Paperwork myth...what have you cut down on since EYFS 2012?

[Simona]

Has the EYFS 2012 really cut down on paperwork?

I usually refer to 'documentation' when is anything that relates to EYFS, planning, learning journeys or relating to the Welfare Requirements, contracts.

'Paperwork' I refer to the business side of cminding....

what have you been able to cut down on???

[Rick]

I registered in October 2012 so I was in the fortunate position of not having to adapt to the revised EYFS. I don't do more than I feel I need to though

[FussyElmo]

Mines not changed

My system suits me and I saw no reason to change

[sarah707]

Very funny Simona

[Simona]

Thank you for your reply Fussy Elmo

If anyone else could input I would really appreciate it as I am doing a little research on this...
As you know one of the agencies well advertised aspect is that they will help cms and 'reduce the burden' of paperwork...

it has also been well publicised that many cms do not have good business skills and again the agencies will help cms with running their business or do accounts for them (at a cost I suppose)

I am more interested on the EYFS paperwork
You don't have to give a lot of info just if you have been able to 'cut down' on EYFS 'paperwork', what have you got rid of or have you found that you need to do more

Many cms buy documents from associations, were they updated well ?others devise them themselves...did you have to adapt them and was it easy?

[sarah707]

Ok a sensible answer now I've stopped laughing here are some thoughts -

Risk assessments - the EYFS says they don't need to be in writing but if you don't have them in writing you get slated at inspection

Policies and procedures - the EYFS says they don't need to be in writing - the Childcare Register requires some in writing including NEW ones. Plus if you don't have others you will struggle to share your business practices effectively with parents and Ofsted

Self evaluation - same as RAs

CPD - I am doing more than ever because there are less training courses available now the LA has less money and it's not ring fenced

Learning Journeys - NEW requirement to note the learning characteristics / an extra area of L & D to evidence planning for / ENHANCED requirement to monitor progress / NEW requirement to share ideas learning with home / ENHANCED requirement to involve parents in planning. The rest is pretty much the same as I have always done

All the things that had to be changed when the EYFS was first introduced - I am still supporting childminders to deal with those

Balance of play - adult guided learning needs evidencing as well as adult led and child initiated

Hth

[LisaC6LBC]

Has the EYFS 2012 really cut down on paperwork?

I usually refer to 'documentation' when is anything that relates to EYFS, planning, learning journeys or relating to the Welfare Requirements, contracts.

'Paperwork' I refer to the business side of cminding....

what have you been able to cut down on???

Nooooooo. There's are less learning goals, but not less paperwork! :0(

[bunyip]

Nothing cut down as a result of 'new improved' EYFS.

In response to parents' comments, I do fewer letters and do a regular, more friendly newsletter instead.

As an aside, does anyone else think that "understanding the world" no longer does what it says on the tin, and should be re-titled: "why isn't your 6 month-old using a computer yet"?

[jadavi]

The 3 new forms I'm posting recommended by Ofsted do seem to promise less.

First is long term continual play provision in six areas (6sheets) that is good for all children in the setting so semi permanent once you've done it with occasional updating

Second is
Individual plan sheets (that included characteristics of essential learning and parental feedback and evaluation) to be done half termly. I'm sticking this in the LJ two sheets with boxes.

Third is a tracker to fill in dates of above form's next steps achieved,

My Extra: keeping obs up to date in LJ and occasional action plans and self assessment.
Summative assessments termly and two year reports etc.
List of festivals and dates on the wall
That's all I'll be doing now - my planning file has never looked so thin. Just a tracker for each child. (6 weekly indiv plan stuck in LJ)
Compared to the duplication I was doing this feels very light so quite excited about it.

[samb]

I tried to cut down but hasn't worked out. I don't see what paperwork an agency could do for me?

[Samijanec]

I am soooooo glad things are done differently up here..

[Simona]

I am soooooo glad things are done differently up here..

What is it that you do differently...do you do less or more??? and where is up here?

[lizduncan72]

I am soooooo glad things are done differently up here..

Me too!! Although I still seem to have loads to do and am soooo behind on most of it!! Glad I've only got two more weeks to work before the school holidays-must use the time to get on top of it all before the kids come back in August

[Samijanec]

I'm in Scotland, we still do lots of paperwork, but we don't have the objectives that you guys seem to have, we are not here to teach, in fact we are not allowed to "teach" it's all child led...

[Samijanec]

Me too!! Although I still seem to have loads to do and am soooo behind on most of it!! Glad I've only got two more weeks to work before the school holidays-must use the time to get on top of it all before the kids come back in August

I'm so ready for the school holidays, just to not have to do a school run will be fab!!!

[loocyloo]

the only thing i'm doing less of ( or at least attempting to! ) is observations. only when I see something new/different!

I was doing summative assesments that I shared with parents each term, this has gone to 6 monthly, although I update 'tracker' at least once each term. ( my parents and I don't have enough free evenings between us to do this termly! ) I have added characteristics of learning to the summative forms. i'm now doing a 2 yr check form around childs 2nd birthday ( as that is when they are done by HV here ) I attempt to get parents to share/comment/join in, but not very successfully!

each week I keep a brief note of what I plan for each child, what they did and what I plan to do next ( these get put in each childs LJ )

I do have monthly/termly themes, but I've always had those! it also has festivals/special events/birthdays listed on it. this is on my wall. (and as I've been doing them for so long, its very quick as I have lots 'ready to go'!)

I still have all my Risk assessments, so just check, amend and sign yearly ( or before if need to change something )

policies etc all written, so just check, amend and sign yearly ( or before if need to change something ) my DO has added SEN policy to the list ( I have it as part of 'equality/inclusion' ( whatever its currently called! ) but apparently its good practice to have a separate one!

my LA is offering lots of courses, so i'm doing as many as I can!

I have a weekly plan of what activities we are going to such as toddlers or feeding the ducks, any planned adult led activity such as counting games and activities provided for the children such as playdough, or a heuristic play session. then a list of what is available for the children to self select. this is on the notice board for parents to see ( but have always done this )

I am always thinking I need to update my SEF, but it always ends up at the bottom of the pile!

[Optimalstar]

Nothing cut down as a result of 'new improved' EYFS.

In response to parents' comments, I do fewer letters and do a regular, more friendly newsletter instead.

As an aside, does anyone else think that "understanding the world" no longer does what it says on the tin, and should be re-titled: "why isn't your 6 month-old using a computer yet"?

I have issues with understanding the world. I think it's too focused on communities and not enough on the natural environment.

I used to think of this area as 'all things science and technology' if I was inclined to be a little sexist( don't shoot me down) I'd come here for the boys more than the girls and now I often feel lost as to where to locate the stuff my own 2 1/2 year old ds does. He loves everything that will fit into 'physics' later on.

[hectors house]

I am spending so much more time on observations and planning that what I doing LESS is spending time doing my Accounts - I am so far behind that I will probably end up paying more tax as I won't have had time to calculate all the small easily missed expenses that you don't always get a receipt for.

[rickysmiths]

I have cut down my paperwork.

I now do a combined Daily Diary and LJ. It is quicker to complete, easier to keep up to date because it goes home every day. I keep it one weekend a month to do any up dating it needs. It have saved time on printing and I print many less photos so big saving there as well. I am also getting much more and better feedback from parents because there is space for them to write what is going on at home. because it is very much a working document they seem much more happy to write in things than they ever did in the learning Journals which they said they didn't want to spoil!

My planning is kept to a min as well. I have an overall plan for the year in in terms of Festivals and special days but this folder has been gathered over years and is added to as and when. I then have a plan for the month ahead and w weekly plan for each child is done from this taking to account their needs and interests this id written in the Diary/LJ. Alterations are shown in the Diary/LJ as well. I write up in short note form in my planning folder if an activity has worked or not, why it hasn't worked and what I would do next time. Also how the activities are adapted for different ages and i am beginning to mark each activity with the areas of learning it covers. This shows reflection of practice.

To be fair I had my RAs in place and unless anything happens to change them they are reviewed every year.

I now hand write a brief RA if I go anywhere new.

I do have a Complaints procedure even though we don't have to have a written one because otherwise it is difficult to explain to parents.

I do have written Policies but I have always kept these to a min because I think parents have enough to take in without pages and pages of Policies. I have all the ones I am required to have plus the ones i consider I need to run my business. I have 13 in an 8 page document. I review them once a year or when something tells me to change something or I decide i need to change something.

I have a few folders.

Ofsted which has all my old certificates, past reports, and letters etc from Ofsted.

RA Folder has all my RAs, Copies of my CRBs and letters from Ofsted about the family, details of car and house insurance, PL and Employer's Insurances, Fire Brigade visits and reports, Gas Inspection Reports for the boiler, Evacuation Plan, Record of Evacuation Practices, Information about why I don't use Socket Covers, First Aid certificates for me and all my family, Child Protection training Certs. I do not show this folder to prospective parents and have never been asked by any of the contents. It is purely for Ofsted and for me so I know where all the information is.

Parents Information Folder has my latest Ofsted Report, Latest Cert (I still haven't had my new one!!), a bit about me and my business with some photos, blank copies of a contract and all the other forms I ask parents to complete, copy of my Policies and Complaints Procedure, copy of PL Insurance Cert and Employer's Cert, Copy of my First Aid Cert and Child Protection Cert, a leaflet about EYFS, HPA leaflet, sample menus and an idea of a typical day. This is what I show parents at an interview. It is in a 40 page soft plastic folder so it doesn't feel too onerous.

A Parents Feed Back Folder with letters and cards from past parents.

An outings folder with photos and list of places we go to regularly.

An Accounts Book

An Attendance Register

An Accident Incident Medication Folder

The three above are all Pacey (NCMA) why spend hours making them when they can be bought.

That is about it and they sit on a small shelf in my hall and the ones plus children's folders that need to be locked away are kept in a tin suspended file box from a high street stationers shop and cost approx £15 all old records go away in the loft and I have about three med sizes plastic boxes.

Now I am up to date I spend no more than 2 -3 hours a week and about half of that is done during the working day. I have 4 under fives on my books from Sept for five days a week with one day with 4 under fives.

Maybe I will come unstuck at inspection, that will remain to be seen. However the above was what I did at the last inspection (Sept 2011) the only difference was I did Learning Journals and no Daily Diaries. I was graded Good with Outstanding Aspects.

[jadavi]

Samijamec this is what my Ofsted inspector said to me so I think it's the same in England