learning journey transition to school

**gef918** · 09-06-2013, 04:54 PM

Two of my mindees are starting school in September and I want to send their learning journeys to the schools when the pre-schools they attend do, i.e. 1st July. They would then be with me for a further 4 weeks (and I think I may be inspected in that time). I can't see any point in doing observations on them once the learning journey is at school. What do you think?

**sarah707** · 09-06-2013, 05:54 PM

You are legally required to continue doing obs etc until they start year 1 - but you do not need to be as in depth as you are when they are little.

It's up to you how you do them though - my older children have a scrap book and they put photos, notes about what they have been doing etc into it... or you could just do a very much pared down Learning Journey.

I think it's a good idea to give school information at around the same time as the pre-school!

**supermumy** · 09-06-2013, 06:01 PM

I thought once children was in fulltime time school reception you didn't have to do obs ?

**moggy** · 09-06-2013, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by gef918

I can't see any point in doing observations on them once the learning journey is at school. What do you think?

I would be doing obs as usual as long as the child is here, there are always interesting and new things they are doing and those 4 weeks are just as important as any other- particularly important as building up to school and helping with the transition, lots of PSED things happening.

I would not be handing over LJ to school if is Ofsted are expected. It could get lost or anything, and unlikely to be read anyway. Teachers do not have time to read a whole LJ anyway (x 30 in the class) and would more appreciate a A4 summery of the areas of learning and maybe a little bit about the child in general- this needs to go via the parent or with parent's permission to teacher, and letting parents know I can help with transition as needed and that I can talk to teachers etc if parents want. All documented for Ofsted to show 'working together' too!

**gef918** · 09-06-2013, 06:49 PM

Thanks for the replies. Both children are leaving my care at end of July, because I don't pick up from their schools.

One of the children has special needs and it is important that the school get her learning journey, because it shows a very different picture of her than her pre-school one. My other mindees learning journey from pre-school is a waste of space in my opinion - most observations state 'we looked at letter sounds' - no comment about what he could do, whether he recognised any, if he enjoyed it, etc. I'd like to give the school some information about the child.

I do all of my learning journeys on the computer, so I have copies of everything for Ofsted (although I would need to spend a fortune on printer ink if I had to reprint it all!)

I'm planning on doing a lot of trips in July to make their last weeks with me special for them. I think I'll just produce a diary with photos and 'childs voice'. Great activity for them to help me with!

**sarah707** · 09-06-2013, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by supermumy

I thought once children was in fulltime time school reception you didn't have to do obs ?

EYFS requirement 1.3 - 'Wrap around (care offered before and after a school day, e.g. by an after school club or by a childminder) and holiday providers (provision exclusively in the school holidays) should be guided by, but do not necessarily need to meet, all the learning and development requirements. Practitioners should discuss with parents and/or carers (and other practitioners and providers as appropriate) the support they intend to offer, seeking to complement learning in settings in which children spend more time.'

It doesn't mean we can stop doing everything!

You might have a parent who wants you to keep doing the full LJ... another parent who isn't that bothered... a teacher who gives you really good info to help the child with their reading and writing... another who doesn't engage.

A lot of childminder inspection reports are pulling people up over stopping completely when the child goes into reception. As I say you don't have to do as much - but you should be doing something.

Hope this clarifies

**Rick** · 09-06-2013, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

EYFS requirement 1.3 - 'Wrap around (care offered before and after a school day, e.g. by an after school club or by a childminder) and holiday providers (provision exclusively in the school holidays) should be guided by, but do not necessarily need to meet, all the learning and development requirements. Practitioners should discuss with parents and/or carers (and other practitioners and providers as appropriate) the support they intend to offer, seeking to complement learning in settings in which children spend more time.'

It doesn't mean we can stop doing everything!

You might have a parent who wants you to keep doing the full LJ... another parent who isn't that bothered... a teacher who gives you really good info to help the child with their reading and writing... another who doesn't engage.

A lot of childminder inspection reports are pulling people up over stopping completely when the child goes into reception. As I say you don't have to do as much - but you should be doing something.

Hope this clarifies

I have a related question but it's really about ratios (not been raised before I don't think!)

Mindee turns 4 this week and is going to school full time in September and I'm expecting to do drop off and pick up. I currently have him two days, all day so will have a space in Sept when he start school.

Now, I have had some enquiries for September. My worry is that he will only do mornings to start with as settling in so presumably he doesn't come out of my numbers until he does 10 sessions a week. A bit frustrating as he is technically a rising 5 yo but probably won't come out of my EY numbers until his settling in at school has finished.

Have I got this right?

**suziealderton** · 10-06-2013, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by Rick_Knight

I have a related question but it's really about ratios (not been raised before I don't think!)

Mindee turns 4 this week and is going to school full time in September and I'm expecting to do drop off and pick up. I currently have him two days, all day so will have a space in Sept when he start school.

Now, I have had some enquiries for September. My worry is that he will only do mornings to start with as settling in so presumably he doesn't come out of my numbers until he does 10 sessions a week. A bit frustrating as he is technically a rising 5 yo but probably won't come out of my EY numbers until his settling in at school has finished.

Have I got this right?

Yes, he has to be full time at school to be classed as over 5 x

**Rick** · 10-06-2013, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by suziealderton

Yes, he has to be full time at school to be classed as over 5 x

Thanks. I may have to say I can't do the drop off and pick up yet if I get enquiries for his EY place. Mum is at home most days but works some nights which is why she uses a childminder.

**gef918** · 12-06-2013, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by sarah707

EYFS requirement 1.3 - 'Wrap around (care offered before and after a school day, e.g. by an after school club or by a childminder) and holiday providers (provision exclusively in the school holidays) should be guided by, but do not necessarily need to meet, all the learning and development requirements. Practitioners should discuss with parents and/or carers (and other practitioners and providers as appropriate) the support they intend to offer, seeking to complement learning in settings in which children spend more time.'

It doesn't mean we can stop doing everything!

You might have a parent who wants you to keep doing the full LJ... another parent who isn't that bothered... a teacher who gives you really good info to help the child with their reading and writing... another who doesn't engage.

A lot of childminder inspection reports are pulling people up over stopping completely when the child goes into reception. As I say you don't have to do as much - but you should be doing something.

Hope this clarifies

Thanks Sarah, but to clarify, one child is leaving me on the 12th July, the other on the 19th. I will not be looking after them when they start school.

I am also NOT stopping everything! I already have plans in place for the last few days - celebrating a birthday, making lunch with a French theme (because one of them is French). We're celebrating Bastille Day and going on outings. I will be providing opportunities for their learning and development, e.g. one child enjoys writing, so we'll be making a menu. I'll be taking into account their characteristics and their individual needs. I will be informing parents of what we have been doing and suggesting next steps for them to do over the holidays, and as I mentioned before creating a photo book with the children describing the activities and what they have done/enjoyed. I just don't see the point in linking all of these to the EYFS for the 2-3 sessions that I will be having them before they leave me for good.

If Mrs O comes during those weeks, perhaps she'll enlighten me as to why it's necessary.

**gef918** · 12-06-2013, 11:58 AM

Sorry Sarah, that was a bit of a rant. I think it was the implication that I was going to lock the children in a cage and wash my hands of them ("It doesn't mean we can stop doing everything!")

I really appreciate your comments - I think you've commented on everything I've ever posted. I always forget that this forum is anonymous and therefore you have no idea how much time and effort I have put into children's learning journeys (an average of 3-4 observations EVERY DAY for the last 2 1/2 years). The children only come to me one day a week and I know that some other childminders only do one observation every 3-5 sessions, so from that point of view I don't think that missing 2-3 sessions is that big a deal. Of course, stopping doing the learning journeys may be almost as hard as saying goodbye to the children, so no doubt I'll be adding more detail to their daily diaries when I'm not completing a full LJ.

Thanks again Sarah for all the work you do on this forum.

**Hayley102** · 02-07-2013, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

EYFS requirement 1.3 - 'Wrap around (care offered before and after a school day, e.g. by an after school club or by a childminder) and holiday providers (provision exclusively in the school holidays) should be guided by, but do not necessarily need to meet, all the learning and development requirements. Practitioners should discuss with parents and/or carers (and other practitioners and providers as appropriate) the support they intend to offer, seeking to complement learning in settings in which children spend more time.'

It doesn't mean we can stop doing everything!

You might have a parent who wants you to keep doing the full LJ... another parent who isn't that bothered... a teacher who gives you really good info to help the child with their reading and writing... another who doesn't engage.

A lot of childminder inspection reports are pulling people up over stopping completely when the child goes into reception. As I say you don't have to do as much - but you should be doing something.

Hope this clarifies

I don't have school children in the holidays & have a child starting school in September - if the parent doesn't want you to continue with observations etc and you sign an agreement to say as much would that be ok for ofsted or would you still get critised? I feel I would in this case be discussing needs and requirements with parents, but disregarding them if I were to continue planning etc Do you agree?