Learning Journal

[childminder54]

Is this right I was told on a course that learning journals are not compulsory. Is this right. Parents are not interested in them will not write in them so fed up. The don't have time to even read them. So can i stop doing them.

[Rubybubbles]

Is this right I was told on a course that learning journals are not compulsory. Is this right. Parents are not interested in them will not write in them so fed up. The don't have time to even read them. So can i stop doing them.

do you mean Daily Diaries? daily feedback to parents


Learning Journals are a very important part of a childs time with us

[Mouse]

LJs have never been compulsory.

You do need to show starting points and ongoing development, but it doesn't have to be done as a LJ.

[FussyElmo]

Is this right I was told on a course that learning journals are not compulsory. Is this right. Parents are not interested in them will not write in them so fed up. The don't have time to even read them. So can i stop doing them.

No they are not compulsory but you do have to show how the child is progressing with you. A learning journal is a tool to do this

[sarah707]

When the Eyfs was first introduced in 2008 we were provided with guidance on how to write a learning Journey / Journal file including sample observation forms, planning etc ...

That guidance was taken off the site because colleagues complained that they wanted to do things their way.

The Eyfs does not say we have to write a file called a learning journey for each child - what it says is that we must observe, assess and plan for each child's learning - including parent comments and liaison with other settings - using children's learning characteristics in obs and planning...

I have yet to find a better format than a file with everything in it ... and the 'industry standard' name for the file is 'Learning Journey'

[blue bear]

Right so why have you been doing the learning journeys? What do you use the information in them for?

Yes they are great to share with parents but they are also great for looking at with the children, looking back at the fun things you have done together. They are perfect for tracking children's development and highlighting what children's next steps should be and what the next steps for you as the practitioner should be to further help and support that development. They are great at highlighting where gaps in the children's development might be or gaps in your provision.
When lo leaves it makes a lovely present and keepsake for them to look back on.

The learning journeys should be a useful tool, not something you just do because you think ofsted will like it.

So yes you can stop doing the learning journals but what will you do instead to document the child's development, next steps, how you have responding to a child's learning to further develop it?

As to parents not wanting to write I it or contribute,try thinking outside the box, text the what did you think of the Lj? They will be more likely to respond to a text, screen shot and printed and stuck In the Lj covers that point.
Get them to get wants app on their phone, you get it too,they can then send photos of lo doing things at home for free which you can add to. Lowlights any comments parents make, you can then respond to that experience witha next step to build on the child's learning.

Ignore my waffle if it's total rubbish

[NightOwl]

Wantsapp is great. I send photos of lo with comment and date. That way if I print photo for LJ I can look back and check dates. It helps me with my obs if I haven't had time to write anything down and helps jog my memory. Parents often send photos and leave comments which can be noted in LJ. (Woke up pleased as I remembered it's a BH but now can't get back to sleep!)

[rickysmiths]

Is this right I was told on a course that learning journals are not compulsory. Is this right. Parents are not interested in them will not write in them so fed up. The don't have time to even read them. So can i stop doing them.

That is right they have never been Compulsory and I know many childminders that have been graded Outstanding and don't do them or Daily Diaries.

If you don't do them you need to be confident enough about where each child in your care is developmentally and being able to explain it on Inspection Day. Lots of photos showing what the children have been doing and next steps followed.

The main reason people do LJs is because it is a good way to demonstrate progress and working with parents.