If you've ever wanted or been required to evaluate the quality of your early years setting, you owe yourself an introduction to ITERS* and ECERS, the field's most widely-used rating scales.  Developed by the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center in the USA, ITERS and ECERS utilise a broad range of research-based, developmentally appropriate criteria to guide practice. The scales are used throughout the UK for self-assessment by staff, and by Local Authorities to determine areas for targeted improvement funding. The scales are also used in other countries including the United States, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

As their names indicate, both scales measure the quality of the overall care and learning environment. They highlight strengths as well as identifying areas for development for a particular early years program. Specific criteria are used to determine the quality for key aspects of a setting’s space and furnishings, personal care routines, language and reasoning, activities, interaction, schedule, and provision for parents and staff.

For more information and the UK Addendum to the ECERS-R go to www.ecersuk.org.

If you use ITERS/ECERS and wish to purchase items that meet the criteria, note that we've just made the selection process easier for you.

On the web each product that meets the system’s requirements has an ITERS/ECERS listing; click on that to bring up the corresponding ‘item’. The ‘indicator’ number follows.

In our catalogue, in the footer below each product that meets the system’s two highest quality levels, we’ve added ITERS and/or ECERS information. The text indicates the corresponding ‘item’; the bold numbers that follow represent the ‘indicator’.

* ITERS—Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale
   ECERS—Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale