Planning & observation...

[eviesmum]

Please can someone help me to make sense of what I need to be doing in terms of recording my planning and observing? I have just found Sarah's play planning sheets on the free downloads. They seem to be almost like observation sheets. Do I need to do both? I'm just starting out and am finding all this sooo confusing.

[sarah707]

Play planning is just one way of recording how a child is making progress.

You talk about what the child has enjoyed doing... and what you have planned for the child.

You then link it to observations and carry forward next steps from previous months.

It is all linked to Development Matters.

It works really well for some people - and not for others which is why there are lots of alternative ideas and ways of doing things around as well.

If what you are using makes sense to you then don't go changing things!!

[eviesmum]

Thanks for the quick reply! I'm really struggling to find something that I feel comfortable with and that I can use and understand. I keep finding something and thinking this is good, then see something else and get all confused again

[blue bear]

I just use a grid with days of the week down the side and each area of learning along the top. I usually plan one thing for each day across the group and one thing for each child based on their personal interests (I put initials next to it)

For obs I write them up and put in learning journal, underneath I write out the things I did with child to follow on from obs with the date.

Simple but it works for me


You will find people do it all different ways, you will end up trying a few before the one that suits you best finally comes to you.

[mrs robbie williams]

I do the same as Blue Bear - a simple form for planning for each week, usually a different thing each day, then next steps go on the next weeks sheet and obs go in lj