Data vs Professional Judgement | EYFS

EYFS definition

Data and professional judgement are connected parts of assessment. Data is recorded information about learning; professional judgement is the informed interpretation of what a child knows and can do. In EYFS practice, each can help adults understand children’s progress.

What does each contribute?

Data may include numerical summaries, brief notes or information about a particular skill. It can make patterns easier to review.

Professional judgement draws on child development knowledge, curriculum intentions, interactions and family perspectives. It helps adults consider what recorded information means in context.

What might this look like in practice?

A record suggests that a child rarely joins group conversations. Their key person also knows that they explain ideas confidently during outdoor play. Considering both helps adults explore the conditions that support communication.

A small-group summary may highlight a teaching focus, while individual knowledge helps adults adapt their response.

How can they work together?

A useful review asks what the information tells us and what decision it will help us make. A score or category may need explanation; an initial interpretation may change after further discussion.

EYFS assessment does not require elaborate tracking systems. Focused records can still be helpful where they support teaching, communication or an individual review.

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