Hello Everyone!!!

After submitting my application in October I finally have everything required for them to schedule an inspection (my hubbie is foreign so they requested extra checks :()

I have a massive todo list as I lost my motivation as the months passed waiting for these checks!!! So you may see me panic posting. Apologise in advance!

So im doing folders for things like risk assessments, OAPs etc and working my way through.

I am on the OAP folder and I have an obs permission slip and a tracker and a next steps template. Ive written a summary to say i will assess every two months and will carry a book for each child to make regular observations. Ive written that I will assess and plan against the Development Matters document.

Do I need to write anything down for COEL, unique child, enabling environments? My mind goes blank when I think of these things but I know based on my observations and referral to DM I will be able to write these into a summary. Its just if she asks me on the spot about them. How deep should I know this stuff at pre reg.

Is there anything else I need to know about OAP. Ive made an activities list and have written which of the 7 learning and development areas each activity covers.

Ive also though about doing a monthly theme. I say that on a loose term as I know my little lady is like a whirldwind and keeping her interested in things is a nightmare. But I may do a few days a month based on a theme and include this in my OAP folder..

Just need some advice really. Or do you think Im being way too OTT already :rolleyes:

Thanks in advance

1. Don't ask permission for something you have to do - it's a statutory requirement to do observations ... inform parents!

... Ofsted's tracker of choice is Early years Outcomes - http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Early_Years_Outcomes.pdf - each child should have a copy in their file with starting points (what they can / cannot do when they first start with you), obs, individual / next steps planning and a tracker showing they are making progress from their starting points.

The learning characteristics are how the child learns - you observe them and you plan for them. Think about the many different ways you learn - you wouldn't be so good at learning if you'd stuck to one learning style would you? It's the same for children - we need to introduce lots of ways of learning so they grow...

Unique child = Early Years Outcomes / positive relationships + enabling environments etc ... are part of individual planning. The inspector will probably ask you to plan an activity for a baby and a 3 year old linked to physical development or expressive art and design or understanding the world ... you can use your knowledge of child development and prompts like enabling environments to get ideas.

Themes are great if they work for you! We love our themes ... some colleagues don't use them ...

Hope it goes well!! :clapping:

Thank you so much Sarah. Sorry for the delay in replying, I can never seem to find my threads. This is the first thats showed up under my profile. :)

If I was you I would relax and try not to give yourself a whole heap of unnecessary work before you have even started.

To say you are going to 'assess' each child every 2 months is already makes me wonder- what if you have 6-7+ EYFS children? Do you mean a written assessment? There is only 1 written assessment that is needed per child... ever, ... total ... (the Check at 2 Years Old). You can do more than that if you want - maybe a brief A4 6-mthly or termly review. But consider if parents want this- parents should be contributing and meeting to review our assessments- do parents have time for that every 2 months? Do you have time?

If you know your children and know your families you do not need to be writing assessments all the time. You will be watching and will know where they are and where they're going to and what you need to do. Ask yourself who you are doing it for?

I do no written planning of activities (in my head and mostly spontaneous). Only note next steps on a few obs where relevant. I use an online system so it is all visible to parents so we are sharing all the time. Every obs I tick off against 'Area, Aspect and age/stage' and COEL so I am continually assessing and checking child is 'on track'. 6mthly I review progress and write a report using parents input, and sit with parents to discuss- even this is way more than is 'needed' and it is only because my parents now 'expect' this that I feel I need to do it (I'd cut down if I was to start again).

People start CMing and end up giving up as they feel they are 'drowning' in paperwork and can't keep up with the learning journals etc. Keep it simple, you can always add and change and improve as you go along.