Reception Baseline Assessments Quality Assurance (STA 0122)

Background

The DfE will use a new reception baseline assessment to capture the starting point from which the progress that schools make with their pupils will be measured. The content of the reception baseline will reflect the knowledge and understanding of children at the start of reception, and will be clearly linked to the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and key stage 1 national curriculum in English and Mathematics. The reception baseline will be administered within the first half term of a pupil’s entry to a reception class.

Data from the reception baseline will be used to hold schools to account; it must therefore be valid and reliable. Although the reception baseline suppliers are undertaking some activities to quality assure the data they submit, their customer/supplier relationship with schools means that additional central quality assurance will be required.

The reception baseline is a new assessment and the Department has not quality assured assessments of this nature before. As a result, we need to pilot and evaluate different approaches to see what works.

The Requirement STA are looking to procure a supplier to work with us to determine appropriate models for assuring the national data from the reception baseline. Once models have been determined, STA will agree up to three approaches to be implemented by the supplier in small scale pilots during September/October 2015. The supplier will also be responsible for evaluating the approaches using evidence from the pilots with the aim of recommending an approach to be implemented from September 2016. Key Supplier Requirements: • Organisational capability and experience of designing and conducting quality assurance processes in an educational environment. • Proven experience in delivering a product to time and quality using an agreed methodology. • Ability to source and train appropriately qualified representatives. • Ability to collate and analyse data to evaluate options. • Based on evidence received make recommendations. • Ensure the security of information.

Additional information: The contract value is £250,000 (excluding VAT) for the period 1st July 2015 to 31st January 2016.

Should the Department implement the optional contract extension, the maximum whole life contract cost shall not exceed £400,000 (excluding VAT).

Please note that contract requirements will be subject to available financial resources, supplier performance and flexibility to meet changing demands. The contract is to be for a period from 1st July 2015 to 31st January 2016 with a possible extension up until 31st January 2017. Indicative key dates for this procurement activity Task Name Date Contract Notice and Invitation to Tender Issued on Contracts Finder 25/03/15 Closing Date for Clarification Questions 01/06/15 Closing date for receipt of bids 18/06/15 Award Decision issued to bidders 19/06/15 10-day Standstill period until 19/06/15 - 29/06/15 Start-up meeting / Contract Start 01/07/15