The Foundation Phase Profile Observations (FPPO) is an observation method used to assess the progress and development of three to seven-year-old children. It provides practitioners with criteria observed in each child’s activity to assess their progress. It enables practitioners to identify each child’s strengths and areas of development and set targets for their future learning. The FPPO consists of 6 separate measures, which are observed: gross motor planning and coordination, fine motor coordination and planning, oral language, symbolic understanding, self-help and self-care skills, and social and emotional understanding Lorina (Lorina, 2016). For each measure, five targets (A-E) are established to help identify a child’s current level of competency. This enables practitioners to set individualized learning objectives tailored to each child’s development and educational needs.
The benefits of this observation method are that it is comprehensive and provides a detailed overview of a child’s development and performance. It is specific to the Foundation Phase and is tailored to meet the needs of the age-appropriate objectives and standards (Lorina, 2016). The profile includes a wide range of observation information, including progress in language, numeracy, art and design, expressive arts and design, physical development, understanding the world, communication, reasoning, and problem-solving. It provides insight into how much progress a child has made and how well they are doing in these areas.
Another notable benefit is its clear structure and format. This allows practitioners to identify a child’s development about specific criteria easily and provides them with a guideline for judgment and assessment. It covers a broad range of skills and abilities so that each measure provides a complete view of the child’s development. This enables practitioners to understand a child’s learning objectives and plan and provide effective support (Peterson and Elam, 2021). Additionally, the FPPO allows practitioners to measure progress over time, making informed decisions on a child’s development. This enables them to identify any areas of concern or slow development and address them quickly.
The Foundation Phase Profile Observations (FPPO) tool is designed to measure each child’s progress over time and also be used to inform practitioners and parents on areas in which a child may need more support and guidance. The FPPO enables practitioners and parents to determine a child’s progress in key areas such as mathematics, language and literacy, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, physical development and physical activity, personal and social development, and Welsh language and cultural development. There are also several additional observations in areas such as expressive arts, sensory development, numeracy, and character development (Peterson and Elam, 2021). The FPPO consists of questions that practitioners or parents can answer. Each question assesses a particular area of a child’s development, and the results will allow practitioners and parents to identify areas of strength and areas in which more support and guidance may be needed.
The FPPO also allows practitioners to identify individual learning objectives which can be used to inform lesson plans and activities. This, in turn, assists practitioners in determining how best to meet the needs of individual children, as well as helping them to measure progress over time and make informed decisions about a child’s development (Taylor, Rhys, and Waldron, 2015). For example, FPPO helps create a shared language for practitioners and parents, enabling greater collaboration and communication when discussing a child’s development. Moreover, practitioners can keep track of a child’s progression and achievements, creating a key documentation resource. Thus, by utilizing the FPPO, practitioners can set appropriate learning objectives and measure the success of their lessons and interventions.
One of the main limitations of the FPPO is that it does not consider the natural variation in children’s development, which means that a child’s progress could be inaccurately judged. As the FPPO is based on a standardized set of criteria, it can only provide an average level of achievement, which does not consider individual skills or abilities. This means that children who excel in certain areas or underperform in others may not be making the expected progress (Taylor, Rhys and Waldron, 2015). Furthermore, the FPPO is based on the assumption that all children should meet a universal set of criteria, yet not all children have the same needs. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the FPPO is supplemented with other forms of assessment that can better provide an accurate assessment of a child’s needs.
Another limitation of the FPPO is that it only covers certain aspects of a child’s overall development and provides a limited picture of their overall achievement level. While the areas of learning and development aim to provide a comprehensive overview, this leaves out important aspects such as reasoning and creative thinking, which may be important indicators of a child’s ability. Additionally, the broad categories may not be relevant to a particular child, as they fail to consider their skills and interests (Peterson and Elam, 2021). Moreover, some areas, such as ‘Cooperation & Interaction,’ may be difficult to assess with the FPPO because of the lack of objective criteria for evaluation. For instance, a child’s behavior or interaction with peers or teachers may not be accurately reflected.
The FPPO is also based on observational data only, which means there is a risk of subjective interpretations of the evidence collected. While practitioners aim to be as objective as possible, there is a potential bias in the assessment, as the results depend on the individual practitioner’s interpretation of the data. As such, it cannot provide definitive results, which could affect the accuracy of the assessment (Peterson and Elam, 2021). In addition, the FPPO does not consider any outside factors that may influence a child’s development, such as home life, social environment, emotional well-being, etc. This means that the results may not be accurate, as a child’s progress can be affected by various factors not considered by the FPPO.
Foundation Phase Profile Observations (FPPO) are an effective tool for assessing the progress of three to seven-year-old children in their early years of education. When used correctly, this observation method can give practitioners a holistic view of a child’s development and enable them to set individualized learning objectives. However, despite its advantages, there are still some limitations to the FPPO, particularly its subjective nature and lack of consideration for individual skills, interests, and factors. Ultimately, this observation method offers a valuable tool for early years practitioners, yet it should be used with other assessment methods to ensure an accurate and comprehensive view of a child’s progress.
Reference List
Lorina (2016). Different Types Of Observation Methods – Aussie Childcare Network. [online] Aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au. Available at: https://aussiechildcarenetwork.com.au/articles/childcare-programming/different-types-of-observation-methods.
Peterson, G. and Elam, E. (2021). A Closer Look at Observation Methods, Tools, and Techniques. [online] Available at: https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Early_Childhood_Education/Book%3A_Observation_and_Assessment_in_Early_Childhood_Education_(Peterson_and_Elam)/03%3A_.
Taylor, C., Rhys, M. and Waldron, S. (2015). Evaluating the Foundation Phase Final Report Ymchwil gymdeithasol Social research. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/statistics-and-research/2019-07/150514-foundation-phase-final-en_0.pdf.
write