Preschool Outcomes Measure

Leading innovation in
early childhood learning
and assessment

A joint initiative of the Australian and state and territory  governments as part of the Preschool Reform Agreement.

We are leading the development of the Preschool Outcomes Measure, a new national tool to help teachers and educators support children's learning and development in the year before full-time school.

Teachers and educators will be able to use the tool to document children’s progress in two learning domains:

oral language and literacy
executive function

These domains are essential for children’s learning and development, supporting their growth in all areas of the Early Years Learning Framework.

For every child

Adaptive to the needs of all Australian children

Tasks built around authentic educator-child interactions

Learning
progressions

Includes descriptions and examples across a broad span of children’s learning

Supported

Offering teachers and educators professional development and support resources

Aligned

Aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework and state and territory equivalents

Your insights are crucial! Our questionnaire is open to anyone interested in or connected to early childhood education and care.

We are keen to understand how you support and describe children's learning and what would make the Preschool Outcomes Measure most beneficial for teachers, educators and children.

Complete the questionnaire

Project stages

stage 1

Consultation and design 

May — September 2024

We will develop an initial design of the Preschool Outcomes Measure

To help us do this, we will gather insights from  teachers, educators and the broader community about what’s most important to them

stage 2

Small-scale trial 

October 2024 — February 2025

Our facilitators will visit a sample of preschool settings to trial an initial design

We will use the findings from these visits to refine the design in preparation for the next stage

The states and territories will decide on the approach for their services to support our work during this stage

stage 3

National trial 

March — October 2025

Teachers and educators in participating states and territories will road-test the refined design for themselves

We will use their feedback during the trial to help us finalise the design

More information about how eligible services can support the trial will be available later this year

What the tool will measure

Oral language and literacy

The way children understand and use language to communicate for a range of different purposes. Oral language and literacy helps them become creative and purposeful in expressing their ideas.

Executive function

The way children explore the world around them, develop positive relationships and understand themselves as learners. Executive function helps them do things like remember instructions involving more than one step, break a big task into smaller steps and stay focused.

Partnerning with

Goodstart Early Learning

and

Ninti One