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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.

The POM maximises the benefits of the preschool year by supporting everyday teacher and educator practice. It supports high-quality practice by equipping teachers and educators with access to an evidence-based and validated formative assessment tool to measure children’s progress against national learning progressions.

Teachers and educators can assess children’s learning in two domains important for early development and future learning:

  • 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 preschool children

Assessment experiences designed around authentic educator-child interactions

Flexible for use in diverse programs and environments

Designed collaboratively for accessibility and cultural responsiveness

Learning
progressions

Descriptions and examples across a broad span of children’s learning​

Supports consistent language about children’s learning​

Supports high-quality practice

Shows children’s strengths and capabilities

Embedded ideas for evidence-based practices to support planning for suitable next steps in learning

Aligned

Aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0 and state-approved equivalents

Supports teachers and educators to meet legal and professional requirements to assess and document the assessment of children’s learning

Minimises workload through a tool that meets expectations under the National Quality Frameworks

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 children express their ideas with creativity, precision and purpose.

Executive function

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

Next steps: POM pilot 2026-2027

During 2025, teachers and educators road-tested a prototype version of the POM National Tool across diverse preschool programs and locations. Based on their insights and feedback, we have made refinements and updates.

Through a pilot in 2026 and 2027, teachers and educators in the ACT, NSW, NT, Tasmania and WA will further test the useability of the POM National Tool. In 2027, they will help us test the use of the refined POM National Tool multiple times a year, to assess a child’s learning against the national learning progressions both at a point in time and over time.

In Victoria, SA and Queensland, other tools aligned to the national learning progressions are being used.

The timeline and details for participating in the pilot differ by state and territory. Refer to your state or territory education department for jurisdiction-specific information about the 2026−2027 POM pilot.

Partnerning with

Goodstart Early Learning

and

Ninti One