Tapestry: Next Steps generated- so many of them!

**moggy** · 30-04-2015, 09:30 PM

I am getting started on my free trial. I have set up and entered a few recent obs and a general 'achieved before Tapestry' obs where I have marked all the achieved statements for all EYFS.

I look at Next Steps and it generates 2-4 for every Aspect, so 3 pages of A4.
What do you do with that?
It looks too lengthy to be much use... do you print and put it on the wall to remind yourself where child's next steps are?
Do parents feel bamboozled by it?

In my old system, I am used to creating 1 next step on some relevant obs, and about 2-3 per Area in my termly reviews. I just go with the important things.
These are easy to refer to, easy for parents to digest, easy to remember.

Is there a smarter way to manage this in Tapestry?

**hectors house** · 01-05-2015, 08:34 AM

I print off Next steps at the start of each new term (set the date for the term before or it will come up saying you haven't done any observations), I do try to plan some activities each week based on the Tapestry next steps but also have my own more specific next steps. We are trying to get Tapestry to put a next steps box on the bottom of the observations that then collate on a next steps page, but they are still looking into how they can incorporate it.

I often find though that although I have "ticked" off a statement when doing an observation that the same next step comes up next term.

Sometimes I just add on bottom of observation my own Next steps eg: Observation has been on playing with playdough, next steps may be "make real jam tarts" and I just copy and paste it onto my own "next steps" document.

**Rubybubbles** · 03-05-2015, 12:44 PM

I use Tapestry Next steps more for a guideline than having to met them. If I'm stuck on ideas, I find them very useful tool to use

I dont stress too much about completing them x I've just paid for my 3rd year of Tapestry, I can't recommend it enough!

**hectors house** · 03-05-2015, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Rubybubbles

I use Tapestry Next steps more for a guideline than having to met them. If I'm stuck on ideas, I find them very useful tool to use

I dont stress too much about completing them x I've just paid for my 3rd year of Tapestry, I can't recommend it enough!

Sorry I have just asked you a question about Next steps on Tapestry on another of your posts - I should have read this reply first!

Simona · 04-05-2015, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by moggy

I am getting started on my free trial. I have set up and entered a few recent obs and a general 'achieved before Tapestry' obs where I have marked all the achieved statements for all EYFS.

I look at Next Steps and it generates 2-4 for every Aspect, so 3 pages of A4.
What do you do with that?
It looks too lengthy to be much use... do you print and put it on the wall to remind yourself where child's next steps are?
Do parents feel bamboozled by it?

In my old system, I am used to creating 1 next step on some relevant obs, and about 2-3 per Area in my termly reviews. I just go with the important things.
These are easy to refer to, easy for parents to digest, easy to remember.

Is there a smarter way to manage this in Tapestry?

You made me very curious to go and have a look at Tapestry...like you I look at next steps with parents and according to 'the child' own ability, development and what stage they are at.
how can an online system plan Next Steps for all children?

If so what happens to the Unique Child? does it mean all children have the same Next steps planned by Tapestry?...sorry for the questions ...just curious?

**moggy** · 04-05-2015, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by Simona

You made me very curious to go and have a look at Tapestry...like you I look at next steps with parents and according to 'the child' own ability, development and what stage they are at.
how can an online system plan Next Steps for all children?

If so what happens to the Unique Child? does it mean all children have the same Next steps planned by Tapestry?...sorry for the questions ...just curious?

Exactly my concerns... I have now found the 'Report' function on Tapestry and it is perfect- a space per Area for your own written paragraph, the age band the child is in per Aspect, just 2-3 auto-generated next steps per Area which you can delete or add to with your own, an area to type general notes on learning styles and a space for parent's input. All downloadable as a pdf (as well as online) and prints to 2 sides of A4 with my own logo at the top (and a choice of typefaces!).

I am liking Tapestry more and more.

**lollipop kid** · 04-05-2015, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by moggy

Exactly my concerns... I have now found the 'Report' function on Tapestry and it is perfect- a space per Area for your own written paragraph, the age band the child is in per Aspect, just 2-3 auto-generated next steps per Area which you can delete or add to with your own, an area to type general notes on learning styles and a space for parent's input. All downloadable as a pdf (as well as online) and prints to 2 sides of A4 with my own logo at the top (and a choice of typefaces!).

I am liking Tapestry more and more.

I use the "Next steps" on Tapestry as useful prompts, but like you said, Moggy, the Report function is great and you can write in it what you want to (as you would if you just had a plain old template on your machine). It's the reports that I keep referring to on an ongoing basis, as well as my own 'tracker' sheet for their age bands, which I mark up every time I do an observation - just to keep myself straight and to inform my planning of what I think are the next steps or to make me think of activities to plan in that will help me develop that particular child and work with their individual interests.

This is the way I've always worked (and got me graded Good in the past.) I try to be true to the original ethos of EYFS and do as little paperwork as possible as well. Tapestry just helps the stuff that I do count as it makes it instantly visible and makes it easier to stay up to date.

I am also hoping that Tapestry will help me demonstrate how I work to an Inspectre if they happen to catch me between reports (see my current Satisfactory grade - as my last inspector couldn't/wouldn't? follow what I did in my old paper-based system).

PS: You can also name the reports, which means you can use the same Report format for your EYFS Progress Checks at Age Two. (Just don't forget to put a bit in about their learning styles.) You can also attach your PDFs to Tapestry so that you can check where you're up to for each child by clicking on a particular child in the Children tab, then click onto "reports". (You link it just as you would a photo.)

All the best,

L

**lor** · 05-05-2015, 06:07 PM

Really curious as to how this works -am not great with tecnichal stuff but thought I'd have a look but so far I can't even log on!!

I down loaded the app but it won't recognise my email address - already don't know what to do!!

X X

**moggy** · 05-05-2015, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by lor

Really curious as to how this works -am not great with tecnichal stuff but thought I'd have a look but so far I can't even log on!!

I down loaded the app but it won't recognise my email address - already don't know what to do!!

X X

Have you contacted Tapestry to ask for a free trial? They then send you an email with a link to log-in. You have a 2 week free trial. I suggest you watch all the how-to videos, in link below or google it, as there is no real help-pages in the programme itself. There is a Tapestry Forum on their EYFSForum.

Tapestry Introduction

Contact them through their website.

**Happiness** · 05-05-2015, 06:56 PM

Ok I started my free trial on Saturday and already stuck with next steps lol.
How do you link observations with next steps please? I have used the Report function to record children RDS - Record of Development Summary which I do every 4-6 months.
TIA X

**Happiness** · 05-05-2015, 07:15 PM

Also how do you ad PDF files to your reports please? I am on my iPad. Thank you xx

**lor** · 05-05-2015, 07:35 PM

Thanks moggy - I'll do that

X X

**lollipop kid** · 05-05-2015, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by Happiness

Also how do you ad PDF files to your reports please? I am on my iPad. Thank you xx

I started typing up how I do this, but you'll be better off selecting "Help and Support" in your Tapestry tab (drop down menu top right of your Tapestry screen) - see little arrow next to your name.

Send this to the support team as a question and they'll either send you a tutorial, or will email you how to do it. It will make more sense if they explain it and I wouldn't want to give you the wrong information as I do it automatically now, so I haven't written the steps down anywhere. I just do it as I need to.

It works for me and I use a Mac, so it will probably work for you on an IPad.

All the best,

L

**lollipop kid** · 05-05-2015, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Happiness

Ok I started my free trial on Saturday and already stuck with next steps lol.
How do you link observations with next steps please? I have used the Report function to record children RDS - Record of Development Summary which I do every 4-6 months.
TIA X

Each time you fill in an Observation (and select an aspect etc.), the Next Step will be generated automatically in the background. To see what I mean, click on "Next Steps" on any child's entry on your "Children" page. If you can't see it, then change the Period to the period before - it will come up. (I'm at the start of my Summer reports now so I can only see Next steps if I make the period read Spring instead of Summer. It will start to make more sense as you use it more - it's really intuitive.)

All the best,

L

**Sammy Jo T** · 06-05-2015, 09:48 AM

I've just finished my baseline on my part timer and moving onto doing his next steps. With this so we use the next steps generated from Spring or Summer or both? Do the next steps generated only show up for the observations added in those periods?

Sorry if these seems a silly question but this is the first time I'm having to do this and I want to get I right.

**lollipop kid** · 06-05-2015, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Sammy Jo T

I've just finished my baseline on my part timer and moving onto doing his next steps. With this so we use the next steps generated from Spring or Summer or both? Do the next steps generated only show up for the observations added in those periods?

Sorry if these seems a silly question but this is the first time I'm having to do this and I want to get I right.

I'd have a go at a couple of the tutorials. It will make sense.

If you're stuck, ask the Tapestry help guys. They come back to you really quickly. (Drop down menu top right beside your name - click on 'Help & Support' then just type your message and send.

Good luck,

L