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SEND assessment guidance and resources

Practical, early years SEND assessment resources that you can use to help children with SEND.  

The resources have been developed by Dingley’s Promise in collaboration with the Department for Education.

Dingley’s Promise is the largest specialist provider of nursery education to children under 5 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in England. They are also a leading training provider in early years inclusive practice, committed to creating a more inclusive early years sector which offers the best start in life for every child.

Having a simple and clear method of assessment

Practitioners and experts agree that excessive assessment paperwork is not beneficial in the early years as it takes valuable time away from interacting with children and puts unnecessary strain on practitioners. However, for children with SEND, a simple and clear method of assessment to capture where children are, so that you can give them the right support at the right time, is essential.

Effective practice in the early years starts with a carefully planned, high-quality curriculum and all observations and assessments should be linked to the intended learning. When you notice that a child is not progressing through the curriculum as intended, you should shape teaching and learning experiences appropriately so each child can learn what you intend. If a child has not secured the intended learning following adaptations to your practice, this is when you should consider additional methods of support for the child, such as these resources. 

These resources have been created to support a child-centred, strengths-based approach to assessing children’s needs. They will support the assessment of the development of each unique child, providing a simple approach to identify and meet their needs as soon as possible.

The resources have been assembled through surveys and consultation with a range of early years professionals. The recommended tools have all been user tested for effectiveness and functionality to ensure they can be applied within your practice.