Question for Tapestry users

[lpatters]

Do you use the 'All about me' form as your starting points? Do you do anything else for starting points or is this enough?

[hectors house]

I make sure that I observe the child as much as possible over the first few sessions and enter them in as "Settling in sessions/Starting points" that way I have evidence for Ofsted that I taken account of what a child can do when they first start - if you put it in "All about me" it wouldn't count towards meeting any of the EYFS statements and then wouldn't generate any next steps.

You could also "tick" off some EYFS statements just by chatting to the parents before they start - call it Feedback from parents - I still have my own paper copy of "All about me" as although I was involved in the consultation by Tapestry of what questions to put on the on-line All About me, it didn't include everything my paper copy has eg: I ask parents for their birthday date so child can make a card.

[lpatters]

Thanks Hectors House.
I have been doing a few small small observations each week on my part-time mindees and linking them to the EYFS statements. How many observations do you do once you've got to know the child and where they are in terms of development? I want to make sure I'm doing enough but not go over the top making a lot more work for myself. I understand that Tapestry shows you each child's next steps. Do you plan from next steps and then observe children doing these?