Information for Parents
The Best Start Kindergarten assessment will take place before students commence normal school routines.
What is the Best Start assessment?
Children come to school with different levels of literacy and numeracy. Some are familiar with books, can recognise some letters, even write their name or count to ten, while others have not yet learned these skills.
Our kindergarten teachers have always observed their new students and used different methods to find out what each child knows and can do, so teachers can plan and teach what their students need to learn next.
Our school takes part in Best Start, which has been developed by early learning experts in the Department of Education. Best Start gives our teachers, and those teaching Kindergarten across New South Wales, a common set of high-quality assessment tools and professional training.
A copy of the NSW Department of Education Best Start Kindergarten Assessment - A parent and carer's guide to the assessment is available for download.
Your child and the Best Start Kindergarten assessment
It is very important to emphasise that the Best Start Kindergarten Assessment is not a test. Its purpose is to help the teacher gather information to guide the teaching of your child.
The teacher will observe each child and use tasks, such as talking about a book that has been read or ask students to count, and record what their students know and can do. The teaching of your child will be based on the information gathered in these ways.
You will be given feedback about what your child’s teacher has learned about your child, which you are welcome to discuss if you wish, in keeping with our usual practice.
What is being assessed?
The teacher will look at your child’s early reading and writing, their ability to communicate with others, and how they recognise and work with numbers, groups and patterns.