Struggling with observations etc

[newbieminder12]

Hi all,

I am really struggling with observations and next steps etc, I have been on a course but feel it still hasn't helped and I also struggle to plan things and next steps, it's really getting to me making me feel like I shouldn't be doing this career choice as I can't keep up! I have my Ofsted in the next 3 months and I'm panicking!

I currently use a small A5 diary for the children's daily diary writing in what they have eaten, when changed and a brief of what they have done/played with which goes home with them daily. The I use an A4 plain scrapbook for my observations and put a (small) observation in and write next to it things like 'communication and language' and the next steps which is also very brief.

I'm struggling to grasp and understand all of the different areas and sections of the EYFS and link things to them and am very confused!

[loocyloo]

it sounds fine to me :D

i do my LJ in an A4 scrapbook too.

do an observation - take a photo or brief note of what the child did. ( ie child building tower of blocks )

write the areas it covers - some CM just choose one area/sub area ( Physical Development - using materials & equipment ). i prefer to link all areas that were covered so PSE - dispositions & attitude, self confidence & esteem, self care. PRSN -shape space and measurement ... etc

then 'next steps' - what are you going to offer next? it might be more opportunity to build with blocks, maybe build with different shaped/sized blocks, maybe large cardboard boxes in the garden.

then when you are planning for the next day/week, at some point ensure the blocks are available. although, to be honest, alot of my next steps have happened immediately! ..ie child was building with blocks, i joined in adding some different shaped blocks, or maybe some little people or animals. maybe we tried to build a tower 'up to the sky' ...

when i am planning, i pretty much only plan for the week ahead ( which is what i'm meant :blush: to be doing now! not reading the forum! oops! ) and i will think about last week - what went well/what didn't go so well, activities i want to extend or introduce. i'll have a quick look at LJs and see if there is anything i want to particuarly focus on, or i'll make a note to have the blocks available all week.

every half term/2 months ( or more :blush: ) i try to do a more in depth written observation of something i want to check/concerned about or just to see how child is going! and write more detailed next steps. however, i'm not entirely sure how beneficial these are to anyone, unless there is a concern, so am thinking of stopping them!

i do do termly planning, but its very simple, just down to 'special events' that are happening like birthdays/parties/end of term/holidays/sports day at school etc.

hope this helps

xxx

[jumpinjen]

I do similar, at the end of the week, I take half an hour during a quiet spell in the afternoon and plan for the following week by rounding up some my ideas for next steps and jotting them into the plan for the next week under the heading of 'starting points'. it acts as a reminder for me the next week to build upon things the children were doing/interested in/learning. If I take a picture and do a quick ob on something that was a next step, I link it back to the original ob by noting it at the end of my writing.

I put the photo in, write a short explanation of what is happening and then something like 'this shows x .......' and I use a statement from the development matters. To help me do this I do two things - I have the development matters cards out and look through them as I go and I also have a copy of the l and d statements for the approx age of the child stuck in their LJ and refer back to it to help me write the comments. you might see these referred to as 'starting points' or 'assessment' sheets, there are some in free downloads.

you can't possibly follow up every possible next step and make an observation on all of them as it would be such a huge task you'd never do anything else - pick the 'wow' ones and go with those and let the rest go!

My planning for the week is scribbled all over and added to and crossed out and Ofsted will be fine with that as it shows you are acting on the children's interests and observing them - if you start the week with nothing but then LO is building with blocks as talked about above and you write TH - blocks - next steps build tall tower? then the inspector will see what you are doing.

hope that helps and has mad sense, jen c

[loocyloo]

just thought ... the other thing i have started doing is a sheet of paper with each childs name on and date for the week.

next steps from previous week ... gross motor skills - climbing

i then keep a brief list of anything the child has done during the week. ( ie stories and singing, playdough, swing & climbing frame ... )

then a possible next step or something i want to do the following week .. visit the zoo ( a) Z requested we went and b) Z really enjoyed the 'walking in the jungle' book . )

each week i then cut this up and stick it in LJs!

[jumpinjen]

just thought ... the other thing i have started doing is a sheet of paper with each childs name on and date for the week.

next steps from previous week ... gross motor skills - climbing

i then keep a brief list of anything the child has done during the week. ( ie stories and singing, playdough, swing & climbing frame ... )

then a possible next step or something i want to do the following week .. visit the zoo ( a) Z requested we went and b) Z really enjoyed the 'walking in the jungle' book . )

each week i then cut this up and stick it in LJs!

That's a good idea - I do similar but file them - might start cutting and sticking - thanks for sharing!!

[loocyloo]

That's a good idea - I do similar but file them - might start cutting and sticking - thanks for sharing!!

i was filing them, and then repeating myself! i am trying very hard to reduce my work load !!! i tried cutting them first, but kept losing one or two! harder to lose A4 sheet! :D

[Lilylulu]

Wilkinsons have some fab post its, in the shape of speech bubbles, we have started using these, to note 'wow' moments or observations on post it notes. Then stick the post it next to pogo photo of the child 'learning' and just add a note for next steps. Just make a note when you see some learning in action, snap some photos if u can catch them, and link it at a later time, it took me a while to get the hang of making the links, it comes with practice
My inspector said they were looking for 'slick' paperwork, so try to keep it relevant but minimal.

[lizdew123]

I write observations on post it notes but then 'write them up'. Will just stick the post it note in from now on (why didn't I think of that before!!!)