Closed petition: Get rid of the reception baseline assessment

Closed on 9 April 2026

I want the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) to be scrapped so that teachers can focus on what really matters in those crucial first weeks of school, getting to know our children as individuals. Instead of administering a test that we think provides no helpful insight.

The RBA prevents us from forming the vital early bonds that help children settle into school and thrive. We feel that it interrupts the natural process of observing, interacting, and connecting with our pupils, offering nothing meaningful in return—no feedback, no helpful data, and no support for planning. As educators, we think that the best way to assess young children is through play-based, teacher-led observation over time. The RBA adds pressure and takes away precious opportunities to build trust and understand the whole child.