When Should I Enter a Baseline?


Schools do not have to enter baseline data at all. In fact, many schools find that they are happy to use the markbooks to generate their first scores in a framework and accept that this may take some time to generate something that is accurate for the assessment framework that they are using.

However, entering a baseline score can be useful if schools want to enter a starting point for pupils that can then be used for tracking purposes. For example:

  • To give year 1 pupils a starting point in your schools's KS1 framework
  • To give new pupils a starting point in your school's framework
  • To give all pupils a starting point in a new framework that your school is using (e.g. when moving from levels to a new curriculum)
  • To give reception pupils a starting point in the EYFS framework


How Do I Enter Baseline Data?


Baseline data should be entered into the Attainment and Progress area. Please follow the instructions on our Entering Assessment scores page for guidance on entering data.

When entering baseline data you should bear the following things in mind:

  • All users can enter data for the current month, however historic data can only be entered by a Classroom Monitor SLT user.
  • Entering a baseline for a pupil as teacher assessment will set their score to 'manual'. This means that markbook assessments will not affect that pupil's score until they are switched back to 'automatic' on the adjust scores screen. Also bear in mind that when a pupil is set to manual, percentages are not recorded so cannot be used for percentage tracking.
  • Entering a baseline for a pupil as summative assessment will keep their teacher assessment score as 'automatic'. However, summative assessment does not carry forward like teacher assessment so when using it for tracking you will need to select the month in which it was entered.
  • Baselines can be useful as a guideline but, as one framework rarely corresponds exactly to another, the accuracy of the translation will vary.
  • Entering a baseline at the start of the year can mask some progress as a pupil will be given the low score which will be equivalent to them having already achieved a certain percentage of that markbook


How Do I Baseline Pupils With Scores From a Different Framework?


There is no fixed way of translating any framework into another framework. Individual schools will need to make the decision on what constitutes equivalent values in the two frameworks. It can be useful to create a form of 'ready reckoner' that gives yourself or other members of staff a guide.

Some general guidelines:

  • Many of the NC14 frameworks base their scoring on age related expectations. This makes translating scores between NC14 frameworks fairly straightforward.
  • When translating from frameworks that are not based on age related expectations (e.g. NC2000 levels) you should think about what the age related expectations were at the time that the score was recorded. For example, if you have KS1 results in levels and want to convert them into Rising Stars Progression Framework; you may decide that age related expectation was a 2B or a 2A so any pupil with a 2B or 2A should be given a 2 Sec, any pupil with a level 3 is above expectation so is given a 2 Exc and any pupil with a 2C or below is below expectation is given a 2 Beg or lower.
  • If you want to add early years scores for year 1 into a KS1 or KS1/2 framework, you will need to make sure that you have scores available that are lower than those that exist in the framework. If these don't exist currently, you can add them using the customisation tool. You will need to make sure that the points values for these scores fit with the points structure for the rest of your framework which may require some adjustment. As an example, some schools use WTC/WTB/WTA to designate that a pupil is "working towards" the lowest available score whilst others use Elg Em/ ELG Exp/ ELG Exc.


How Do I Enter Reception Baseline Data?


You have a number of options for entering baseline data for reception children, but please be aware that you can not record summative assessments for the EYFS curriculum. Which one you choose should depend on what you want to use the data for:

  • Baselines can be generated by recording initial assessments in the EYFS markbooks. When these markbooks are saved, a pupil will be given a score for each area of learning. This is useful for continuity as you will continue to assess reception pupils in these markbooks throughout reception year.
  • You can also enter baseline scores directly into the pupil tracking area by following instructions on the Recording Assessment Scores help page or importing them via the Asessment and Test Results Importer. You may choose to enter them into the EYFS curriculum to maintain continuity in your tracking but you could also choose to enter them into Reception Baseline Scores or create a subject of your own using the curriculum customisation tool if you want to record a specific score.


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