Preschool Outcome Measure - Formative Assessment Tool

The Preschool Outcomes Measure is a nation-wide teaching tool. The Preschool Outcomes Measure is a comprehensive tool designed to support preschool teachers and educators in enhancing their practice. 

 The Preschool Outcomes Measure will focus on two age-appropriate domains:

• Executive function, to support children to plan, focus, remember instructions and juggle multiple tasks.

• Oral language and literacy, to support children to speak, listen, read, view, write and create.

These domains were selected because they have a strong evidence base. They are also foundational skills that support children to thrive. Supporting children to build these skills is critical to addressing disadvantage.

Purpose

• Evidence-Based Assessment: Provides a formative assessment tool to understand a child's learning and development.

• Understanding Strengths: Enhances understanding of a child's strengths and capabilities.

• Planning Development: Supports planning the next steps in a child's learning journey.

Eligibility

• Who Can Use It: Services providing preschool programs for children in the year before they start full-time school, including school-based or community preschools and Centre Based Day Care.

• Voluntary Use: Participation is voluntary.

Implementation

• Building on Existing Practices: Designed to complement and enhance teachers' and educators' existing practices.

• Alignment with Standards: Aligns with benchmarks like the National Quality Standard and the Early Years Learning Framework V2.

• Play-Based Learning: Supports play-based learning and complements observations of children's development.

• Consistent Language: Promotes nationally consistent language around children's learning, easing transitions between services.

Benefits for Children

• Tracking Progress: Helps teachers see how far children have come in their learning.

• Resource Support: Provides resources to support what children are ready to learn next.

• Inclusivity: Supports teaching all children, including First Nations children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and children of varying abilities.

• Non-Benchmarking: It is not a test and will not be used to benchmark teachers, educators, services, children, or jurisdictions.

This tool aims to streamline and enhance existing practices, making it easier for educators to support children's learning and development effectively.

Reference:
Factsheet For Preschool Services About The Preschool Outcomes Measure, Australian Department Of Education