Individual Assessment of Early Learning and Development (IAELD)

The Individual Assessment of Early Learning and Development (IAELD) is for the identification of additional need in children whose skills fall within the 0-4 age range, to aid target setting and to promote inclusive practice in early years settings and schools.

Identification

The IAELD is designed to help settings and schools to identify children who may have special educational needs – i.e. that their skills are not developing in the same way as the majority of other children. It assesses a child’s skills within an educational setting in collaboration with parents or carers.

Communication

The IAELD can be used to provide useful information about a child’s skills to parents and others who are involved with them.

Planning

Through the completion of the IAELD, a setting can establish the level at which a child is functioning and use this information to plan, record and review achievable targets.

Evaluation

A child’s rate of progress can be monitored through repeating the assessment. This will also help settings to look at the effectiveness of the strategies they are using.

Who should use it?

Anyone working with preschool children, whether they work in an early years setting or a school. Those who spend most time with the child are best placed to complete the assessment, although it can be completed by any professional working in the early years in conjunction with practitioners and/or teachers who know the child well. It should be completed in a collaborative way, so that the views of a number of people contribute to the process.

Who can help me to complete it?

Settings and schools can request help in the completion of the IAELD from their Area SENCo, from the Early Years Advisory Teachers (SEN) or Specialist Advisory Teacher, if they are involved, or an Educational Psychologist