Engineering the fitness of older patients for chemotherapy : an exploration of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in practice

Clinicians often report that currently available methods to assess older patients, including standard clinical consultations, do not elicit the information necessary to make an appropriate cancer treatment recommendation for older cancer patients. An increasingly popular way of assessing the potential of older patients to cope with chemotherapy is a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment. What constitutes Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, however, is open to interpretation and varies from one setting to another. Furthermore, Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment’s usefulness as a predictor of fitness for chemotherapy and as a determinant of actual treatment is not well understood. In this article, we analyse how Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment was developed for use in a large cancer service in an Australian capital city. Drawing upon Actor–Network Theory, our findings reveal how, during its development, Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment was made both a tool and a science. Furthermore, we briefly explore the tensions that we experienced as scholars who analyse medico-scientific practices and as practitioner–designers charged with improving the very tools we critique. Our study contributes towards geriatric oncology by scrutinising the medicalisation of ageing, unravelling the practices of standardisation and illuminating the multiplicity of ‘fitness for chemotherapy’.

Predicting fitness for chemotherapy in older cancer patients

Background: The Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) is increasingly used to screen for older patients who can proceed to intensive chemotherapy without further comprehensive assessment. This study compared the VES-13 determination of fitness for treatment with the oncologist's assessments of fitness. Method: Sample: Consecutive series of solid tumour patients ≥65 years (n=175; M=72; range=65-86) from an Australian cancer centre. Patients were screened with the VES-13 before proceeding to usual treatment. Blinded to screening, oncologists concurrently predicted patient fitness for chemotherapy. A sample of 175 can detect, with 90% power, kappa coefficients of agreement between VES-13 and oncologists’ assessments >0.90 ("almost perfect agreement"). Separate backward stepwise logistic regression analyses assessed potential predictors of VES-13 and oncologists’ ratings of fitness. Results: Kappa coefficient for agreement between VES-13 and oncologists’ ratings of fitness was 0.41 (p<0.001). VES-13 and oncologists’ assessments agreed in 71% of ratings. VES-13 sensitivity = 83.3%; specificity = 57%; positive predictive value = 69%; negative predictive value = 75%. Logistic regression modelling indicated that the odds of being vulnerable to chemotherapy (VES-13) increased with increasing depression (OR=1.42; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.71) and decreased with increased functional independence assessed on the Bartel Index (OR=0.82; CI: 0.74, 0.92) and Lawton instrumental activities of daily living (OR=0.44; CI: 0.30, 0.65); RSquare=.65. Similarly, the odds of a patient being vulnerable to chemotherapy, when assessed by physicians, increased with increasing age (OR=1.15; CI: 1.07, 1.23) and depression (OR=1.23; CI: 1.06, 1.43), and decreased with increasing functional independence (OR=0.91; CI: 0.85, 0.98); RSquare=.32. Conclusions: Our data indicate moderate agreement between VES-13 and clinician assessments of patients’ fitness for chemotherapy. Current ‘one-step’ screening processes to determine fitness have limits. Nonetheless, screening tools do have the potential for modification and enhanced predictive properties in cancer care by adding relevant items, thus enabling fit patients to be immediately referred for chemotherapy.

Comprehensive assessment of the fitness of older people for chemotherapy

Purpose: To present the results of a mixed-method study comparing the level of agreement of a two-phased, nurse-administered Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) with current methods that assess the fitness for chemotherapy of older cancer patients. A nurse-led model of multidisciplinary cancer care based on the results is also described. Methods: The two phases comprised initial screening by a nurse with the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 [VES-13], followed by nurse administration of a detailed CGA. Both phases were linked to a computerised algorithm categorising the patient as ‘fit’, ‘vulnerable’ or ‘frail’. The study determined the level of agreement between VES-13- and CGA-determined categories; and between the CGA and the physicians’ assessments. It also compared the CGA’s predictive abilities in terms of subsequent treatment toxicity; while interviews determined the acceptability of the nurse-led procedure from key stakeholders' perspectives. Results: Data collection was completed in December 2011. The results will be presented at the conference. A consecutive-series n=170 will be enrolled, 33% of whom are ‘fit’; 33% ‘vulnerable’; and 33% ‘too frail’ for treatment. This sample can detect, with 90% power, kappa coefficients of agreement of ≥ 0.70 or higher (“substantial agreement”). Fitness sub-group comparisons of agreement between the medical oncologist and the nurse assessments can detect kappa estimates of Κ ≥ 0.80 with the same power. Conclusion: The results have informed a nurse-led model of cancer care. It meets a clear need to develop, implement and test a nurse-led, robust, evidence-based, clinically-justifiable and economically-feasible CGA process that has relevance in national and international contexts.

Effect of school based physical activity programme (KISS) on fitness and adiposity in primary schoolchildren: cluster randomised controlled trial.

To assess the effectiveness of a school based physical activity programme during one school year on physical and psychological health in young schoolchildren. Cluster randomised controlled trial. 28 classes from 15 elementary schools in Switzerland randomly selected and assigned in a 4:3 ratio to an intervention (n=16) or control arm (n=12) after stratification for grade (first and fifth grade), from August 2005 to June 2006. 540 children, of whom 502 consented and presented at baseline. Children in the intervention arm (n=297) received a multi-component physical activity programme that included structuring the three existing physical education lessons each week and adding two additional lessons a week, daily short activity breaks, and physical activity homework. Children (n=205) and parents in the control group were not informed of an intervention group. For most outcome measures, the assessors were blinded. Primary outcome measures included body fat (sum of four skinfolds), aerobic fitness (shuttle run test), physical activity (accelerometry), and quality of life (questionnaires). Secondary outcome measures included body mass index and cardiovascular risk score (average z score of waist circumference, mean blood pressure, blood glucose, inverted high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides). 498 children completed the baseline and follow-up assessments (mean age 6.9 (SD 0.3) years for first grade, 11.1 (0.5) years for fifth grade). After adjustment for grade, sex, baseline values, and clustering within classes, children in the intervention arm compared with controls showed more negative changes in the z score of the sum of four skinfolds (-0.12, 95 % confidence interval -0.21 to -0.03; P=0.009). Likewise, their z scores for aerobic fitness increased more favourably (0.17, 0.01 to 0.32; P=0.04), as did those for moderate-vigorous physical activity in school (1.19, 0.78 to 1.60; P<0.001), all day moderate-vigorous physical activity (0.44, 0.05 to 0.82; P=0.03), and total physical activity in school (0.92, 0.35 to 1.50; P=0.003). Z scores for overall daily physical activity (0.21, -0.21 to 0.63) and physical quality of life (0.42, -1.23 to 2.06) as well as psychological quality of life (0.59, -0.85 to 2.03) did not change significantly. A school based multi-component physical activity intervention including compulsory elements improved physical activity and fitness and reduced adiposity in children. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN15360785.

Physical Activity and Fitness in Children with Developmental Disorder

Introduction: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a prevalent condition characterized by poor motor proficiency that interferes with a child‟s activities of daily living. Children with DCD often experience compromised health-related fitness components such as cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Purpose: To better understand the physical activity and fitness characteristics of children with probable DCD (pDCD), with a particular focus on CRF. Specifically: (1) to present a synopsis of current literature; (2) to determine the longitudinal trajectories of CRF; (3) to compare the submaximal CRF of children with and without pDCD. Methods: A comprehensive, systematic literature review was conducted of the recent available data on fitness and physical activity and pDCD (Chapter 2). This review provided the background for the other two studies included in this thesis. In Chapter 3, a prospective cohort design was used to assess how CRF in children with pDCD changes over time (56 months) relative to a group of typically developing controls. Using a nested-case control design, 63 subjects with pDCD and 63 matched controls from the larger sample were recruited to participate in the lab-based component of the study (Chapter 4). In this investigation CRF was examined using the oxygen cost of work (VO2) during an incremental test on a cycle ergometer. Results: The literature review showed that fitness parameters, including CRF and physical activity levels, were consistently reduced in children with pDCD. Chapter 3 demonstrated that the difference in CRF between children with pDCD and typically developing children is substantial, and that it tends to increase over time. Results from VO2 assessments showed that children with pDCD utilized more oxygen to sustain the same submaximal workloads compared to typically developing children. Conclusions: Findings from this thesis have made several important contributions to our understanding of children with pDCD. Since differences in CRF between children with and without pDCD tend to worsen over time, this adds to the argument that interventions intended to improve CRF may be appropriate for children with motor difficulties. This thesis also presented the first evidence suggesting that DCD involves higher energy expenditure, and could help explain why children with pDCD perform poorly on tasks requiring CRF.

Assessments of training load in elite youth soccer

One of the most popular sports globally, soccer has seen a rise in the demands of the game over recent years. An increase in intensity and playing demands, coupled with growing social and economic pressures on soccer players means that optimal preparation is of paramount importance. Recent research has found the modern game, depending on positional role, to consist of approximately 60% more sprint distance in the English Premier League, which was also found to be the case for frequency and success of discrete technical actions (Bush et al., 2015). As a result, the focus on soccer training and player preparedness is becoming more prevalent in scientific research. By designing the appropriate training load, and thus periodization strategies, the aim is to achieve peak fitness in the most efficient way, whilst minimising the risk of injury and illness. Traditionally, training intensity has been based on heart rate responses, however, the emergence of tracking microtechnology such as global positioning system (GPS) and inertial sensors are now able to further quantify biomechanical load as well as physiological stress. Detailed pictures of internal and external loading indices such as these then combine to produce a more holistic view of training load experience by the player during typical drills and phases of training in soccer. The premise of this research is to gain greater understanding of the physical demands of common training methodologies in elite soccer to support optimal match performance. The coaching process may then benefit from being able to prescribe the most effective training to support these. The first experimental chapter in this thesis began by quantify gross training loads of the pre-season and in-season phases in soccer. A broader picture of the training loads inherent in these distinct phases brought more detail as to the type and extent of external loading experienced by soccer players at these times, and how the inclusion of match play influences weekly training rhythms. Training volume (total distance) was found to be high at the start compared to the end of pre-season (37 kilometres and 28 kilometres), where high cardiovascular loads were attained as part of the conditioning focus. This progressed transiently, however, to involve higher-speed, acceleration and change-of-direction stimuli at the end of pre-season compared to the start and to that in-season (1.18 kilometres, 0.70 kilometres and 0.42 kilometres high-intensity running; with 37, 25 and 23 accelerations >3m/s2 respectively) . The decrease in volume and increase in maximal anaerobic activity was evident in the training focus as friendly matches were introduced before the competitive season. The influence of match-play as being a large physical dose in the training week may then determine the change in weekly periodisation and how resulting training loads applied and tapered, if necessary. The focus of research was then directed more specifically to the most common mode of training in soccer, that also featured regularly in the pre-season period in the present study, small-sided games (SSG). The subsequent studies examined numerous manipulations of this specific form of soccer conditioning, such as player numbers as well as absolute and relative playing space available. In contrast to some previous literature, changing the number of players did not seem to influence training responses significantly, although playing format in the possession style brought about larger effects for heart rate (89.9%HRmax) and average velocity (7.6km/h-1). However, the following studies (Chapters 5, 6 and 7) revealed a greater influence of relative playing space available to players in SSG. The larger area at their disposal brought about greater aerobic responses (~90%HRmax), by allowing higher average and peak velocities (>25km/h-1), as well as greater distance acceleration behaviour at greater thresholds (>2.8m/s2). Furthermore, the data points towards space as being a large determinant in strategy of the player in small-sided games (SSG), subsequently shaping their movement behaviour and resulting physical responses. For example, higher average velocities in a possession format (8km/h-1) reflects higher work rate and heart rate load but makes achieving significant neuromuscular accelerations at a high level difficult given higher starting velocities prior to the most intense accelerations (4.2km/h-1). By altering space available and even through intentional numerical imbalances in team numbers, it may be easier for coaches to achieve the desired stimulus for the session or individual player, whether that is for aerobic and neuromuscular conditioning. Large effects were found for heart rate being higher in the underloaded team (85-90%HRmax) compared to the team with more players (80-85%HRmax) as well as for RPE (5AU versus 7AU). This was also apparent for meterage and therefore average velocity. It would also seem neuromuscular load through high acceleration and deceleration efforts were more pronounced with less numbers (given the need to press and close down opponents, and in a larger area relative to the number of players on the underloaded team. The peak accelerations and deceleration achieved was also higher when playing with less players (3-6.2m/s2 and 3-6.1m/s2) Having detailed ways in which to reach desired physical loading responses in common small training formats, Chapter 8 compared SSG to larger 9v9 formats with full-size 11v11 friendly matches. This enabled absolute and relative comparisons to be made and to understand the extent to which smaller training formats are able to replicate the required movements to be successful in competition. In relative terms, it was revealed that relative acceleration distance and Player Load were higher in smaller 4v4 games than match-play (1.1m.min-1 and 0.3m.min-1 >3m/s2; 16.9AU versus 12AU). Although the smallest format did not replicate the high-velocity demands of matches, the results confirmed their efficacy in providing significant neuromuscular load during the training week, which may then be supplemented by high-intensity interval running in order to gain exposure to more maximal speed work. In summary, the data presented provide valuable information from GPS and inertial sensor microtechnology which may then be used to understand training better to manipulate types of load according to physical conditioning objectives. For example, a library of resources to direct planning of drills of varying cardiovascular, neuromuscular and perceptual load can be created to give more confidence in session outcomes. Combining external and internal load data of common soccer training drills, and their application across different phases and training objectives may give coaches a powerful tool to plan and periodize training.

The use of technology-based self-service on assessments of consumer satisfaction and consumer commitment

Technology-based self-service (TBSS) enables consumers to complete services themselves using a technological interface. As evaluations of consumer satisfaction and commitment have typically focused on interpersonal interactions, the effect of TBSS on these is under researched . This paper explores the impact of TBSS on consumer satisfaction and on a multidimensional measure of consumer commitment.Data are collected from 241 hotel guests. The results suggest personal-service is more important for satisfaction and commitment. This has implications for marketing as the benefits of adopting TBSS are not clear. Multi-dimensional commitment provides some interesting findings and suggests the need for further research into TBSS and commitment.

Towards integrated assessments for urban development

The role of sustainability in urban design is becoming increasingly important as Australia’s cities continue to grow, putting pressure on existing infrastructure such as water, energy and transport. To optimise an urban design many different aspects such as water, energy, transport, costs need to be taken into account integrally. Integrated software applications assessing urban designs on a large variety of aspects are hardly available. With the upcoming next generation of the Internet often referred to as the Semantic Web, data can become more machine-interpretable by developing ontologies that can support the development of integrated software systems. Software systems can use these ontologies to perform an intelligent task such as assessing an urban design on a particular aspect. When ontologies of different applications are aligned, they can share information resulting in interoperability. Inference such as compliancy checks and classifications can support aligning the ontologies. A proof of concept implementation has been made to demonstrate and validate the usefulness of machine interpretable ontologies for urban designs.

The new world of work and employment: fitness workers and what they want from the employment relationship

This paper reports on an empirically based study of the Queensland (Australia) health and fitness industry over 15 years (1993 -2008). This study traces the development of the new occupation of fitness instructor in a service industry which has evolved si nce the 1980s and is embedded in values of consumption and individualism. It is the new world of work. The data from the 1993 study was historically significant, capturing the conditions o f employment in an unregulated setting prior to the introduction of the first industrial a ward in that industry in 1994. Fitness workers bargained directly with employers over all a spects of the employment relationship without the constraints of industrial regulation or the presence of trade unions. The substantive outcomes of the employment relationship were a direct reflection of m anagerial prerogative and worker orientation and preference, and did not reflect the rewards and outcomes traditionally found in Australian workplaces. While the focus of the 1993 research was on exploring the employment relationship in a deregulated environment, an unusual phenomenon was identified: fitness workers happily trading-off what would be considere d standard working conditions for the opportunity to work (‘take the stage’). Since then, several streams of literature have evolved providing a new context for understanding this phenomenon in the fitness industry, including: the sociology of the body (Shilling 1993; Turner 1996); emotional (Hochschild 1984) and aesthetic labour (Warhurst et al 2000); the so cial relations of production and space (Lefebvre 1991; Moss 1995); body history (Helps 2007); the sociology of consumption (Saunders 1988; Baudrillard 1998; Ritzer 2004); and work identity (Du Gay 1996; Strangleman 2004). The 2008 survey instrument replicated the 1993 study but was additionally informed b y the new literature. Surveys were sent to 310 commercial fitness centres and 4,800 fitness workers across Queensland. Worker orientation appears unchanged, and industry working conditions still seem atypical despite regulation si nce 1994. We argue that for many fitness workers the goal is to gain access to the fitness centre economy. For this they are willing to trade-off standard conditions of employment, and exchange traditional employm ent rewards for m ore intrinsic psycho-social rewards gained the through e xp o sure of their physical capital (Bourdieu 1984) o r bo dily prowess to the adoration o f their gazing clients. Building on the tradition of emotional labour and aesthetic labour, this study introduces the concept of ocularcentric labour: a state in which labour’s quest for the psychosocial rewards gained from their own body image shapes the employment relationship. With ocularcentric labour the p sycho-social rewards have greater value for the worker than ‘hard’, core conditions of employment, and are a significant factor in bargaining and outcomes, often substituting fo r direct earnings. The wo rkforce profile (young, female, casual) and their expectations (psycho-social rewards of ado ration and celebrity) challenge traditional trade unions in terms of what they can deliver, given the fitness workers’ willingness to trade-off minimum conditions, hard-won by unions.

How can flexible learning centres use social networking to improve their ongoing educational assessments?

Most online assessment systems now incorporate social networking features, and recent developments in social media spaces include protocols that allow the synchronisation and aggregation of data across multiple user profiles. In light of these advances and the concomitant fear of data sharing in secondary school education this papers provides important research findings about generic features of online social networking, which educators can use to make sound and efficient assessments in collaboration with their students and colleagues. This paper reports on a design experiment in flexible educational settings that challenges the dichotomous legacy of success and failure evident in many assessment activities for at-risk youth. Combining social networking practices with the sociology of education the paper proposes that assessment activities are best understood as a negotiable field of exchange. In this design experiment students, peers and educators engage in explicit, "front-end" assessment (Wyatt-Smith, 2008) to translate digital artefacts into institutional, and potentiality economic capital without continually referring to paper based pre-set criteria. This approach invites students and educators to use social networking functions to assess “work in progress” and final submissions in collaboration, and in doing so assessors refine their evaluative expertise and negotiate the value of student’s work from which new criteria can emerge. The mobile advantages of web-based technologies aggregate, externalise and democratise this transparent assessment model for most, if not all, student work that can be digitally represented.

Feasibility of "subjective" engineering assessments of road safety improvements : Bayesian analysis development

Regional safety program managers face a daunting challenge in the attempt to reduce deaths, injuries, and economic losses that result from motor vehicle crashes. This difficult mission is complicated by the combination of a large perceived need, small budget, and uncertainty about how effective each proposed countermeasure would be if implemented. A manager can turn to the research record for insight, but the measured effect of a single countermeasure often varies widely from study to study and across jurisdictions. The challenge of converting widespread and conflicting research results into a regionally meaningful conclusion can be addressed by incorporating "subjective" information into a Bayesian analysis framework. Engineering evaluations of crashes provide the subjective input on countermeasure effectiveness in the proposed Bayesian analysis framework. Empirical Bayes approaches are widely used in before-and-after studies and "hot-spot" identification; however, in these cases, the prior information was typically obtained from the data (empirically), not subjective sources. The power and advantages of Bayesian methods for assessing countermeasure effectiveness are presented. Also, an engineering evaluation approach developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology is described. Results are presented from an experiment conducted to assess the repeatability and objectivity of subjective engineering evaluations. In particular, the focus is on the importance, methodology, and feasibility of the subjective engineering evaluation for assessing countermeasures.

Derivation of motor vehicle tailpipe particle emission factors suitable for modelling urban fleet emissions and air quality assessments

Background, aim, and scope Urban motor vehicle fleets are a major source of particulate matter pollution, especially of ultrafine particles (diameters < 0.1 µm), and exposure to particulate matter has known serious health effects. A considerable body of literature is available on vehicle particle emission factors derived using a wide range of different measurement methods for different particle sizes, conducted in different parts of the world. Therefore the choice as to which are the most suitable particle emission factors to use in transport modelling and health impact assessments presented as a very difficult task. The aim of this study was to derive a comprehensive set of tailpipe particle emission factors for different vehicle and road type combinations, covering the full size range of particles emitted, which are suitable for modelling urban fleet emissions. Materials and methods A large body of data available in the international literature on particle emission factors for motor vehicles derived from measurement studies was compiled and subjected to advanced statistical analysis, to determine the most suitable emission factors to use in modelling urban fleet emissions. Results This analysis resulted in the development of five statistical models which explained 86%, 93%, 87%, 65% and 47% of the variation in published emission factors for particle number, particle volume, PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 respectively. A sixth model for total particle mass was proposed but no significant explanatory variables were identified in the analysis. From the outputs of these statistical models, the most suitable particle emission factors were selected. This selection was based on examination of the statistical robustness of the statistical model outputs, including consideration of conservative average particle emission factors with the lowest standard errors, narrowest 95% confidence intervals and largest sample sizes, and the explanatory model variables, which were Vehicle Type (all particle metrics), Instrumentation (particle number and PM2.5), Road Type (PM10) and Size Range Measured and Speed Limit on the Road (particle volume). Discussion A multiplicity of factors need to be considered in determining emission factors that are suitable for modelling motor vehicle emissions, and this study derived a set of average emission factors suitable for quantifying motor vehicle tailpipe particle emissions in developed countries. Conclusions The comprehensive set of tailpipe particle emission factors presented in this study for different vehicle and road type combinations enable the full size range of particles generated by fleets to be quantified, including ultrafine particles (measured in terms of particle number). These emission factors have particular application for regions which may have a lack of funding to undertake measurements, or insufficient measurement data upon which to derive emission factors for their region. Recommendations and perspectives In urban areas motor vehicles continue to be a major source of particulate matter pollution and of ultrafine particles. It is critical that in order to manage this major pollution source methods are available to quantify the full size range of particles emitted for traffic modelling and health impact assessments.

Evaluation of the year 1 literacy and numeracy checkpoints assessments trial - 2010

The draft Year 1 Literacy and Numeracy Checkpoints Assessments were in open and supported trial during Semester 2, 2010. The purpose of these trials was to evaluate the Year 1 Literacy and Numeracy Checkpoints Assessments (hereafter the Year 1 Checkpoints) that were designed in 2009 as a way to incorporate the use of the Year 1 Literacy and Numeracy Indicators as formative assessment in Year 1 in Queensland Schools. In these trials there were no mandated reporting requirements. The processes of assessment were related to future teaching decisions. As such the trials were trials of materials and the processes of using those materials to assess students, plan and teach in year 1 classrooms. In their current form the Year 1 Checkpoints provide assessment resources for teachers to use in February, June and October. They aim to support teachers in monitoring children's progress and making judgments about their achievement of the targeted P‐3 Literacy and Numeracy Indicators by the end of Year 1 (Queensland Studies Authority, 2010 p. 1). The Year 1 Checkpoints include support materials for teachers and administrators, an introductory statement on assessment, work samples, and a Data Analysis Assessment Record (DAAR) to record student performance. The Supported Trial participants were also supported with face‐to‐face and on‐line training sessions, involvement in a moderation process after the October Assessments, opportunities to participate in discussion forums as well as additional readings and materials. The assessment resources aim to use effective early years assessment practices in that the evidence is gathered from hands‐on teaching and learning experiences, rather than more formal assessment methods. They are based in a model of assessment for learning, and aim to support teachers in the “on‐going process of determining future learning directions” (Queensland Studies Authority, 2010 p. 1) for all students. Their aim is to focus teachers on interpreting and analysing evidence to make informed judgments about the achievement of all students, as a way to support subsequent planning for learning and teaching. The Evaluation of the Year 1 Literacy and Numeracy Checkpoints Assessments Supported Trial (hereafter the Evaluation) aimed to gather information about the appropriateness, effectiveness and utility of the Year 1 Checkpoints Assessments from early years’ teachers and leaders in up to one hundred Education Queensland schools who had volunteered to be part of the Supported Trial. These sample schools represent schools across a variety of Education Queensland regions and include schools with:  - A high Indigenous student population; - Urban, rural and remote school locations; - Single and multi‐age early phase classes; - A high proportion of students from low SES backgrounds. The purpose of the Evaluation was to: Evaluate the materials and report on the views of school‐based staff involved in the trial on the process, materials, and assessment practices utilised. The Evaluation has reviewed the materials, and used surveys, interviews, and observations of processes and procedures to collect relevant data to help present an informed opinion on the Year 1 Checkpoints as assessment for the early years of schooling. Student work samples and teacher planning and assessment documents were also collected. The evaluation has not evaluated the Year 1 Checkpoints in any other capacity than as a resource for Year 1 teachers and relevant support staff.