation of learning activities and play: analysis of the progress children demonstrate and their stages of development Analysis of records of a range of assessment types Scrutiny of a sample of portfolios of children s work Talking to children Discussions with teachers and teaching assistants. Illustrative descriptions of children s progress and development The following descriptions provide an outline of what children might be expected to demonstrate aged 5-6 years, when they typically begin the primary phase of their education. This standard is concerned with the progress children demonstrate in the five Aspects as they progress in the setting and are prepared for primary schooling. For each of the five Aspects in Standard 1, progress and development will be evaluated as: Almost all children make at least good progress in the areas outlined and a majority demonstrate progress that is above ageexpectations. Each Aspect for Standard 1 Excellent Good Acceptable Poor Almost all children Most children demonstrate age- demonstrate ageappropriate progress appropriate progress in most of the areas of in most of the areas of skills, knowledge and skills, knowledge and understanding understanding outlined. outlined. Less than three quarters of the children demonstrate appropriate progress in most of the areas outlined. PAGE 16

17 1.1 Progress in language and communication Focus Area Listening and understanding Speaking and interacting Reading for understanding and enjoyment Skills, knowledge and understanding children should be developing as they progress through the setting 1. Understand basic classroom instructions by following them independently and accurately. 2. Listen and respond to stories, songs and other music, rhymes and poems. 3. Attentive listening, responding to what they have heard with relevant comments or actions. In Arabic (in addition to the above): Children are expected to demonstrate the above skills in response to Standard Arabic rather than colloquial Arabic. 1. Speak clearly and audibly with correct pronunciations, with confidence and show awareness of the listeners. 2. Explore the sounds of letters and letter combinations. 3. Extend their vocabulary, exploring the meanings and sounds of new words. 4. Initiate conversation, attend to and take account of what others say. 5. Speak to others about their wants and needs with confidence. 6. Interact with others and take turns in conversation. 7. Understand the concept of rhymes. 8. Begin to uses talk to pretend imaginary situations. 9. Begin to use language that reflects tenses, past, present and future. 10. Begin to make patters in their experience through sequencing, ordering and grouping. 11. Use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences. 12. Use vocabulary and forms of speech that are increasingly influenced by their experience of books and interactions with others. In Arabic (in addition to the above): Children are expected to demonstrate the above skills in Standard Arabic rather than colloquial Arabic. 1. Link sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet. 2. Hear and say the initial sound in words and know which letters represent some of the sounds. 3. Say sounds in words in the order in which they occur. 4. Phonetically attempt to read both familiar and unfamiliar words. 5. Recognise letters in lower case form and some upper case letters. 6. Know that information can be retrieved from a range of sources such as books, computers and people. 7. Enjoy an increasing range of books and tell the narrative of a story from the pictures. 8. Retell narratives in the correct sequence in their own words. 9. Show an understanding of the elements of stories, such as main character, sequence of events and locations. 10. Answer both factual and non-factual questions about a story, such as answering questions about what, where, when, why, who and how. 11. Creating alternative story lines and answering questions such as, what if? PAGE 17

18 1.1 Progress in language and communication Focus Area Writing Skills, knowledge and understanding children should be developing as they progress through the setting In Arabic (in addition to the above): Can identify letter formations at the beginning, middle and end of a word. 1. Use controlled scribbles and drawings to express thoughts, feels, wants, needs and the world around them. 2. Know that print carries meaning and, in English it is read from left to right and top to bottom. In Arabic it is read from right to left. 3. Can trace letters and write letters independently with clear, legible writing. 4. Use writing as a means of recording and communicating. 5. Write their own names and other high frequency words used in the setting. 6. Use their phonetic knowledge to write letters and sounds. 7. Use their phonetic knowledge to write simple regular words. 8. Use their phonetic knowledge to attempt to write unfamiliar words 1.2 Progress in mathematics Focus Area Numbers and counting Calculating Shape, space and measures Skills, knowledge and understanding children should be developing as they progress through the setting 1. Recognise some numerals of personal significance, such as their age, number of siblings, number of children in the class and the date. 2. Count up to three or four objects by saying one number name for each item. 3. Begin to represent numbers using fingers, marks on paper or pictures. 4. Select the correct numeral to represent 1 to 9 objects. 5. Count on reliably up to ten everyday objects. 6. Count on reliably up to twenty or more. 7. Estimate how many objects they can see and check by counting them. 8. Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems. 9. Count aloud in ones, twos, fives or tens. 1. Say the number that is one more or less than a given number. 2. In practical activities and discussion, begin to use age appropriate language to relate addition to combining or putting together of objects and subtraction to 'taking away'. 3. Place objects into equal groups and count how many in each group. 4. Use language such as 'more' or 'less' to compare two numbers. 5. Use own methods to work through a problem. 1. Sort familiar objects to identify their similarities and differences. 2. Use familiar objects and common shapes to create and recreate patterns and build models. 3. Talk about, recognise and recreate simple patterns. 4. Order two or three items by length or height. 5. Use everyday words to describe position such as in, out, next to. 6. Select a particular named shape. 7. Show curiosity about and observation of shapes by talking about how they are the same or different. 8. Show awareness of symmetry. PAGE 18

19 1.2 Progress in mathematics Focus Area Skills, knowledge and understanding children should be developing as they progress through the setting 9. Begin to use mathematical names for 'solid' 3D shapes (such as cube, cylinder and sphere) and 'flat' 2D shapes (such as square, circle and triangle). 10. Find items from positional or directional clues. 11. Use language such as 'greater', 'smaller', 'heavier' or 'lighter' to compare quantities. 12. Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems. 13. Order two items by weight or capacity. 14. Count how many objects share a particular property, presenting results using pictures, drawings or numerals. 1.3 Personal and social development Focus Area Awareness of self and others, including awareness of living in the context of Qatar and where appropriate Islamic values Social interactions and relationships including managing feelings and behaviour Skills, knowledge and understanding children should be developing as they progress through the setting 1. Develop an awareness of themselves: who they are, where they came from, where they are living, whom they live with, why they come to school, where they like to go when on holiday or their favourite play area/place to be. 2. Developing an awareness of families, communities and different roles of people in society (i.e. a growing awareness of jobs and what is needed to perform these jobs). 3. Have a positive self-image and show that they are comfortable with themselves. 4. Have an age-appropriate awareness and pride in their own achievements, abilities and talk about what they want to do in the future. 5. Developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings. 6. Develop an awareness of others around them and their needs, feelings and wants by responding in a socially acceptable and age-appropriate manner. 7. Developing an awareness of the context of the State of Qatar, such as: identify it s flag, show respect when hearing the national anthem, identify local dress and how it differs or is the same as other cultural clothing or identify main landmarks that they know or are particular to Qatar. 8. Where relevant, Muslim children develop an age-appropriate awareness of Islamic values, their application in daily life, start to learn basic facts about Islam and are learning short Suras from the Qur an. 1. Demonstrate an increasing capacity to follow classroom rules and routines. 2. Understand that there need to be agreed values and codes of behaviour when working together and sharing the same classroom or activity space with others. 3. Develop an understanding of how their actions may affect others; begin to accept consequences of their actions. 4. Demonstrate developing social skills, such as helping, cooperating, caring, and showing empathy, generosity, negotiating and resolving conflicts with others. PAGE 19

20 1.3 Personal and social development Focus Area Skills, knowledge and understanding children should be developing as they progress through the setting 5. Form relationships of trust and respect with other children and teachers. 6. Work as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly. Attitudes to learning and motivation Working independently Emerging scientific skills and natural curiosity 1.4 Ability to learn and cognitive development 1. Keen and happy to play, interact and participate in activities, games and classroom work. 2. Persist for extended periods of time at an activity of their choosing. 3. Maintain attention, concentrate, and sit quietly when appropriate. 4. Develop a keenness to ask questions and talk about what they are doing. 5. Develop their confidence to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a familiar group. 6. Continue to be interested, excited and motivated to learn even when an activity is not of their choice. 7. Display high levels of involvement in activities with little teacher prompting to continue work. 1. Select and use activities and resources independently. 2. Operate independently within the environment and show confidence in linking up with others for support and guidance. 3. Make basic evaluations of activities, materials and equipment, such as listing and explaining their favourites. 1. Explore objects and materials of different textures, shapes, colours, sizes and features to establish their characteristics for themselves. 2. Use diverse equipment, objects and materials to make images and patterns and to build identifiable items. 3. Work towards solving problems using prior knowledge and skills, and getting support when necessary. 4. Develop their use and understanding of symbols and drawings to represent their environment. 5. Use displays in the setting as a reference to develop their learning. 6. Explore and experiment in role play, talk about what a character might do next and link these to their surrounding environment. 7. Develop a natural curiosity for their environment, including learning about its plants, animals and insects. 8. Develop their ability to investigate and ask questions about what they observe, try things out for themselves, are imaginative in explaining a phenomenon and in play-based activities. 9. Develop their imagination and respond creatively to a range of situations. 10. Develop their ability to communicate their ideas by using a wide range of materials, tools, colours, role-play, songs and when appropriate musical instruments. PAGE 20

21 Coordination and control Health and body awareness 1.5 Physical development 1. Travel around, under, over and through balancing and climbing equipment. 2. Go backwards and sideways as well as forwards. 3. Show awareness of space, of themselves and of others. 4. Show understanding of the need for safety when tackling new challenges. 5. Jump off an object and land appropriately. 6. Initiate new combinations of movement and gesture in order to express and respond to feelings, ideas and experiences. 7. Construct with large materials such as cartons, fabric and planks. 8. Explore malleable materials by patting, stroking, poking, squeezing, pinching and twisting them. 9. Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control. 10. Manipulate materials to achieve a planned effect. 11. Exert increasing control over an object, such as a ball, by touching, pushing, patting, throwing, catching or kicking it. 1. Appreciate the need for hygiene. 2. Dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene. 3. Show some understanding that good practices with regard to exercise, eating, sleeping and hygiene can contribute to good health. 4. Recognise the changes that happen to their bodies when they are active. PAGE 21

22 Standard 2: Educational quality Early years education provides the foundation of all future learning. This standard is concerned with how well early years settings meet the educational needs of the children in their care. Children learn best through enjoyable and stimulating experiences, which extend them intellectually and physically. In the best settings, children build a strong foundation for future and life-long learning through activities that develop their personal, social and physical skills and their emotional wellbeing, as well as their conceptual understanding. The evaluation of the curriculum refers to a setting s implementation of its curriculum rather than to the quality of the curriculum itself. The Evaluation Institute respects the right of private early years settings to select their own curricula and does not endorse any one curriculum in preference to another. The evaluation of teaching and assessment refers to how well the teaching helps the children to learn effectively. Evaluators do not apply any pre-conceived notions of good teaching styles but instead concentrate on judging how successfully the teaching they witness promotes and supports the children s learning. Aspects 2.1 How well the curriculum meets the needs of the children 2.2 Teaching and assessment Focus Areas Rationale, planning and review of the curriculum Breadth, balance and enrichment of the curriculum Promotion of Islamic values and Qatari culture Management of transitions and continuity in learning Teachers understanding of young children s learning and development Planning and teaching, including: Meeting the needs of all children Management of the learning environment Use of resources, including ICT, to support learning The impact of assessment on children s progress and development Issues to consider in standard 2 Curriculum rationale, planning and review Evaluators determine whether the curriculum is founded on a clear rationale, appropriate for the context of the early years setting. Why did the setting select the curriculum it currently uses? How as it adapted the curriculum to meets its vision, mission, and objectives; and to meet the particular needs of its context? Is the adaptation successful, how do you know? How has the setting structured the learning day for the children? What learning opportunities, subjects, experiences have the setting planned for as part of the children s experience? Why were these PAGE 22

23 particular areas selected? How does the curriculum plan to provide children with effective opportunities to play, explore, be creative, develop thinking skills and allow children to be active in their learning? Does the setting have plans that show how the curriculum is organised and sequenced? Are these plans regularly reviewed as part of the self-evaluation process? Are changes to the curriculum well planned, and do they ensure that the needs and interests of all children are met? When appropriate, is account taken of the views of parents and children to help decide what changes to make? Curriculum breadth, balance and enrichment Evaluators consider whether the setting provides for all its children, within the scope of the curriculum it offers, a sufficiently broad range of experiences that are well suited to their intellectual, social and physical needs. Evaluators consider the mix of activities offered, how much choice there is for children of different ages and the challenges presented to them. They take into account the prescriptions of the curriculum being followed and assess the extent to which the setting takes advantage of the scope it offers. They assess how relevant the activities offered are to the children s needs, including those who are high achieving and those who have difficulties with learning. The quality of curriculum implementation also depends on what the setting chooses to add to its basic provision in order to broaden children s experiences. Some activities may be within the planned curriculum for all children and others may be outside, offered to children on a voluntary basis. Children may have to choose what additional opportunities to take up. Are they constrained in their choices and, if so, what guidance do they have? What is the take-up of extracurricular activities, and does the setting keep records? The important question is: how broad and rich is the curriculum for individual children? Islamic values and Qatari culture An important element in the evaluation of the curriculum is the extent to which understanding of Qatari culture and society is deliberately promoted and applied in the day-to-day work of the early years setting. All children in the State of Qatar should learn about and experience Qatari culture. The setting should consider how it ensures that the Muslim children learn about Islamic values. Transitions and continuity Children and their parents need to be well supported when they first join their early years setting and when they leave it to begin primary education. Transition arrangements should ensure that all are familiar with the setting and fully aware of policies and expectations. All early years settings need to consider how well they are preparing their children for the primary stage of their education. How well are children developing the knowledge, understanding and skills they will need at the primary stage? Are there well developed links with the schools to which the children will transfer? Do the staff have a clear understanding of what will be expected of the children when they begin their primary education? Teachers understanding of young children s learning and development Evaluators assess the teachers knowledge of child development and early childhood education. They consider, for example, how well the teachers arrange indoor and outdoor learning environments to engage and support children s learning and their progress toward independence. Is a variety of integrated activities, including play, planned and implemented, PAGE 23

24 based on children s developmental needs and interests? Do the teachers give the children opportunities to develop their skills by exploring materials and equipment and using them in imaginative play? Do the teachers talk with the children about what they have learnt? How do teachers challenge the children to develop their skills and understanding of the world around them? Planning and teaching Evaluators consider whether teachers manage daily routines and learning experiences effectively, with a balance of adult- and child-initiated activities. Are the sessions calm and purposeful, based on clear, confident instruction and activities that are meaningful, worthwhile and focused on ensuring gains in knowledge, skills and understanding? A key point for evaluation is the extent to which teachers use a variety of teaching and learning resources that lead to effective learning. Effective methods motivate children and promote sound gains in knowledge, understanding and skills. Teachers should be seeking ways to engage children with suitable materials and equipment. Are teachers constrained in their approaches or do they use a variety of resources, including ICT, to present, explain, integrate and consolidate concepts and ideas? Not all children learn in the same way. It is therefore important to provide a variety of grouping and teaching strategies. For young children, whole-class teaching is seldom the most effective approach; working individually, in pairs or small groups is likely to be more effective and developmentally appropriate. Analysis of schemes of work and lesson plans will show whether teachers are aware of these issues, and lesson observation will show whether a variety of activities is offered, and what its impact on learning is. Are children helped to understand how to work and play together, to listen to one another and to take turns and is there a balance of adultand child-initiated activities? Effective learning extends children intellectually, creatively and physically. Clues to whether challenge is sufficient are seen in the effort that children put into their learning. When activities and materials are insufficiently challenging, children easily become bored. This can arise from mundane or routine tasks. Evaluators should expect to see targeted questioning and intervention by teachers; and tasks and materials that provide challenge. Do the teachers focus on encouraging individual children to increase the scope of what they understand and can do by giving them progressively more challenging tasks? Do they offer children opportunities to make choices about the activities they take part in and the equipment and materials they use? Assessment Evaluation of the nature of assessment and how it is used comes from observations of learning sessions, looking at children s work, the setting s policies and discussions with teachers and other staff. Do the teachers regularly assess what children know, understand and can do, and do they adjust their teaching in consequence? Do they ask questions that test the children s understanding? Do they follow up answers to respond to children s needs? Do they use observational checklists, work samples, parent interviews and developmental milestones to identify children s needs and align teaching and learning experiences to match them? Likely sources of information and evidence to support evaluation Curriculum rationale, overviews and plans Discussions with teachers Talking to children PAGE 24