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sarah707
31-08-2012, 08:11 AM
How do you intend to approach parents about their child's 2 year progress check?

Quite a few childminders have contacted me already to tell me that they are having problems - parents do not want them to write the check (don't test my child at age 2) and Health Visitors haven't a clue!

Here are my thoughts...

First - we have to write a 2 year progress check regardless of parents wishes - it will be a statutory requirement.

Second - the guidance document for the check, from the EYFS page of the www.foundationyears.co.uk website, says that the check should be written before the child's 2 year HV check, with input from parents AND given to parents to hand over.

Let's look at it logically for a moment here... we are constantly writing observations, assessments and individual / next steps planning for all the children in our care...

The majority of us are also writing regular summary assessments to share with parents and asking parents about what their children are doing and saying at home.

That is really all the 2 year progress check is... a summary assessment of a child's learning and development including input from parents :idea:

It might be on posher paper or you might have a form to complete from your LA - but it's still only a summary assessment.

So... we write it... we ask parents for input... we put one copy in the child's file (for Ofsted to see) and hand the other over to parents with the request that they share it with the HV.

Our job is done. We don't have to worry any more. If parents choose not to hand it over there is nothing we can do - the guidance is clear that we cannot approach the HV without parents permission.

If there is a problem with the child's learning and development we are going to be flagging it up anyway regardless of whether we are writing a 2 year check or not...

Does that sound ok to you guys? :D

desiderata
31-08-2012, 08:14 AM
Sarah you are such a fountain of knowledge and information and help , I know most of us would be lost on her with out your input. Do you ever eat or sleep between your childminding and your help on here and off when you help us personally . You are one in a million xx:clapping:

karensmart4
31-08-2012, 08:23 AM
Thank you Sarah, that was my take on it but it's good to get it spelt out so well :jump for joy:

The Juggler
31-08-2012, 08:59 AM
Sarah this is exactly how I'm selling it to my reluctant parent. I just did an end term next steps report with a summary of her progress todate. I've explained it's no different to this really - sad I'm not getting to use my grids but so be it.

rickysmiths
31-08-2012, 10:14 AM
I think that is entirely sensible.

We were told to do the check as near to second birthday for this reason. We have a very simple 2 sided sheet from our LA that can be filled in using info from the child's LJ so from what we are doing anyway.

Simples!

VeggieSausage
31-08-2012, 10:44 AM
that puts things very simply into perspective - thanks!

Mollymop
31-08-2012, 11:22 AM
That's the way I look at it too Sarah.
I send out end of term reports to the parents anyway so the year 2 report will be no different to what I am used to doing anyway. When a child starts I get the parent to sign a permission form for me to do assessments and obs of their child - so I have that as back up anyway and the parents know why I do them so they so far have been ok with it all. So the year 2 check (luckily only got one child who is 2 at present) should go smoothly for me for my first attempt!

ORKSIE
31-08-2012, 11:37 AM
This is what I thought...Thanks for backing up my theory...thanks Sarah:thumbsup:

XX

danielly124
31-08-2012, 12:12 PM
Sarah do we still need to do the check if the child has been to the health visitor already? Or if they are 2 and a half.sorry still trying to read through all my eyfs paperwork

loocyloo
31-08-2012, 12:15 PM
i will be aiming to do mine close to the childs second birthday, as round here, that is when they all have their 2 yr checks!

i have told my parents its nothing different to what i already do, just something the government have decided we have to do if the child attends a childcare setting. i had one mum say, well, if Lo is with you 5 hrs, and the rest of the time with me, i'm the primary carer and i'm not doing it! how do they know Lo is with a childminder!

i will just do a slightly amended form for the 2 yr old as opposed to my usual summative form!

thanks sarah

sarah707
31-08-2012, 01:11 PM
Sarah do we still need to do the check if the child has been to the health visitor already? Or if they are 2 and a half.sorry still trying to read through all my eyfs paperwork

The 2 year progress check is for the HV so theoretically no.

However, we are going to be doing summary assessments anyway so those can be used as evidence for Ofsted :D

Rosy Days
31-08-2012, 01:31 PM
Sarah, thanks for your help that makes it so much clearer and not as daunting! Can I just ask please, do we have to do a summary assessment? I obviously do obs and next steps etc but don't tend to do a summary assessment, is this something we are supposed to do as well or is it just good practice to do one? Thanks x :)

Rosy Days
31-08-2012, 01:44 PM
Sarah, thanks for your help that makes it so much clearer and not as daunting! Can I just ask please, do we have to do a summary assessment? I obviously do obs and next steps etc but don't tend to do a summary assessment, is this something we are supposed to do as well or is it just good practice to do one? Thanks x :)

Just to add because I might not have made myself clear, I mean write a summary assessment every 6 months for example. :)

sarah707
31-08-2012, 01:51 PM
Sarah, thanks for your help that makes it so much clearer and not as daunting! Can I just ask please, do we have to do a summary assessment? I obviously do obs and next steps etc but don't tend to do a summary assessment, is this something we are supposed to do as well or is it just good practice to do one? Thanks x :)

There are 2 statutory summary assessments noted in the EYFS 2012 -

- Progress check at age 2 - which we do if we are the main provider

- End of EYFS check.

Beyond that it is up to the individual to decide how much they want / do not want to do.

HOWEVER the Ofsted inspector's handbook states that, for a good provision, they will be looking for -

'Practitioners complete regular and precise assessments of children and use these effectively to plan suitably challenging activities.'

AND

'Where children’s starting points are below those of other children of their age, assessment shows they are improving consistently over a sustained period and the gap is closing.'

There are other notes as well which talk about assessment throughout the Eyfs as key to raising outcomes.

This suggests strongly to me that some form of summary assessment will be useful for showing children are making good progress.

Hth :D

Rosy Days
31-08-2012, 01:57 PM
There are 2 statutory summary assessments noted in the EYFS 2012 -

- Progress check at age 2 - which we do if we are the main provider

- End of EYFS check.

Beyond that it is up to the individual to decide how much they want / do not want to do.

HOWEVER the Ofsted inspector's handbook states that, for a good provision, they will be looking for -

'Practitioners complete regular and precise assessments of children and use these effectively to plan suitably challenging activities.'

AND

'Where children’s starting points are below those of other children of their age, assessment shows they are improving consistently over a sustained period and the gap is closing.'

There are other notes as well which talk about assessment throughout the Eyfs as key to raising outcomes.

This suggests strongly to me that some form of summary assessment will be useful for showing children are making good progress.

Hth :D

Thanks Sarah :)

newbie
31-08-2012, 04:18 PM
I've had no paperwork or form given to me for this 2 year check from my network or LA so not really sure what to use????

sarah707
31-08-2012, 04:24 PM
I've had no paperwork or form given to me for this 2 year check from my network or LA so not really sure what to use????

Look at the samples in the 2 year progress check guidance document here -

www.foundationyears.org.uk - EYFS page

Then make your own! If you do a forum search there are quite a few samples knocking around too :D

heather4932
19-09-2012, 03:33 PM
I've just been reading up on this as our LA are going around telling minders to go to the HV and get them to add info to the 2yr check!? I'd read it as you have stated it, fill in form, get parents comments, they pass to HV if they choose.

They've worried one of my friends into thinking she'll be doing the job of the HV!! I've given her my take on the 2yr check, so hopefully she won't be throwing in the towel!

Personally I think it's a good thing. And I've adapted one of the examples from the back of the guide.:)

Ps, I love ur posts, so helpful :D

Heather

sarah707
19-09-2012, 04:52 PM
I've just been reading up on this as our LA are going around telling minders to go to the HV and get them to add info to the 2yr check!? I'd read it as you have stated it, fill in form, get parents comments, they pass to HV if they choose.

They've worried one of my friends into thinking she'll be doing the job of the HV!! I've given her my take on the 2yr check, so hopefully she won't be throwing in the towel!

Personally I think it's a good thing. And I've adapted one of the examples from the back of the guide.:)

Ps, I love ur posts, so helpful :D

Heather

Awww thank you Heather! :blush:

The trouble with the 2 year check seems to be that LAs are making it up as they go along...

But if you follow the guidance that's what Ofsted want to see so you will be fine! :D

toddlers896
04-11-2012, 05:15 PM
Does the 2 year progress check have to be all positive.

I have a little one that wont share so should i put that in the PSED area. Her speach also isnt too good so ime not too sure
wether its okay to be negative.

Thanks in advance x

hectors house
04-11-2012, 06:29 PM
Does the 2 year progress check have to be all positive.

I have a little one that wont share so should i put that in the PSED area. Her speach also isnt too good so ime not too sure
wether its okay to be negative.

Thanks in advance x

Have only done one so far, I wrote in it that he has problem with sharing, and gets frustrated - if you have a negative you can then plan on how to correct or work with parents to turn it into a positive

Playmate
04-11-2012, 07:28 PM
We have done 2 already and will need to a 3rd this week! The 1st was quite a possitive report and really just exteded what we had written at the end of last term. Mum was really happy with it and took it with her to the HV who said it was really useful to have background info. The 2nd we wrote last week; which turned out to be quite a negative report :( It uspset us to write it as we felt we were not doing our job properly. We discussed it with mum who was also quite upset, but only because we discovered this child was behaving very differently for us and not talking whilst with us. During the last week we have really worked with mum and the child to try and get to the bottom of the problem. Mum recorded things on her phone so that we could see him in his home environment and hear the language he used. It has helped us to focus on this child in a different light and in 1 week we are already seeing a changed. This child will have his HV check on Friday and we will add to his report at the end of this week. Doing this particular progess check has really helped us to reflect on some areas of our practice, so although it was very negative in the beginning it has created a possitive outcome :D