What Actually Happens When Your Child Starts Reception?

Understanding the Reception Baseline Assessment (Without the Panic)

Starting school is a huge milestone - for children and parents. You might have spent the last few weeks labelling uniform, figuring out drop-off routines, and wondering how on earth they’ll manage a full day without you.

But then comes a question that many parents aren’t expecting: 

What’s this baseline assessment I’ve heard about?

Let’s break it down together.

What is the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA)?

The Reception Baseline Assessment is a short, informal activity that all children in state schools in England do within their first six weeks of starting Reception.

It’s nothing to worry about. In fact, most children don’t even realise it’s an assessment at all - it’s usually presented as a fun game or a quiet activity with their teacher or teaching assistant.

Why is it done?

The purpose of the baseline assessment is to understand where children are starting from - not to judge them, not to set them into groups, and not to share scores with parents.

Instead, it gives the school a snapshot of what your child knows when they begin school.

That snapshot is then used by the Department for Education to track school-level progress from Reception all the way through to Year 6.

So when your child finishes primary school, the government will look at how much progress that cohort has made - based on where they started.

What does the assessment include?

The RBA focuses on:

• Early literacy: such as recognising sounds or letters

• Early maths: like counting or comparing quantities

• Communication skills: following instructions or chatting about pictures

It takes around 20 minutes, done one-to-one with an adult the child is getting to know.

There’s no pass or fail, and the results don’t go on a report. In fact, parents don’t receive the results at all - because it’s not designed to be an individual judgement.

So how do teachers get to know your child?

While the baseline assessment gives a quick snapshot, teachers also spend a lot of time in those early weeks observing and chatting to children. They’re watching how they settle, how they interact, and what they can do - and then using that to plan activities that match your child’s needs and interests.

Some children might find school routines tricky at first. Others might not show what they know straight away. That’s OK. Teachers understand that settling in takes time, and they build up a picture of your child gradually.

What should I do as a parent?

You don’t need to prepare your child for the baseline assessment. In fact, the best thing you can do is:

• Reassure them that school is a safe, fun place

• Talk and read together regularly

• Chat to the teacher if you have any concerns

If your child finds it difficult to speak, concentrate, or follow instructions in those first few weeks, the school will likely notice - and support them. The RBA might pick some of that up too, but it’s only one part of the picture.

The Bottom Line

The Reception Baseline Assessment is a normal part of starting school - and nothing to worry about.

It doesn’t decide your child’s future. It’s not a test they can pass or fail. And it won’t be used to limit what they’re offered or how far they can go.

It’s just one of many ways schools are working to understand and support your child as they begin this exciting new chapter.