observations and linking to the early learning goals?

[kindredspirits]

someone please help! I am trying to understand what the inspector meant when she said I should be linking my obs to the early learning goals. I can do this for the reception age children as they are fulfilling some of their goals - but when it comes to the 14 and 4 month olds i am struggling. theres obviously things written on the table about birth-11 months etc but these are quite vague statements - i don't see how, for example i can put they have achieved 'responds to different environments' as an achievement, and unless i'm mistake thats not an early learning goal???
i can totally see how the obs link to the 6 areas but from there i'm lost and confused, and to be honest losing the desire to do obs and getting more and more behind.

SARAH!!! lol ok anyone have any idea what i'm meant to do here? i'm desperate!

[Daftbat]

Hi,

In my records i look at something like crawling being the next step in learning for a baby and then do an observation when they are reaching forward and perhaps make the first efforts to crawl. Then i can link it to EYFS next learning steps - highlight it in notes too so that its obvious to inspector

[sarah707]

I think it actually helps that the statements are sometimes a bit vague because you can bend them to what you need them to say...

A baby responds to environments, to use your example, when she smiles when you go into the playroom in the morning or reaches up at a familiar or new mobile hung up over her changing mat.

You can use the bits next to the statements in the learning and development grids as examples and for ideas... they are quite useful if you have time to read them.

It's all about showing the child is achieving ... ie. doing the normal things they are supposed to do. Sometimes the Eyfs language is a bit strange, I agree, so if there are any bits you're not sure about just shout and we can all translate it together :laughing:

[kindredspirits]

thank you - i just wanted to make sure that i wasn't meant to be recording whether or not a 4 month old could use language such as 'more' and 'less'. pmsl. i can understand a need for basic are they achieving but i think EYFS for under 3's goes a bit too in depth for my brain!!!!!! :D