paperwork for 7 children under 3yrs AGHHH

[fridaysoff]

If you're reading this - please stick with me and help!! I am so DESPERATE to get this sorted out. I have read through lots of your posts and now I'm going to try one myself..

I've got 7 kids under 3yrs - great for the planning of continuous provision and all that, they all love being together and we can do group singing and other nice stuff- its nice, but continuously busy. They all only come for 2 or 3 days a week. I have an assistant but part time (my mum - not early years but she is brill, but rightly so, not wanting to be here after the kids have gone)

My problem - whatever I try I can't come up with a system of diary, observations, planning that I can manage on a day to day, week to week basis that works, the parents like and I can stay on top of.:( Don't think I can see wood for trees anymore. had my inspection, did great, x1 recmndation to consolidate paperwork. when I asked her for suggestions "Ican't help you" she said. NCMA person tells me "use what works for you" well the answer is NOTHING right now!:eek: and I feel so guilty and miserable about it because I want to be able to do my job well, but the paperwork niggles away in the back of my head incomplete and I'm too tired to be doing it now. (obviously could be doing it instead of being on here - er... well...:blush: )

I never do these forum things cos I'm usualy busy making up an activity or something - but I don't have the energy for that anymore right now either.

PLease would any of you be able to share what you do (can't see smiley for "beg")- I've tried the scrap books, I do a diary which grew into a journal... we have learning plans now to consolidate the observations we want to focus on but I can't keep them updated... I suppose I could work till 9:00 every night but I just don't want to. And it takes me SOOOOO Long to match the obs to the EYFS dev matters things which we are highlighting off (got those from my local authrty) I bet you've all disussed this before - just point me in that thread direction if you don't want to repeat it all...:blush:

can't wait for a reply - I know someone out there has a magic wand!

[jessie1]

I dont have a reply for you as literally only starting to mind now even though I am registered for a year. But thought I'd bump you up when the clever cloggs wake up in the morning, they wont miss you.
All the best

[sarah707]

Hello, welcome to the forum!

The trick with any paperwork is to make it manageable... if it's too much then change it.

You can do a lot with a scrapbook - a photo, quick observation, link to Eyfs and ideas for next steps don't need to be long.

If you keep a list of the Eyfs for the child's age and stage running alongside the scrap book it makes it very easy to note what is happening and see how it all fits in.

I only have 4 Eyfs folders on the go at the moment, but filling them in takes no more than 15 mins each once a week. The rest of the time it's brief notes in my notebook or a few jottings while they are playing happily.

My planning is individual as well as group ... so this week we are looking at holidays and we are visiting France. My group planning shows all the French activities we will enjoy.

My individual planning shows that x is settling in and needs extra attention; y is potty training and z has a bit of a thing about dinosaurs and I must find out their names in French!

I update it all as I go along mostly, then have an hour set aside once a week to really crack on with the learning journeys. What most people tend to forget is that it takes up to a year to move a child through an age and stage.

During that year you are collecting information as you go along - if you give yourself time it really does build up :D

[gegele]

hello,

what Sarah is the best for any paperwork question. if you go on her web she sells e-book really cheap and they're really good as she explain the whole thing to you. there are griuo planning and all. go and have a look.
good luck.:thumbsup:

[fridaysoff]

thanks gegele, I will take a look....:thumbsup:

So sarah how do you set out your scrap books then? have you got a section for each area of learning? We used to have scrap books - it just took so long to sort photos, trim and cut, stick, so I'd leave it for a wquieter time and there never seems to be one - or the diaries get done adn then that's it, nothing else.... How often do parents see your scrap books? - do you use these in place of a progress report?

do you do diaries - how much do you put in those ? (I will check your website later when more time, so forgive me if I am asking thigns that are on that:blush: )

Children are arriving - aaah - where's the time gone - this forum is dangerous!!:eek:

[sarah707]

I don't use them! I thought they might be a viable suggestion for you!! :laughing:

I use learning journeys with pre-printed papers that help me to formalise what I write...

It does mean that the children have similar booklets but it works for me that way and of course the photos, observation and planning notes and Eyfs information are all specific to the child.

I sell my learning journey paperwork as part of e-book 28... you can also find quite a lot of ideas free on the Eyfs CD and of course trawling the internet brings up a lot of freebies, but I think maybe you've done this already and found too much! :D

[RainbowMum]

I use scrap books just for a keepsake of the nice thingswe have done, trips etc and wowo moments - I dont link these to the eyfs and I have a blitz every now and then updating them. I use a photo observation sheet that came from one of Sarah's books, I fill it in on the laptop - including inserting the photo - no trimming or glueing! There are boxes to tick for which learning area it meets and I add a note taken from the development matters. It also has a box for next steps. I do one of these per month per child as all mine are no more than 2 days a week (I work 8-6 every day) I put these in a ring binder for each child - I am considerering putting the scrap book photo's on sugar paper and keeping in the file too - cant decide lol! The main thing I have to do is remember to put the nextsteps into the planning ( I use a web style - again from Sarah!)

As Sarah says you can get all this info if you search but if like me you like easy to read & all in one place then have a look at Sarahs books - she is very good :D I dont us all her plans etc but I incorporate a lot of it into mine. The Theme book will give you a great head start on linking to the EYFS and once you get used to it it comes a bit easier :thumbsup:

[fridaysoff]

:thumbsup: thank you

one day I'll feel sorted out.... I hope - probably two weeks before they change it again!:eek:

[nic76]

think i need to invest in sarahs e books. just need to get paid first lol