Cohort Analysis - FAQs



Frequently Asked Questions

COHORT ANALYSIS

What is the purpose of Cohort Analysis?

When you carry out a Cohort Analysis you are looking carefully at the assessment data for a group of children over a select period of time.

You will first, need to complete the Cohort Tracker. This enables leaders and managers to compile an overview of groups of children attending the setting. How children are grouped into cohorts is at the leader’s or manager’s discretion. E.g. Two year olds, three and four year olds, babies.

The Cohort Tracker is beneficial in developing the setting and improving quality in terms of effective practice and provision. See ‘Progress from the Start’ Card 7 for further information on this.

Leaders and managers will then need to use the information from the Cohort Tracker to complete the Cohort Summary sheet. This will enable you to show, at a glance, details about that cohort of children, specifically:

· children with SEND

· boys

· girls

· funded two year olds

. funded three and four year olds

. looked after children

. children drawing down EYPP funding

· children for whom English is an additional language

The Cohort Summary document will also enable you to see groups of children with starting points that are significantly below or above those expected for their age.

Your findings from the details on the Cohort Analysis should enable you to pose questions about practice and provision at your setting.

How often should I complete the Cohort Tracker and Cohort Summary document to analyse the data?

Refer to ‘Progress from the Start’ Card 7 for further clarification on this point. It is important that you look at ‘patterns and trends’ of cohorts and compare over a period of time.

The Cohort Tracker and Cohort Summary documents need to be completed twice a year at a time chosen by the setting e.g. we would advise that you do this at the end of September and then again at the end of June.

Do we need to send the Cohort Tracker to the Local Authority?

At the present time this is not a requirement.

It is good practice to share findings with all practitioners, committees etc. Sharing Cohort Summary analysis and the action you have taken to improve your practice and provision would be useful and important to share at your Ofsted inspection. This information provides good evidence of children’s progress and helps you to self-evaluate your practice and provision.

Do we need to reflect on both Prime and Specific Areas?

Yes. The specific areas are the context through which the prime areas are strengthened and applied (Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, p8).

Do we use percentages or numbers when conducting analysis?

In order to make a comparison it really is necessary to convert numbers into percentages. (See Cohort Summary – Converting into %)

Do we have to complete a Cohort Tracker and who should complete this?

It is important to complete the Cohort Tracker as part of the process of conducting a Cohort Analysis.

Leaders and managers (this could include Room Leaders) should be the ones to complete the Cohort Tracker and analyse data.

Will Ofsted want to see how well we help children make progress?

Inspections will focus on how well individual and groups of children benefit from their early years’ experience. They will want to see how well you help all children to make effective progress; especially those whose needs or circumstances require intervention or additional support.

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