unique story/assessments

[3 little ducks]

Hi, query as to when/howoften you need to do unique stories? I have been working in a pre school and every term we do a unique story for each child, an entry assessment within 6 weeks of starting and record of transfer when they go to school alongside their learning journal. as a childminder now, am i reading it correct that i need to progress summary at age 2 years, and their learning journal/scrapbook and dont need to do termly reports as such?

[3 little ducks]

anyone got any thoughts< 32 of you have viewed, some ideas?

[jumpinjen]

I see the LJ as the child's unique story..... I do a 'starting points' assessment over the first few weeks of being with me, using information from my observations and from parents. I then update the LJ every week with photos and observations and every three months I update the starting points assessment with new things that the child can do since last time, using information from the obs in the Lj and from parents too. There area few examples in the free downloads section if you want to see what some of us use, or you can design your own!!

HTH, Jen x

[3 little ducks]

thanks, will have a look, am used to the strict rules and regs of a pre school and being on my own is a bit of a shock to the old brain cells!!! xx

[jumpinjen]

We don't slack as CM's, it's just that as you are now self-employed, you can design a system that works for you and the children that you care for...... the revised EYFS asks that paperwork be kept to that which benefits the children, if you like the 'unique story' method, whatever it is (never heard of it!) and are familiar with it and think it is beneficial then continue with it - at least for now until you decide on a way that suits you better - many CM's find that our LJ's knock spots off those from nurseries and pre-schools when we see them...... Jen x

[3 little ducks]

Thanks, how often do you meet with parents to discuss childs progress? or do you do it more informally. Have looked at the downloads on here, i like the trackers, how often do you do those? sorry for all the questions. xx

[jumpinjen]

I've answered that on the other thread you asked it on Jenny!!!

Jen x

[3 little ducks]

Sorry!!!!

[jumpinjen]

That's ok, just couldn't be figged to write it twice!!!!! My fingers hurt, I need to log off and persuade my girls to go to bed, they are playing so nicely making tissue paper outfits for the playmobil people that I've left them to it til now!!!!

Jen x

[sarah707]

As jumpinjen says most childminders do learning journey type booklets for children.

If you google you will find lots of information and layout ideas which you can use to design something that suits your way of working.

You will probably find yourself tweaking ideas for a few months until you find something that you can work with.

Welcome to our world!