Organising my learning journeys

**nipper** · 12-02-2012, 11:25 PM

I was wondering if I could get some advice on how you organise your learning journeys? Do any of you include your individual planning for that child within the lj as well? I was thinking about keeping the art work at the front, with the observations/next steps and photographic evidence and then putting the planning at the back, or is it just best to put all of it together in chronological order?

**rickysmiths** · 12-02-2012, 11:57 PM

I use a 40 page A4 plain page exercise book. I have the all about me sheet and a photo of the child in the front and a sheet briefly describing the 6 areas of learning for the parents each with its NCMA EYFS sticker beside it.

I then add to the LJ chronologically adding photos, post it note moments, obs and any examples of work I want to include. I write in the LJ a record of what we ahve done and where we have been in a diary style I use the NCMA stickers all the way through to indicate the areas of learning covered.

The Ages and stages sheets are in a plastic loose leaf folder.

I don't do any written planing for under 3s I follow next steps and plan for various activities on a more general level taking into account each child's interests. This planning is kept in a planning folder so I can add to it and refer back to things we have done in the past.

I have tried various formats and stuck with this one now. It has cut down a lot of the paperwork I was doing, the parents like it and most importantly Ofsted were very complimentary when I had my inspection last sept.

**Bluebell** · 13-02-2012, 07:11 AM

Hi Ricky - can I just ask - do you keep a copy of the 'all about me' for your own records as well? I have mine stuck in a file with all my contracts and stages sheets. I think its a much better idea to have it in their learning journal but wondered if I should still keep a copy in my files aswell?

My learning journal is more an update for parents of what we have been doing - I used to do it scrap book style with photos, area stickers and hand written comments but now I type them on computer and print them out. I copy and paste photos on to the sheet and copy the images I use for the 6 areas of learning and development (I am too cheap to buy them from NCMA so created my own - I used to make stickers but was too time consuming)

I find this is less personal looking but it is certainly more legible! Also I e-mail the parents and attach a copy of the sheet so they have regular updates of their children. I do it in chronological order too. If I have pieces of art or certificates I stick them in too.

The pre-school my son goes to they used to do it in the 6 areas of learning but found they had big gaps in between the pages and also if they did an observation then it would always cover more than 1 area of the EYFS. Now they so it in chronological order so not only can it cover as many areas of the EYFS as they want without it being in the 'wrong' place and parents can easily see the progress if the child over the space of 2 or 3 years.

I haven't had my first Ofsted yet though so I cannot say if this will be considered 'correct' !!! I suppose at the end of the day its down to the actual content rather than the method.

**rickysmiths** · 13-02-2012, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Bluelion

Hi Ricky - can I just ask - do you keep a copy of the 'all about me' for your own records as well? I have mine stuck in a file with all my contracts and stages sheets. I think its a much better idea to have it in their learning journal but wondered if I should still keep a copy in my files aswell?

My learning journal is more an update for parents of what we have been doing - I used to do it scrap book style with photos, area stickers and hand written comments but now I type them on computer and print them out. I copy and paste photos on to the sheet and copy the images I use for the 6 areas of learning and development (I am too cheap to buy them from NCMA so created my own - I used to make stickers but was too time consuming)

I find this is less personal looking but it is certainly more legible! Also I e-mail the parents and attach a copy of the sheet so they have regular updates of their children. I do it in chronological order too. If I have pieces of art or certificates I stick them in too.

The pre-school my son goes to they used to do it in the 6 areas of learning but found they had big gaps in between the pages and also if they did an observation then it would always cover more than 1 area of the EYFS. Now they so it in chronological order so not only can it cover as many areas of the EYFS as they want without it being in the 'wrong' place and parents can easily see the progress if the child over the space of 2 or 3 years.

I haven't had my first Ofsted yet though so I cannot say if this will be considered 'correct' !!! I suppose at the end of the day its down to the actual content rather than the method.

No only a copy in the LJ. I'm trying to cut down on the bits of paper!

This is always the case but for the more 'formal' bimonthly ob I choose one are of learning only which was what we were taught to do.

I started off with my LJ divided into the 6 areas and found it didn't work well.

jumpinjen · 13-02-2012, 09:54 AM

I do a large A4 spiral bound exercise book as well - I put photos in, annotated with a description and the areas of learning and what it represents for the child- a mix of adult led and child initiated activities are represented - I try to put in one drawing/painting/mark making every month, to show progression. the rest go home reularly for mum and dad. Every so often I do a longer observation, it usually has a photo story to go along with it. Every month i sit down and update, and i keep tabs of what areas of learning I have observations for and if there are areas lacking in 'evidence' then I keep a lookout for them over the next month or introduce some activities/resources to bolster that area. It works for me and builds up a lovely book. I send it home once a term for parents to see and write comments in. HTH, Jen x

**Mollymop** · 13-02-2012, 10:02 AM

I use a Tesco 40 page display book (plastic pages you put your paper into etc)
for each child.
I out everything into it in order of date - I also put in art and photos, long obs, short obs, assessments, child's next steps and individual planning.

I like to do it in chronological order so that i can look through and see how much child has developed over time and easier to find something.

**Mollymop** · 13-02-2012, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Bluelion

do you keep a copy of the 'all about me' for your own records as well? I have mine stuck in a file with all my contracts and stages sheets. I think its a much better idea to have it in their learning journal but wondered if I should still keep a copy in my files aswell?

.

I keep my 'All about me' form in with child's contract info, permission forms etc.

***daisychain*** · 13-02-2012, 11:45 AM

As a lot of the starting points are in the All about me, I keep it it the childs learning journey

**lynnfi** · 16-02-2012, 06:27 PM

I also use a plain A4 exercise book. I combine LJ and daily diary, writing lots of daily observations + basics (meals, sleep, change, etc), and add photographs, art/craft samples, more formal work samples for older children, things such as Gardening Club activities, zoo poster and such.
So all my observations are in one place only (I take photos of the book to have a records).
But I write my assessments, plans etc in another book that I just fill in, with individual plans, group plans, some activity plans step by step, recipes, ideas, time tables etc etc!
I make it mine, not Ofsted's. I mean I make it for me and the children, and as long as everything meets with the requirements, I don't mind if everything is a mess with colours everywhere, drawings, arrows etc etc.
This is one way of doing, it works for me as less paperwork, and I can write down anything I want in there