Assessing creativity in early childhood: How future teachers balance conformity and originality

• This study analyses assessment documents to report on emerging assessment practices for creativity among future early childhood teachers. • It uses a creative criteria analysis grid (GAC) that incorporates dimensions referring to the multivariate approach, the OECD creative task assessment grid and the 3P model (product, process, person). • The results highlight a focus on tangible, technique-oriented assessment indicators, to the detriment of of aspects related to the creative process • The study reveals the individual nature of assessment indicators and the absence of collaborative indicators. • The results provide useful information on the impact of initial training in creativity assessment on the emerging assessment practices of future early childhood teachers Creativity is recognised as an essential skill in 21st century education systems (Taguma et al., 2018). Research shows that it is a central aspect of solving complex problems and adapting to social and technological transformations (Pearson, 2011; Treffinger et al., 2002). This recognition has led to a rise in the assessment of creativity in international education policies, as evidenced by the inclusion of creative thinking tasks in the PISA assessments (Bouckaert, 2023; Sayoran, 2022). Although numerous theoretical frameworks have been developed to conceptualise it (Barbot et al., 2022; Lubart et al., 2015), its concrete implementation in teachers' practices remains complex.