Statistical Aspects of Baseline Assessment and its Relationship to End of Key Stage One Assessment

The current proliferation of baseline assessment schemes for Reception pupils has a number of aims, one of which involves the concept of 'value-added' from Reception to Key Stage 1. This paper looks at results from data collected for three baseline schemes, and investigates what can be said about national levels of performance. It also looks at evidence on relationships between baseline and Key Stage 1 test results, and critically evaluates the extent to which such data can be used for 'value-added' analyses.