EYFS Profile Results 2016
Once again there has been an increase in the percentage of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the EYFS. This means that almost 70% of young children reached this milestone. A good level of development (GLD) is defined as: Children achieving at least the expected level within the areas of learning: communication and language; physical development; personal, social and emotional development; literacy and mathematics.
Gender Differences
Although the gender gap for the percentage of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the EYFS reduced from 15.6ppts in 2015 to 14.7 ppts in 2016 we know there is still a huge difference in outcomes for boys and girls. The good news is that whilst more girls achieved the good level of development this year (76.8%); boys’ outcomes improved faster, taking the figure from 59% achieving a GLD in 2015 to 62% reaching it this year. This suggests that teachers’ efforts to engage boys in learning is paying off. Well done, schools!
Bucking the trend?
Focus on children’s interests – engaging them is key:
- Get to know what they like to do at home and build from there
- Involve parents – they usually want to help but don’t always know how
- Focus on what children can do and scaffold their learning to take them towards the next steps
Remember some boys prefer to do things differently than their female counterparts, and, as the recent Save the Children Report indicated:
- Boys are nearly twice as likely to be behind in early language and communication skills than girls at the very beginning of primary school. (Therefore we believe there is a need to concentrate on finding enjoyable ways to encourage them to talk and listen.)
- Boys participate less in the type of activities and games, such as storytelling and nursery rhymes, that support language and literacy development at home, pre-school and school. (BUT, we know full well, that if lots of resources and space are available boys are easily persuaded to march up and down and join in singing the Grand Old Duke of York or other action rhymes and there’s nothing like a Big Bad Wolf to engage them in dramatizing favourite tales!)
- Boys are less likely to acquire the characteristics that will one day help them to learn to read and write – such as motivation, self-regulation, confidence and engagement. (Save the Children Report: The Lost Boys, 2016) However, we know they usually can’t wait to join in if what they are learning really interests them.)