Obs and next steps, how to organise them?

[Ripeberry]

Mindee J (aged now 15months) will have been with me from end of this month for 3 months exactly. He has changed a lot, from crawling to walking, just babbling to almost talking.
I've been snap happy have have 9 photo obs and 5 description obs.....is this too many in 3 months?
I've linked all the obs to the usual PSED, CLL, PSRN, KUW,PD and CD and I've tried to link to Dispositions and Attitues, Self-confidence, Making relationships, Behaviour and self control, Self-care, Sense of Community by saying he has covered all aspects for certain ones. And I've done this with each of the 6 areas of learning.
Am I making things too complicated for myself?
But this bit I find OK, it's what to do with the next steps, as underneath each Ob I write next steps and put a suggestion down.
But what do I do with it then, do I have another file or piece of paper that reflects on how the next steps went? Can next steps go on all the time or do you find that they naturaly fizzle out anyway?
Or am I barking up the wrong tree totally?
Help! :panic:

[Ripeberry]

Anyone? :)

[FussyElmo]

My next steps are my planning so if baby trying to crawl my next steps would be to put toys further away from them.

I dont link every activity to the six areas I try to just do 2 and I try to use the sub heading of the area I do obs as and when usually 1 a week but got told by my DO that it was too much.

My next steps go at the end of my obs sheet and I also have a sheet which is my next step planning where I write them :)

[Ripeberry]

Thanks...I'll try that :thumbsup:

[grindal]

My happy and cheery :panic: Ofsted inspector told me my next steps and planning should be colour coded to make it easy for her to follow them. Mind you, she also asked me where in the folder labelled Risk Assessments where my Risk Assessments - I had to point out she needed to open the folder to find them!

[sarah707]

I do obs ... and link them to the main 6 areas of L&D

Then I link them to the aspects - the other bits of the 6 areas... on my obs sheet I do this with ticks :eek:

Then I go to a print out of the ages and stages for the child and write down how the observation links ... so this is my written evidence.

Then I write next steps ... to most of them. Not all obs should have next steps, some just stand alone.

The next steps feed into my individual planning... the obs help me to make sure the group planning is right for each child.

Hope that makes sense I've had wine :D

[Ripeberry]

Thanks Sarah, you always make sense! :D I was wondering where the aspects went and you have show me the holy grail! :thumbsup:

[mrsgreen]

i went on a recent course and they said to do roughly 1 proper obs a week and a couple of quick post it note obs whenever something worth mentioning happens.
i organise mine in time order and divided into the 6 areas. its all what works best for you though.

[newadventure]

I do obs ... and link them to the main 6 areas of L&D

Then I link them to the aspects - the other bits of the 6 areas... on my obs sheet I do this with ticks :eek: Please can someone explain what the aspects are?

Then I go to a print out of the ages and stages for the child and write down how the observation links ... so this is my written evidence. Where can I find the ages and stages of development
Then I write next steps ... to most of them. Not all obs should have next steps, some just stand alone.

The next steps feed into my individual planning... the obs help me to make sure the group planning is right for each child.

Hope that makes sense I've had wine :D

Sorry to interrupt your post but just a bit confused by a few things

[sarah707]

Along with your Eyfs statutory requirements you will have a guidance booklet.

At the back of the guidance booklet (and on the Eyfs CD) you will find ages and stages of information for all the areas of learning and development (L & D)

There are 6 areas of L & D... Psed, Cll, Psr&N etc.

Within each of these 6 areas there are other sections...

Psr&n has 3 areas - numbers for labels; shape space & measure; calculating - these areas are known as 'aspects'.

Under each aspect are the learning goals... the things we are looking out for the children to understand.

There are also lots of ideas in the guidance for planning and resourcing the environment.

Hth :D

[TheBTeam]

I do obs ... and link them to the main 6 areas of L&D

Then I link them to the aspects - the other bits of the 6 areas... on my obs sheet I do this with ticks :eek:

Then I go to a print out of the ages and stages for the child and write down how the observation links ... so this is my written evidence.

Then I write next steps ... to most of them. Not all obs should have next steps, some just stand alone.

The next steps feed into my individual planning... the obs help me to make sure the group planning is right for each child.

Hope that makes sense I've had wine :D

Please dont take this the wrong way as I am only reporting what I have been told, but the bit about not all obs having next steps in our area they said that they should!!! I personally agree with you and think that in a lot of cases they work and stand alone, and a moment where a child strings two words together instead of one etc is pretty much stand alone, as the next step would be three words and what is the point in writing down the obvious!

[sarah707]

Yes well you see that's the difference between childminders who work on a daily basis with children and know how to use the Eyfs to support them properly...

And someone in an office writing things down on bits of paper and trying to justify their job by sounding important.

It's about knowing what works isn't it?

Many observations are stand-alone... AND if you do a next steps for every obs you'd be there all day referring back and never going forward!

Some obs are there simply because you want to remember them or share them with parents...

Ok soap box moment over now! Glad you agree with me Mrs B :D

[Mrs Book]

Well you are all better than me as I haven't been told anything about how to do obs and write them down. Missed this bit on the course and was just sent some notes on email. As already having an NNEB it wasthought I'd be able to work all this out for myself. WRONG!!!

Have had 2yr old since 4th Jan. Did one ob in the snow and took pics. She had found a plant pot & was making snow castles. Have photos. Then briefly had her last week and she found a some cards with buttons & you have to match the buttons to the card to make a picture. She was doing well at putting the buttons in the holes but not at matching the colours. We need to work on colours.:)

So in scrap book I can put photo. How do you go bout writing ob. Do you have to put it word for word what happened or a couple of lines do?

Any help appreciated.

[sarah707]

So in scrap book I can put photo. How do you go bout writing ob. Do you have to put it word for word what happened or a couple of lines do?

Any help appreciated.

Sounds like you've got it under control.

I mostly write a line or 2... sometimes if it's something special I will write more :D

[monkey62]

one minute I feel like I got it , everything seems clear... next minute I get more confuse than I was previously....

[Ripeberry]

Tell me about it :rolleyes: I've started loads of threads about learning journeys, just got to get down and put it all together:eek:

[Hayley G]

one minute I feel like I got it , everything seems clear... next minute I get more confuse than I was previously....

That just about sums it up for me too!!

Can someone clarify - surely most obs link in to most of the 6 areas of learning - I was told I needed to do at least 2 obs per child per area of learning a month :eek:

[sarah707]

That just about sums it up for me too!!

Can someone clarify - surely most obs link in to most of the 6 areas of learning - I was told I needed to do at least 2 obs per child per area of learning a month :eek:

There are no rules!

You do not have to do one or two or three of anything a month... there is nothing in the Eyfs to say that!

You do what you need to do, depending on how often you see the child, to show that the child is progressing.

Sometimes you can note something really simple like...

X climbed the steps using alternate feet today! Link it to PD, think about next steps... hmmm would X enjoy using the steps on the slide at the park I wonder?

I tend to try and do one obs per area per month... plus a photo, but if it doesn't happen I certainly don't put myself under any pressure to get it done, that's not what the Eyfs is all about! :D