প্রাথমিক শিক্ষার মান মূল্যায়ন: প্রমাণ কী বলে সিনিয়র নেতারা
When you walk into an early years classroom, what do you notice first? The colourful displays? The neatly arranged play corners? The shiny new resources bought at great expense? But here’s the uncomfortable question: do any of these things really drive children’s learning? Or is the true measure of quality found in something less visible—the everyday interactions between teacher and child, the questions that spark thinking, the feedback that stretches understanding, the warmth that invites a child to take a risk? If we measure quality by what is on the walls rather than what happens in conversations, are we missing the very heart of early education?
What the Evidence Says
A landmark meta-analysis of 185 studies (von Suchodoletz et al., 2023) gives senior leaders a clear signal:
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Process quality matters most
It’s the quality of teacher–child interactions—not class size, building design, or the number of toys—that most reliably predicts children’s progress. -
Instructional support is the game-changer
Children thrive when adults provide scaffolding: asking open-ended questions, encouraging explanations, modelling new vocabulary, linking today’s play to yesterday’s learning, and giving feedback that pushes thinking forward. -
Outcomes are both cognitive and social
High-quality interactions improve literacy, numeracy, and vocabulary, but also social competence, self-regulation, and behaviour. These dual benefits are especially powerful in the early years. -
Benefits are universal
All children—whether from affluent homes or disadvantaged backgrounds—gain from better interactions. For children with fewer opportunities outside school, these benefits are often transformative.
In short, what “quality” really buys is better conversations, richer thinking, and stronger relationships.
Using This as an Evaluation Tool
As a senior leader, this evidence challenges you to rethink how you evaluate early years provision.
1. Look past the surface
Don’t stop at the environment checklist. Instead, when you enter a classroom, ask:
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Are adults listening carefully to children and responding thoughtfully, or just giving directions?
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Do interactions extend children’s ideas, or shut them down quickly?
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Are children encouraged to justify, predict, or reflect—or are they only answering recall questions?
What to look for:
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Children explaining their reasoning: “I think it will sink because it’s heavy.”
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Teachers responding with scaffolds: “That’s an interesting idea. What if we try a lighter object?”
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A balance of child talk and adult talk, not adults dominating the conversation.
2. Focus on instructional support
Your observations should capture whether staff are deliberately stretching children’s learning:
What to look for:
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Vocabulary expansion: Teacher takes a child’s “big truck” and extends: “Yes, that’s a lorry—it’s carrying cargo.”
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Linking play to concepts: In the block area, a teacher prompts: “How many blocks tall is your tower? Can we make it taller by one more?”
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Feedback loops: Instead of “good job,” the adult says: “You solved the puzzle by trying a different piece—that’s persistence.”
3. Triangulate evidence
Don’t rely on one observation. Build a rounded picture by combining:
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Classroom observation (interaction quality, scaffolding, questioning).
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Children’s work (evidence of vocabulary growth, early writing samples, problem-solving attempts).
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Staff reflections (how teachers explain their strategies, what challenges they face).
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Parental input (whether children are retelling stories or using new words at home).
Implications for Staff Development
If interactions drive outcomes, then professional development must be centred on deepening the quality of those interactions.
1. Training
Prioritise CPD in:
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Sustained Shared Thinking – building on children’s ideas rather than moving the activity on too quickly.
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Dialogic Reading – using PEER and CROWD techniques to make storytime interactive.
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Scaffolding strategies – modelling, asking “why/how” questions, giving feedback that extends.
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Responsive feedback – encouraging children to take risks and valuing mistakes as learning moments.
2. Peer Observation
Establish a culture of teachers watching each other—not for judgement, but growth.
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A 10-minute peer observation focused just on questioning techniques can be more powerful than a formal inspection.
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Use simple prompts: Did the teacher use open-ended questions? Did children use new vocabulary?
3. Coaching Cycles
Provide ongoing, structured support:
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পরিকল্পনা (set a micro-goal: “I will ask at least three open-ended questions in small group time”).
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Do (practise in class).
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Review (reflect with a coach/peer: What worked? What’s next?).
4. Equity Lens
Check who is getting opportunities to engage.
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Are quieter children, second-language learners, or those with additional needs being drawn into conversations?
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Do staff give equal “wait time” for every child to respond?
What Leaders Must Model
Leaders set the tone. If you celebrate colourful walls more than powerful conversations, staff will prioritise display over depth. If you protect time for reflection and coaching, staff will see that interactions are the non-negotiable.
নিজেকে জিজ্ঞাসা করুন:
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Do my evaluation tools capture the quality of interactions?
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Do my CPD budgets and schedules reflect the importance of coaching over compliance?
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Am I giving teachers the chance to practise and refine, not just attend training sessions?
Final Reflection
Structural improvements—better ratios, new furniture, even state-of-the-art facilities—may look impressive, but they cannot replace the power of a teacher’s words, questions, and warmth. The real engine of early years quality is the daily dance of interaction between adult and child.
As leaders, our task is to make the invisible visible: to notice, nurture, and develop the subtle but transformative ways staff engage with children. Because that is where the evidence says the difference is made—and where the future of our learners truly begins.
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