F.A.O daddy day care

[sweets]

Gareth is it today you are seeing your DO? if so can you ask her about planning, its just that i saw mine on monday and she told me that ofsted don't like people to do 'themes' anymore as planning should really be an extension of the childs interests and should only be planned a week or so in advance. long term planning should only include birthdays and festivals etc.
I have never planned themes anyway and just go with the flow, but it would be interesting to see what another DO says as i know a lot of people on here do plan theme months.
Thanks

[Daddy Day Care]

Hiya sweets

Yeah I saw my DO today and luckily I saw this post just minutes before she turned up.

She totally agreed with what yous told you. She said themes use to be a big thing but since the EYFS came Ofsted now look down on themes.

She said the EYFS is about each individuals needs, and planning needs to reflect each individual. A big monthly theme doesnt do this.

Hope this helps

Gareth
xx

[zillervalley]

Hi

didnt know this

but back in march when mrs o came she was impressed with prompted things I did with mindees

for instant - went to south sheilds ferry and had a ride , we talked about boats, and mindees said pirates, so when we got back mindees dressed as pirates and we had a pirate snack, ha

mrs o wrote this in my report

ziller

[The Juggler]

think it's more for themes that maybe went on for term or a month. If all activities are themed and a particular child isn't engaged or interested in say, space, they will do little learning during that month. i.e. they might not listen to the story, take part in the arts and crafts or smallworld.

However, I think as we're catering for children individually now as well, with EYFS, it's OK to follow a theme introduced because children were interested, or simply to introduce something new just need to ensure children are engaging with it, change it frequently to cater for all children and have alternative resources for those who aren't engaging at all.

I've got a castle theme this week. To support the children's developing smallworld/imaginative play and to introduce something new and older children have been doing castles at school.

However, we're not doing castles outdoors and have familiar resources there for them to revisit, but I have put resources out that could be used for playing and extending on castle theme if they want. Also, another child still had train set out on floor in another room.

Does that make sense.

[HomefromHome]

this is driving me mad because i think it's quite hard especially for an under 3 to have specific interests!!!!!! (that's not to say some dont by the way!!) if that was the case then both my mindees would be doing dollies/kitchens for the whole time!!!! (i put out different resources every other week but it always reverts back!) i disagree that monthly themes are 'bad' - surely your introducing them to new things could spark interest and certainly provide new learning!!! this is where i still think that ofsted and the other powers that be should have come up with a standard that all minders could work to and with when it comes to eyfs - the same journals/diaries/etc etc - tbh i wouldnt be where i am now if it wasnt for sarah707 and her e-books!!!!! and i still dont get 100% but i am doing what i THINK is gonna be ok with ofsted!!! grrrrrrr
>>jumping off soapbox<<

[sweets]

great thanks gareth thats what i wanted to hear! lol. my DO said yes you should go with childrens interests as much as poss as well introducing new things but themes like say doing 'people who help us' for a month is a big no no! she said introduce new ideas and subjects but don't actually concentrate on it for a month unless the child is really interested. and its not neccessary to writhe it all down just go with the flow.

[sweets]

Hi

didnt know this

but back in march when mrs o came she was impressed with prompted things I did with mindees

for instant - went to south sheilds ferry and had a ride , we talked about boats, and mindees said pirates, so when we got back mindees dressed as pirates and we had a pirate snack, ha

mrs o wrote this in my report

ziller

What you did here is perfect! you went on a boat trip and as next steps you followed it up by playing pirates. thats just right. What ofsted don't like is a list of themes that you are going to do over the following months, people used to list them but there is really no need and its just extra unneccessary paperwork!

[Daddy Day Care]

great thanks gareth thats what i wanted to hear! lol. my DO said yes you should go with childrens interests as much as poss as well introducing new things but themes like say doing 'people who help us' for a month is a big no no! she said introduce new ideas and subjects but don't actually concentrate on it for a month unless the child is really interested. and its not neccessary to writhe it all down just go with the flow.

Have we got the same DO??? shes used the people who help us theme as an example

[sweets]

doubt it ! lol.. i am in lancs. unless she does lots of travelling:)