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jadavi
01-04-2013, 01:42 PM
Just when I'd found a great system that works for me... I mentioned a while back I had a dictator of a d o coming to do my RAG....

Well she likes my communication book as she calls it (my a4 diary with all planning in it) ... But.... She needs to see (acc to Ofsted guidelines) clear indications each week of next steps needs ( under headings ) and then, these collated at the end of the week into a 'to do' chart and clearly translated into next weeks plan under eyfs headings. It seems like there is no saying no to her. She is returning in three weeks to see I did it.
It makes me so angry to be dictated to like this .
What i was doing was a day to day listing of what was done and next steps arising. End of week this was pulled into next weeks plan.... Not enough it seems!!
Amy thoughts?

zippy
01-04-2013, 01:47 PM
What a load of tosh, how does you doing tons of paperwork improve outcomes for child, a child may not be ready to move on every week they don't learn to a schedule.

You only need to do what works for your kids, I have started doing individual planning, it has a box for each area, I also note any schemas and their learning style, then note what they are really interested in, then have more boxes at the bottom where i combine the two, this may be done weekly, monthly or indeed six monthly, it depends on child, for example I may have child who needs to develop their speech, I will note words they are already saying, I will then note interests for example balls, I will then focus new word learning around balls for example ball, bounce catch.
I would not even contemplate moving on in this area for example sentences (as you know already common sense) until this has been achieved, so pointless me doing it weekly/ monthly if not achieved yet, I don't necessarily mean the exact words I'd been planning on teaching as we all know this may well change. Another example would be I might be needing to get them to practise fine motor skills so I would make a sensory tub with tongs and stuff in to help that happen but the tub would also be focused on balls to keep them interested for example id have loads of craft pom poms in etc, I don't believe in doing tons of paperwork for the sake of it, this one form shows exactly how I'm trying to move child on, I would consider doing another one if interests changed dramatically to keep it relevant for child but thats about it, its done to keep me focused, not to please ofsted or anyone else, couldn't give a hoot about them if it works for me and my kids happy to pm a copy if you want to have a look, happy to send completed one to but would have to wait a week as I'm away at moment.

blue bear
01-04-2013, 02:03 PM
I'd be asking her to model her method by doing it for me for a few weeks, then She can see how ridiculous and repetitive her suggestions are. Guide her back to the revised eyfs where it says paperwork should only be that is necessary or something along those lines.

I had a d/o tell me for every ob should be a followed Up with an ob with photo to show next steps, she is now a nursery worker and she laughed at it when I reminded her of her suggestion, she apologised and said it sounds nice In theory but was impractical In real life.

As far as I'm concerned the d/o makes suggestions and it's up to me how or if I take on board any of the suggestions for MY. Business. If you can show that you achieve the same outcome for the children doing the paperwork a different way I can't see how she can enforce her particular favoured method onto you.

loocyloo
01-04-2013, 02:21 PM
i have a sheet that i date at the beginning of each week.

each child has a box, and i write in it;
a) any plans i have for that child that week ... last week, each child had 'easter craft', another had sorting buttons, another had counting games ( board ).
b) what the child does that week ... walk counting daffodils, puzzles, rice sensory tray, songs ....
and then, at the end of the week i write
c) any plans/next steps for child the following week ... it might be the child who this week was sorting buttons, might now be filling/emptying/weighing or maybe counting, or the child doing counting games, is going to continue with counting games - maybe adding ball/sport type counting games as well.

then the next week i write c) at a) and carry on! if child isn't interested in anything i had planned for them, i scribble that on my sheet.

this sheet is then copied and filed ( DOs idea to keep as evidence! :rolleyes: ) and the original is cut up and stuck in childs LJ each week, maybe with an ob, maybe not!

my DO loved this and thought it was great and good way to easily keep track of each child. i keep my sheet pinned on the noticeboard in playroom.

i have a weekly 'plan' usually of toddlers etc, and afterschool activities, and i try to make sure i write on it, each of the childrens 'plans' for that week. this i may scribble on as the week goes past as things change! this is also filed, along with the original sheet ( again, for evidence! )

sarah707
01-04-2013, 02:44 PM
You've seen my play planner - it's in activity ideas section of the forum.

I do have some longer term 'next steps' goals - usually over 6 months the same as my characteristics observations and summary assessments but that's all.

I have never and will never duplicate anything and I certainly don't feel the need to evidence every little thing I do or the children do - nobody is interested.

If you have found a method that works for you and you can explain it confidently to Ofsted and it shows the progress the children are making then don't change things!!

Hugs xx

chezzagriff
04-04-2013, 09:50 AM
All this planning is confusing me. I have a yearly plan which has a section under each month that says which festivals we will be celebrating and what we will be doing. I then have a weekly plan that has all the days next to it I write the activity, what resources will be needed, the adult role and an evaluation. Is this ok?

zippy
04-04-2013, 09:56 AM
All this planning is confusing me. I have a yearly plan which has a section under each month that says which festivals we will be celebrating and what we will be doing. I then have a weekly plan that has all the days next to it I write the activity, what resources will be needed, the adult role and an evaluation. Is this ok?

If it works or you and you can show you are following child's interests it's fine, we all do things differently. You need to remember and remind ANYONE who questions your methods that you do what works for you and your children, the only reason we should be planning is to focus us, so we can further learning opportunities for the children, and make their learning effective and enjoyable, we DO NOT plan to please the latest D.O plan of what is the in thing or to please Ofsted. If it ain't broken don't fix it lol

Chatterbox Childcare
04-04-2013, 12:08 PM
hang on - you have a system, you are outstanding, why does it need to change?

Go tell you DO to jump off a high cliff without a parachute.

DO's are there to guide and what they say isn't law

Do what you like...

Who needs a DO??

lol - rant over :)

jadavi
04-04-2013, 06:43 PM
I know I agree!!! I am obliged to do the RAG to stay on the nursery providers network .
This DO singled me out to inspect (she hardly ever makes visits to cms.) and I'm sure she's determined to trip me up somewhere...
In total I will have had four visits of three hours each!! Totally absurd....
She seems to take great pleasure in telling me I won't get an outstanding again (in June) as criteria have changed....
I really don't care now (they can never take away the one I got which will remain up on my wall.... In its frame! Lol)
I just want to tick the boxes and move on.
If I didn't get such reward from being a cm this would have made give up. Luckily it is the only down side of the job..... Along with the odd late payer :)