Do I need to meet the 30th April deadline?
Not necessarily…there is some flexibility. Two facts to note, from GOV.UK:
- Sign up by the end of April 2015 to start using the Reception baseline from 1st September 2015. You can sign up after this, but your preferred provider might not available.
- You should choose the Reception baseline that best fits your school’s needs and approach to assessment.
So, if you have not yet made your decision, because you have been waiting for further information, there is time beyond 30th April. However, if you do decide that your school will use one of the new Reception baselines, you would be wise to register your chosen provider by the end of June.
Why by the end of June? Each current approved provider is required to recruit sufficient users to become operational. GOV.UK tells us that :
- If a provider doesn’t recruit a sufficient number of schools, they won’t be able to offer the Reception baseline.
- Schools will be contacted by 3 June 2015 if they have chosen a provider that has been suspended – these schools will be invited to choose an alternative approved provider.
So, if you have not yet chosen a provider, you will be able to choose from those remaining in use. Additionally, if you choose to use an approved Reception baseline from September 2015, you have time to evaluate if this provider does meet your needs. You can select a different provider for 2016 onwards.