A Guide to the Boxall Profile® Online for Parents and Carers
Parent and Carer Guide to the Boxall Profile® Online
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the role of parents and carers in their children’s learning journey is increasingly recognised as a vital component of a student’s success. Today, the parent/carer school relationship or partnership stands as a cornerstone of a child’s academic and personal growth.
This page introduces the Boxall Profile® Online, how it helps to positively impact children and young people at school and what it means if your child is being assessed at their school.
Who owns the Boxall Profile® Online?
What is Boxall Profile® Online?
Can I use the tool to assess my child?
What does it mean if my child is being assessed using the Boxall Profile® Online?
Who owns the Boxall Profile® Online?
The Boxall Profile® Online digital platform is provided by nurtureuk, a registered charity (in England and Wales, charity number 1115972, in Scotland, charity number SC042703).
You can read more about the work of nurtureuk, on their website here: www.nurtureuk.org
What is Boxall Profile® Online?
The Boxall Profile® Online is a digital version of the Boxall Profile® assessment, first developed by educational psychologist Marjorie Boxall and Marion Bennathan.
The tool was created because teachers needed a better way to understand how students are doing and what might be a barrier to learning within the classroom. It measures how your child is doing, how they’re progressing, and how any individual or class interventions are making a difference.
It gives teachers more confidence in the classroom, whether it’s a regular class, a nurture group, or the whole school. It helps the teacher understand the needs of all and to plan learning accordingly.
What is Boxall Profile® Online? (continued)
The Boxall Profile® Online is a well-loved tool by teachers across the UK, and has been highlighted in the Department of Education’s 2018 Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools advice. It’s a sign that lots of teachers and schools really trust and use it to help children do well.
Schools and educational professionals use the Boxall Profile® Online in different ways to help with identifying difficulties and planning interventions for individuals and across classes and groups, so we always advise parents or carers with specific questions on how it is being used to help a child, to contact the school or professional directly.
Can I use the tool to assess my child?
The Boxall Profile® Online is a tool that teachers and educational professionals use to better understand students and make sure they’re getting the right support in the classroom. It is not designed for parents or caregivers to use.
How does it work?
The online tool is split into two sections and the teacher (or person who knows the child best) completes a series of questions for each section.
Section 1: The Developmental Strands
Think of the Developmental Strands as building blocks. This section of the assessment explores different areas of a child’s development in the early years. It helps teachers to identify a child’s strengths and highlight areas that require additional support.
How does it work? (continued)
Section 2: The Diagnostic Profile
The Diagnostic Profile contains questions that help teachers spot any challenges or barriers that might hinder your child achieving at school. These challenges could be things like trouble with friends, difficulty learning, or other obstacles that might be connected to their early learning experiences. By understanding and addressing these challenges early on, teachers gain a greater understanding and needs of the children in their care and can ensure the learning opportunities impact all children across the class. Please note this tool does not diagnose any specific conditions.
Once the teacher has answered the questions they are presented with scores for each area and a report, which will highlight any areas of support that the child may need. They can then access resources, strategies and create a learning plan to support the child or young person.
The Boxall Profile® Online is not designed to diagnose the cause of recorded scores for any child or young person, and the statements should not be interpreted as in any way definitive.
How does it help?
The Boxall Profile® Online helps teachers with:
Observing and Understanding Your Child’s Behaviour
Teachers are experienced in observing and understanding how your child behaves. These observations help them to identify if they might need extra help or support.
Setting Goals and Helping Your Child Improve
Teachers work with your child to set goals and targets – to help them improve at things. These goals are tailored just for them, and they help them learn new skills.
How does it help? (continued)
Keeping an Eye on Progress
It allows a greater depth of understanding of your child’s progress, which is not always visible through learning in a classroom.
Planning for the Whole Class
Teachers also look at how the whole class is doing. By understanding what behaviours and skills are common, they can put in place strategies and resources to use in the classroom. This helps to create a supportive learning environment for all the children and young people in the class.
What does it mean if my child is being assessed using the Boxall Profile® Online?
If you’re a parent or caregiver and your child’s teachers or other professionals are using the Boxall Profile® Online, it’s a positive sign. It means they care about your child’s progress and want to provide the best support. If the assessment highlights an area of need they make sure your child gets the help they need in a way that suits them best.
Many schools assess all their pupils to track progress, set targets and gain an overview of the whole school’s needs. Assessing children and young people using the Boxall Profile® Online empowers practitioners to identify needs early on and when an area of need is highlighted, put in place interventions to better support the children in their care.
Who should I contact if I have questions?
We are unable to discuss your child or young persons Boxall Profile® Online assessments directly. In the first instance we recommend that parents and carers contact the child or young person’s school to discuss their use of the tool and your child’s individual progress.
If you need further support you can reach out to our customer care team.