Learning Journal separate from observations and planning or together?

[Donna E]

Just wondering which system people found better. To do their learning journals in such a way that observations and planning are all together, or keeping learning journals separate and than having observations and planning?

[emma04]

Just wondering which system people found better. To do their learning journals in such a way that observations and planning are all together, or keeping learning journals separate and than having observations and planning?

I started out with it separate, but it was too much work for me! (although I was probably way too detailed) So I combine my obs, planning, next steps and evaluation with my learning journals. Soooo much quicker and easier! IMO

[supermumy]

Mine are separate that way when child leaves they have a lovely looking LJ with pics and captions and art work etc
And a seperate file for obs etc which most parents Ive had don't even care about

[hectors house]

Mine is all together - my photographs and captions are my observations and I plan next steps based on child's interests from what they are doing in photos or observations.

[emma04]

I started out with it separate, but it was too much work for me! (although I was probably way too detailed) So I combine my obs, planning, next steps and evaluation with my learning journals. Soooo much quicker and easier! IMO

Forgot to say, I keep all my notes and shred them, but type up the LJ and include obs, plans, next steps and evaluation alongside photos, artwork, captions and all about me sheets.

[blue bear]

Mine is all in one, observations next step and planning, I put everything in the learning journal, bus tickets, menus we pick up in cafes everything that builds the precious memories of the child's early days.

[Donna E]

Thanks, originally I was doing all three separate, but then just repeating myself.

[EmmaReed84]

I have all my Obs, next steps, planning etc all in one folder.

The children also have a scrapbook, for the really little ones, I will stick pictures and some their art work, as they get older they get to do the sticking themselves and as they master safety scissors, they will then do their scrapbook completely unaided.

They look really good and the children love doing them, as we are making them we chat about the photo and if they make a funny comment that gets noted in the scrapbook along side the picture. Personally i think parents would prefer to see that, then loads of forms and writing with the odd photo thrown in.

[Simona]

Are we talking about ALL obs ? these could add to hundreds? or just the Summative Assessment in the LJ and the Formative as part of the planning and next steps?

[Kirsty90]

I have all my Obs, next steps, planning etc all in one folder.

The children also have a scrapbook, for the really little ones, I will stick pictures and some their art work, as they get older they get to do the sticking themselves and as they master safety scissors, they will then do their scrapbook completely unaided.

They look really good and the children love doing them, as we are making them we chat about the photo and if they make a funny comment that gets noted in the scrapbook along side the picture. Personally i think parents would prefer to see that, then loads of forms and writing with the odd photo thrown in.

This is the type of thing I want to do can I ask what type of book you use for your scrapbook please? Thanks xx

[rickysmiths]

Mine are all in one. I use post it nots to recors wow moments or special things. I do a full ob about once a month with next steps or if one naturally occurs. LJ reads like a diary of what the child has done and where they have been with lots of photo their work laminated things they have collected on walks etc. I take photos of larger pieces of work and send the original home at the time. When I was last inspected I was complimented on the quality of my LJ.

We have enough to do without adding to it. I don't do reports on the children I am not a teacher and their LJ has it all in anyway so why duplicate information?

I think a lot of people make their job a lot harder than it needs to be with regard to paperwork. I spend no more than 30mins a week on each child's LJ and most of that is done during working hours. I don't know why there is any need to spend any longer. My LJ is far more informative and better quality than any I have seen from any Nusery/Pre School or Reception class.

We are not teachers and all we need to do is keep a simple record of the childs progress linked to EYFS we don't even need to link it to Development Matters. Ofsted changed Development Matters so we couldn't link because they said we were all doing too much.

For full timers or those who do 3 days or more I use these Early Years Daily Diary: Amazon.co.uk: Kay Fisher E.Y.P.: Books They also act as a Daily Diary and I have used them since the beginning of this year. I have found that because they go home every day I am getting many more comments written than I did with separate Daily Diaries and LJ. I cover them and put the child's name on the outside so they are more personal. It has reduced the printing I have to do. I use the Pacey EYFS stickers to show the areas of learning that each activity is covering and there is an explanation sheet of the Areas of Learning and the Parents Guilde to EYFS stuck into the front of the book.

If the child is with me less than 3 days I use an A4 Plain paged exercise book from Rymans

http://www.ryman.co.uk/3406038051/Si...Margin/Product like this one but plain paged and I buy a plastic slip cover for it. I then use an A5

one as a Daily Diary I get the same colour and each child has a different colour!! That's just me!

[Simona]

This is the type of thing I want to do can I ask what type of book you use for your scrapbook please? Thanks xx

You can create your own method so that it is easy for you to do and feels comfortable to you....and call it what you like...LJ is not compulsory (I have never used that word)

I would wait to see what changes the DfE makes to Development Matters and then decide but there is a way of having everything about a child's development into one document starting from babies then moving on to 2 year olds and then on until children go to school or, indeed, until they leave years later

As DM says (p3) the EYFS 'requires' EY practitioners to review children's progress and share a 'summary' with parents ...note the word 'summary' does not mean showing endless observations which you may want to record separately in a child's planning so you can see the progress he/she makes