Proof of next steps
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  1. #1
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    Default Proof of next steps

    I met with 2 friends last night , also childminders

    we were discussing next steps and they have been told that all next steps have to be proven , ie a photo of child doing an activity and i presume dated

    When I develop a next step for a child , i might take a picture of them or I might just write down that we did it

    Isnt me writing it down proof enough , do i have to provide photographic evidence of every next step that has been followed through

    E.g next step for a child was engaging them more in games where they needed to collaberate share and take turns
    I wrote that we played snap and dominoes but didnt take a picture , is that not good enough ?

    I take pictures all the time of the children doing various things but dont have photos of everything I write down

    Another example was teaching a child about where things go and I later wrote that I encourage that child to join in with tidy up time every day, isnt this enough ?

    Thanks in advance

  2. #2
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    A forum member asked recently 'can you do too much?'

    My answer - 'yes, you can do too much'.

    The Eyfs is not about documenting each child's every waking moment.

    We are only a part of their little lives and we cannot possibly include everything they do or say in our documents - in fact I think it would be very wrong to attempt to do that!!

    I have photos with some of my observations and next steps... I have parent comments with some of my observations and next steps... I have links to other settings with some of my observations and next steps...

    I do not think it is necessary to have a photo / parent comment/ other setting link on every observation and next steps to show I am caring for the children properly.

    Hth

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  4. #3
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    You shouldn't have to be photographing everything, it is far better that you are engaged and playing the game with the child than constantly putting a camera into every activity! Making a note of what you've done is enough, so stick to what you do x

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  6. #4
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    Thankyou Sarah

    So a comment of something we did linked to a next step without a photo in fine ?

  7. #5
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    a few months ago my development worker advised that for every next step you should follow it up with a photo and observation. Fast forward to last month, she is now a deputy manager of the local pre-school, I asked if she did photo and obs for every next step, she laughed and said no way it just isn't practical and appologised for ever suggesting it. like she said the idea sounds nice but in practice its just nonsense.

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  9. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by blue bear View Post
    a few months ago my development worker advised that for every next step you should follow it up with a photo and observation. Fast forward to last month, she is now a deputy manager of the local pre-school, I asked if she did photo and obs for every next step, she laughed and said no way it just isn't practical and appologised for ever suggesting it. like she said the idea sounds nice but in practice its just nonsense.
    hmmm interesting , it was development workers that told my friends that this is what they should be doing

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    I write next steps next to my obs which are linked to development matters then when a next step is achieved I just look back in the childs learning journey and write a date next to it where the next step is achieved. I suppose I just cross reference it. But its an ongoing cycle. Not all next steps are achieved, some children need more support to achieve it.
    Wellybellyxxxxxxxxx

  11. #8
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    After I have done an observation, and if there is a next step listed on it, I will put a note in my diary for a month ahead to remind me of the next step, I look at what the next step is and look to see if the child has reached it yet or do I need to look a bit closer at it and if so I put it back in the diary a few days further on to see if it has been done, I very often find that it has been covered any way and just put the number/date of the observation in the diary so that it is cross referenced. Not every observation has to have a photo, some things cannot be shown in a photo e.g. practicing saying a word, I hate some of the things DOs tell us to do, I swear they live in cloud cuckoo land half the time.
    Teacake2

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    So do you just have a learning journey for each child, and document everything in this ? Or do you have another place to document the childs learning as well ?

  13. #10
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    I have a folder for each child

    but i also have a group planning folder and i evaluate activities in that which includes some observations and next steps ,,

    i then transfer these to the childrens individual folders onto their next steps page

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    Quote Originally Posted by phoenix2010 View Post
    I have a folder for each child

    but i also have a group planning folder and i evaluate activities in that which includes some observations and next steps ,,

    i then transfer these to the childrens individual folders onto their next steps page
    Folder ? U mean their learning journey ? Sorry an a bit ne to this

  15. #12
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    I number all the entries in learning journals. This allows me to cross reference and use the numbers to link 'next steps' to the entry where the lo demonstrates further development.

    Often, under 'next steps' I just put "more opportunities to practice this skill" or similar. I don't believe that a child doing something once automatically means they're ready to move onto somethning more advanced. Mind you, I see a lot of LJs that are very ambtious, where 'next steps' seems to involve going rapidly from "child just beginning to walk" to "next steps: enter child in Rio Olympics 100m sprint final."

    Btw, you say of your CM friends, "....they have been told that all next steps have to be proven...." Exactly who told them this? I'm always suspicious of people having "been told" things. In my brief life as a CM I've quickly become used to gossip, rumour, or the bleatings of ill-informed DO's being repeated and escalated to the status of supposed regulatory necessities.

    I'd be surprised if this came from Ofsted, as it goes against the tone and content of their very recent guidance document (No. 120339) Requirements for written documents: childminders delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage - A childcare factsheet

  16. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by chriss View Post
    Folder ? U mean their learning journey ? Sorry an a bit ne to this
    No , I call it a folder because it has more than their lj in it
    i use orbit , so the lj is printed off there
    and put in their folder

    also in folder is things like , next steps , wow moments , photos, their work ,their interests , an easy description of eyfs for parents , parents feedback etc my feedback to their feedback lol

    i suppose it is called whatever you want to call it

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