Leighton Andrews, Minister for Education and Skills
This was published under the 2011 to 2016 administration of the Welsh Government
As part of my recently announced review of the Foundation Phase on-entry assessment arrangements, Professor Iram Siraj-Blatchford, a Professor of Education at the Institute of Education University of London specialising in Early Years, has undertaken a rapid review on my behalf and has reported her provisional findings.
The Child Development Assessment Profile was introduced for maintained settings in September 2011 and was intended to be introduced for non-maintained settings in September 2012 for the assessment of all children when they first enter the Foundation Phase.
It is clear listening to the representations made to me by teachers and headteachers and Professor Siraj-Blatchford’s early findings that there are significant problems with the Child Development Assessment Profile (CDAP).
I have therefore decided to withdraw the statutory requirement to use the Child Development Assessment Profile (CDAP) in all education settings
I remain committed to a single, consistent assessment tool for use with children as they progress through the Foundation Phase. However, it is clear that the CDAP in its current form does not adequately meet the needs of all practitioners and children.
Work is already in hand to ensure that we move quickly to replace the CDAP with a tool that better supports children’s early learning and development.