I need to simplify my planning

[Jill28]

Hi,
I am drowning in paper work at the moment, could you please share with me your planning procedures. I am sure I am doing too much, then worry I am not doing enough for Mrs O.

I do lots of observations, how many should I be doing, I have babies ranging from 8 months to pre schoolers at 4 and, one before and ater school who is 5 in april, how much should i do for that child to say she is in full time school to cover to 31st aug after 5th birthday in april, she normally wants to relax and watch television.

Also I have done my long term planning, I have been doing weekly planning for each child and filing this in their LJF linked to EYFS and obs then would you do overall weekly planning including the whole group? ARGGGHHHH. Or should I do a weekly group activitiy plan and then, section out a couple of children at a time for weekly obs, planning and next steps, whilst still doing mini obs on the rest iyswim. thanks for ANY help and pointers.

[abijacgem]

I am with you, thank goodness for snow days or I would get nothing done!! I spent all day yesterday on my SEF which I sent, got a phonecall this morning from Ofsted to say they're on their way...........Yeah!! First proper visit so now panicking about my planning which I am surrounded with as we speak!

I need to know what the minimum is that we need to do, how far indepth do we need to go? Yes, what if you have more than one child? My plan so far is to just do long term plan with list of ideas for months and events/festivals/birthdays etc included. Then do a weekly plan, on a weekly basis. A table of days, and planned sessions (one per day) say in blue. Then for each child they can have a different colour if I need to differentiate it for them. I have 2 mindees at 11months and 20 months. But my prob is tying it with the EYFS.

Honestly I think us ladies worry too much about it all, Mrs Ofsted prob wont even look at my planning sheet!!!!

[beccas]

My ofsted inspector said i was doing too much it was excellent but didnt need as much so i asked her how much she said:
as long as i can show where a child was when they started with me
what i have done to progress them (obs)
what i am going to do next (next steps)

I use photos and written obs depending on activity and Development matters.

You also have to link obs and next steps to Dm and eyfs area.


hth

[sarah707]

Good advice from Becca there!

I wrote this for someone recently... you might find it helpful

Group plan - red nose day - dressing up in red clothes, red food for snack, face or hand painting with red paints, mixing red paint with different colours to see the effects, marble painting with red & white, red collage using sensory materials... all ideas for group stuff the children might join in with.

Individual plan for John - red nose day - John does not like getting his fingers painted, so give him a stick to use;

Individual plan for Jane - red nose day - Jane is really into the makingfriends website at the moment so you have printed some red clothes for her to use!

Ok so far? You have a group plan but you are aware of differences and likes & dislikes and you are keen to ensure each child is included. You might also use info from parents to change your planning to suit the individual child.

Individual plan - w/c xx - you are referring back to John's observations and assessments (where he sits in the Eyfs) and considering how you can move him on. His observations show that he likes playing with cars and trains and has been trying to make a train track... next steps might include blah blah.

Individual plan - w/c xx - again refer back to Jane's observations and assessments. You see that Jane has an enclosure schema - she is constantly wrapping things up. So this week you are providing wrapping paper, string, glue, tape etc so she can make parcels.

Keep it simple so you do not confuse yourself. the best way to evidence progression / development is to keep referring back to observations.

[suez]

can i ask how do you put this together am i right in thinking you do a weekly planning sheet solely for that child write them next steps into the diff areas of learnin such as psed,cll n so on and when youve noticed they have done those would you then write them all as a ob again and the next steps back in the areas of learnin for the following week or would you just tick to say done it? iv only been doin group plannin can you tell feel really thick even askin

[sarah707]

Hi Sue, yes I do individual planning for each child but I look at it over the week / month rather than day by day.

It depends how often the child comes to me as well as to how much I do because all of mine are part-timers.

the child's individual plan will show his interests at the time, notes from parents and very general links to the Eyfs 6 areas.

Anything else I want to write about the child will go on observation sheets and on lists of what I'm looking for within the Eyfs.

I hope that makes sense is hard to explain sometimes without showing

[suez]

Hi Sue, yes I do individual planning for each child but I look at it over the week / month rather than day by day.

It depends how often the child comes to me as well as to how much I do because all of mine are part-timers.

the child's individual plan will show his interests at the time, notes from parents and very general links to the Eyfs 6 areas.

Anything else I want to write about the child will go on observation sheets and on lists of what I'm looking for within the Eyfs.

I hope that makes sense is hard to explain sometimes without showing

iv just done a rough for myself and did it monthly wat i did was went back over the next steps and wrote them into the different areas to make sure i work on them through out the month...................or do i write in wat his interests are and plan them further under the areas of learnin
wat do you class as part time i have him 8.30am-pre-school time 12.15pm n not after x

[patevans]

I am still struggling and am soon going to have to give up, I cant actually find the time to sit and do 4 learning journeys, I am so behind its untrue.

just dont know why I am still struggling to grasp it!

[suez]

im not finding it a struggle just yet i only have 1 mindee at moment but im finding just when i think im doing ok i find out theres something iv missed ;ie the individual planning, i do minimul 1 ob a month i was told and my monthly plannin

[sarah707]

iv just done a rough for myself and did it monthly wat i did was went back over the next steps and wrote them into the different areas to make sure i work on them through out the month...................or do i write in wat his interests are and plan them further under the areas of learnin
wat do you class as part time i have him 8.30am-pre-school time 12.15pm n not after x

I can as a part timer is 3 or less days a week but that's my own thoughts, nothing to do with Ofsted.

I do 2 lots of planning - individual and group and both lots follow the interests of the child.

what Ofsted want to see if the child progressing - the child improving - the child and enjoying their activities.

The question they ask is 'what is it like for a child here?'... the paperwork is like part of your evidence to answer that question.

different authorities are saying different things - some are saying 1 observation a week and some are saying one of the month - none of them are right or wrong because nobody knows what the individual Ofsted inspector is going to be looking for.

All you can do is keep your paperwork as up-to-date as possible and show progression - show them learning - show them having fun

[TheBTeam]

Our area are saying one big observation every 4-6 weeks fully linked to the eyfs and small ones, like a photo or picture or wow moment every week with maybe just a small amount on it.

That said i do not think they know fully because they say differing things with regard to writing stuff on next steps and wow moments, and linking it back to developmental stages. etc

[atmkids]

Is it ok to not do individual planning for each child. My 3 under 5's are all similar in age and seem to enjoy the same things. I do long term planning around 'themes' (tut tut) and don't feel the need to have a different plan for each child. When doing an activity, one child may need my help more than the others or one may me more interested than the others and I work around that as it happens. Is this completely wrong?

[Merry-Minder]

Im not gonna say my way is the right way, but I had my Ofsted ins recently and she said that my obs were very good and I got a good grade across the board.
I aim to do 1-2 obs on each child every month, I like to allow my mindees plenty of freeplay (along side structures activities) and this allows me some time to sit at the table with my pencil and paper and watch the children play in their most natural way and then i write down as much as I can, I usually concentrate on one child at a time, but the others as development to write down too. This is along side moments roughly written when I notice something that needs recording at any other times
I then colour code by underlining sentances to fit them with the 6 areas of development and then write them up into their individual obs books - then I decide on their next steps. I also have a sheet that I was provided to follow and see where each child should be developmentally to make sure they are on track - it also is very helpful to show each childs progression.
As for planning, apart from long term festivals/birthdays/seasons etc I dont do any, I feel that they would only go to waste if a child was off ill, or the weather got in the way. I learn alot from my mindees every day and like to work around what they are into 'today' - I explained my reasoning for this to Mrs O and she was more than happy with (although I do understand inspectors are not always consistant with each other)
I have not been minding for very long, so my experience is limited, but I think some people are naturally great at all this paperwork, where other people are not quite so academic, but as long as you are meeting requirements and Ofsted are happy then we shouldnt beat ourselves up by thinking we are not as good as we think we should! If the children are happy, thriving reaching development norms, and well settled then we are ALL doing a fantastic job!!
I know its easy for me to say this ive had my inspection, and for the moment the heat is off - and wont lie that I was having a nightmare in the run up, but now its done with, I realise that I could only do my best - and it turned out to be just fine!

Sorry ive really gone off on one - I hope I came across as I meant to, and didnt go off the point too much!

Sarah xxx

[suez]

how does this look ,a individual weekly planner also evaluating at the same time
plz tell me if its rubbish

Personal, social & emotional develop

Plan opportunities for ‘b’ to take the initiave in his learning.


Evaluation;
‘b’ asked for the stencils, I watched him trying to draw around it but it kept moving I suggested to him to hold onto 1 side, we will be trying out the stencils again Communication,language,literacy





Evaluation;
evaluation
Problem,solving,reasoning&numerac





Evaluation; Knowledge&understanding of the world




Evaluation;
Physical development





Evaluation; Creative development





Evaluation;





by the looks of it dont think iv copied it right to here

[sarah707]

What are you thinking here?

Is it like a 3 monthly individual plan for the child where you think about how to develop specific skills??

A general obs will say...

M broke a breadstick in half and said 'Look Sarah I've got 2 now'

Eyfs link / evaluation - PSR&N and the appropriate aspect

Next steps - continue to consolidate use of number 2.

Then at the end of 3 or 4 or 6 months (depending on how often you have the child) you might do a round-up of his learning...

PSR&N - M has been using the numbers 1 and 2 confidently. He takes pride in pointing out 2 of things in the house and when we are on outings.

Evaluation - support M to extend his understanding of numbers by moving him on with 3 songs and rhymes and reading '3 little pigs' as our book for the next month.

Does that make sense? Are you aiming for something like that?

[suez]

What are you thinking here?

Is it like a 3 monthly individual plan for the child where you think about how to develop specific skills??

A general obs will say...

M broke a breadstick in half and said 'Look Sarah I've got 2 now'

Eyfs link / evaluation - PSR&N and the appropriate aspect

Next steps - continue to consolidate use of number 2.

Then at the end of 3 or 4 or 6 months (depending on how often you have the child) you might do a round-up of his learning...

PSR&N - M has been using the numbers 1 and 2 confidently. He takes pride in pointing out 2 of things in the house and when we are on outings.

Evaluation - support M to extend his understanding of numbers by moving him on with 3 songs and rhymes and reading '3 little pigs' as our book for the next month.

Does that make sense? Are you aiming for something like that?

erm sort of but on a monthly basis...thinkin im starting to REALLY confuse myself now lets see if i can explain myself i only do group monthly planning i hadnt been doin individual so thought about combining next steps and interests into his individual month plan but also at the bottom of each area of l&d after id written what the activity or next steps were i could then write a evaluation .............am i just making more work for myself or barking up the wrong tree

[sarah707]

If it works for you then that's half the battle!!

from what I have been reading on Ofsted reports at the moment, inspectors are looking for individual planning, to run alongside group planning but specifically tailored for the needs of the child.

it is all about seeing each child develop and grow and showing evidence that your activities have made a difference to the child.

[Chell]

Thanks Sarah, I thought I would have to do much more than you describe!

[suez]

If it works for you then that's half the battle!!

from what I have been reading on Ofsted reports at the moment, inspectors are looking for individual planning, to run alongside group planning but specifically tailored for the needs of the child.

it is all about seeing each child develop and grow and showing evidence that your activities have made a difference to the child.

duh i get ya now i was tryin to do The individual playin with his next steps incorporated into them
i think i get it now i do a long term and medium term planner and within that medium 1 say its snow day and we are goin to do snow pictures using different white materials and stick them down
'b' not brilliant at cuttin so my individual plan for him is to introduce the scissors more and help him to cut out his different white materials
do that sound about right?

[sarah707]

duh i get ya now i was tryin to do The individual playin with his next steps incorporated into them
i think i get it now i do a long term and medium term planner and within that medium 1 say its snow day and we are goin to do snow pictures using different white materials and stick them down
'b' not brilliant at cuttin so my individual plan for him is to introduce the scissors more and help him to cut out his different white materials
do that sound about right?

Yes that sounds spot on! :