Very basic help needed with obs and planning please!

[mamabear]

Hello!
I'm not new to childminding, (I've been minding for 8 years now) but need help with the new eyfs as i cant get on a course until feb! I did a course way back when the eyfs first came in, and used to do learning journals when I helped out at preschool a few years back, but I've just taken on a new little girl and need some advice please. I've only had older children since then.
I know I need to plot her progress, and starting point (letting her settle in first and accept my son- see my other post!) but how often should I carry out observations?
What about planning, I've never formally planned before!
Please help!!

[sarah707]

Starting points - what the child knows / likes / says / can do etc when they first start in your care - ask parents and then add to them with your own observations.

You will probably find you are doing quite a few obs to start with just to make sure you are getting to know the child well... then less as time passes.

I do about 5 obs per month for most of my children - some with photos and some brief notes. My children are all part time, 2 days a week.

Some months I do less because they don't seem to have done much - then all of a sudden they progress in lots of areas very quickly and I find I am writing more!

Hth :D

[chriss]

What is HTH ? :)

[Kiddleywinks]

Hope That Helps :thumbsup:

[chriss]

abd there is another one...somethin like iyswim ??

[Kiddleywinks]

If You See What I Mean (iyswim)
or
If You Get What I Mean (iygwim)

There's an abbreviation thread here....
http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/lounge/38990-forum-abbreviations.html

[mamabear]

Thanks for your help, but at the moment she doesn't do very much except sit on my lap- shes scared of my son and screams blue murder when I'm not holding her!
I'll aim to write something once a week then, should it just be a little note about what she's done (like I put in her daily diary) or something more detailed?

[VeggieSausage]

Starting point obs could be:

PD - can she sit up unaided, hold her head, crawl, walk, stand, jump etc
CL - does she babble, talk, say any words, point to what she wants - cry if she isn't happy!!
PSED - how is she at leaving mum, how confident is she, etc, can she feed herself, hold a cup or bottle etc

She will be doing more that you can note than you think.....

I am just doing these for a new lo, I have an about me form that the parents have filled in (if you didn't do one at the start its not too late to do one now), then your obs and a couple of photos. Then I do a starting points assessment and planning sheet, which has on it:

1. Summary of each area and what they are doing....
2. Maybe 3 next steps from different areas that you will be working on over the next few months eg PSED working on getting to know each other and build more confidence so that XXX feels more settled in the routine at your house by providing one to one time, sharing stories and activities or whatever it is you choose....
3. Give this to parents to look at and have a sheet for them to note their comments and sign to say they have seen it.

this is basically it, I also do a basic planning sheet for each child each month where as the month progresses I note what they like to play with and what activities and toys I have out for them to follow this interest....