As part of the 78th edition of the OMEP World Congress (World Organisation for Early Childhood Education), held in Poznań, Poland, from 16 to 18 July 2026, Glòria Olmos, a researcher at the Educational Research Group at the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia (GREUV) and Director of Vic Municipal Nursery Schools, and Laura Farré, a GREUV researcher, presented the paper “The Voice of Professionals on Formative Assessment and Pedagogical Documentation in the First Cycle of Early Childhood Education (0–3 years)”.

This research is part of the Edufirst project and examines how formative assessment and pedagogical documentation contribute to the development of reflective educational practice in the first cycle of early childhood education (0–3 years), based on the perspectives of practitioners. The study explores their perceptions of these processes, examines the relationship between assessment, pedagogical reflection and professional development, and considers how structural and institutional conditions influence the implementation of formative assessment practices in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services.

The research is grounded in an understanding of assessment as a means of understanding children’s learning processes, interpreting their experiences within the contexts in which they take place, and creating opportunities for reflection that contribute to the continuous improvement of practice. Within this new paradigm, observation and pedagogical documentation become essential tools for capturing the complexity of educational situations and giving meaning to children’s everyday experiences. Assessment thus emerges as a key element in building high-quality education, focused on understanding learning processes and continuously improving educational practice.