Please can someone help me with the obs/LJ

[Phoenix]

Someone needs to help, I have got myself in a complete tizzy and been blubbing like a baby all afternoon, can someone help

I cant seem to get my head round the whole planning and obs thing, what paperwork should I have myself and how to record my obs in a learning journal. I have got loads of obs for the children I have which at the mo are
1 x 2.5yr old 4 mornings a week
1 x 2yr old 2 mornings a week
1 x 3yr old very spuradic not very often at all
1 x 5yr old 3 times after school a week

I know I have to do learning journals for them all and have my obs pictures on pc and a diary with a short piece about the ob and the child. But I am struggling to get this on paper and how to link it to eyfs, I have the cd rom from the eyfs pack I have clicked on the "search areas of learning and development" circle then clicked the age group I want, then I select all areas of learning then I am confused by which option to check then. Its all so long winded, which one do I go into next, what bits do I add to my obs sheet (if any) how do I incorporate this into my next steps part of my sheet???? God this is hopeless I just dont understand any of it. I am not sure what paperwork I should have of my own and what I should be putting in the LJ's, will Ofsted be looking for me to be keeping any paperwork, should I have my own file on each child in my care regardless of age, I dont really do any planning as such I just go with the flow, I may decide that today we are doing planting or going to a childminding grp but I dont really plan anything, should I be, how do I record it. Its going on and on and I am beginning to get behind and lost with it all. Maybe I should phone Ofsted or NCMA

[butterfly]

Woah, woah, woah! Take a deep breath!

Every child in the early years age group should have a learning journal.

If I were you I'd design (or steal!) an A4 page with space for the following:

child's name, age and the date of the obs
a photo
a short caption of what the child was doing at the time
an EYFS link
Next steps

While the children are playing watch for anything interesting that happens or something they really lke doing.

Take a photo and write a couple of sentences explaining what's happening.

Then go to your copy of the EYFS development matters and see if you can find a statment that links to what the child was doing. As you practice you'll get more confident at identifying which of the 6 areas it is and then you'll just have to look for a statement. A good place to start looking is within the actual age range of the child but you may need to go up or down depending on their devlopment stage.

I usually write the area, the age range and then the particular statement that links
ie
PSED 0-11 Responds when talked to

Next steps only need to be one idea of what you could do next with this child
ie Play peek a boo with X encouraging them to respond

With the children you've described I would try to complete one obs per week for the child who is with you for 4 mornings and one obs every two weeks for the child who's with you for two mornings. The sporadic child I would try for one obs per month but if they're not there much one month i wouldn't worry. The after school child I would go for one obs per 2/3 weeks if they are still in Recpetion and therefore the EYFS.

As for planning - that will come from the next steps you've identified.

I don't believe you have to write down any planning - I write a short weekly plan with literally consists of groups/outings we'll go on, any particular activities I've planned and any things I will try to cover based on next steps
As long as you can explain to Ofsted how you plan for the children's interests as and when they happen and give a few examples this will be fine.

[sarah707]

My play plan is in free downloads at the top of the forum - it might give you ideas for doing what Butterfly has suggested :D

[claire & steve]

Hi Sarah With the play plan in free downloads, do you just plan one activity a week per child?

[Phoenix]

Can I just use pages 3 and 4 for the learning journal?