Two observation questions...
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  1. #1
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    Question Two observation questions...

    Hi all,

    I'm hoping that I will get some good advice and opinions

    Firstly I have a 3 year old, 4 next month and starting full time school in September. She goes to school nursery every morning. She has an all about me but do I still need to observe and write reports even though she is at school?

    Secondly, can I use pictures and videos for observations? Do I HAVE to write observations if I cover the DMs through that? I highlight and review every three months.

    Many thanks for reading

    Xx

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    You will have to plan and observe until she goes to school fulltime and as long as you can show how you do it and how she is developing, areas for extra help etc then you can do it anyway you choose.
    Written. pictures, videos, or any other way you can think of.

    Remember you will have to show how you observe to the inspector but as long as she/he can see you know the child, where she is and her next steps that's great
    Time Out.. The perfect time for thinking about what you're going to destroy next.

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    I am in a similar position, little boy is 4 going to school in September and attending the school nursery every morning, my problem is, after mum drops him off he has his lunch and then goes to sleep for 2.5 hrs, mum is okay with this, there is no way that you can wake him and if I try to stop him going to sleep he just lies down anyway and drops off, sometimes he even falls asleep while he is eating his lunch. He still goes to bed at about 7.30. Mum picks him up at about 4.45 and so there is about 1.5 hrs when he is here. He only wants to play with my granddaughter and won't take part in any other activities. It is impossible to do any planning or observations for him. Mum understands and says she is happy for me to carry on what I am doing and just let nursery do the obs etc. Fine by me, and as he is finishing in July anyway she doesn't want him getting upset for the last few months. I have tried to explain that I should do things but as she said I had my inspection last June so really it is unlikely that I will get another one and if I do she will write a letter for the Inspector explaining to them that I am following her wishes and that is how it should be.
    Sorry for the long thread but it just goes to show how difficult things are sometimes.
    Don't shoot me down for not doing planning etc, I do take photos of him playing with Ellie that go in his folder but as they are normally things that he passed years ago I can't really class it as an observation except PSED where he is playing with friends etc, but that can only be shown so many times.
    Teacake2

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    The last little one I had that attended nursery, the nursery used to give me photocopies of their observations and me mine so we each worked on the others next steps where appropriate. I put the copies in his lj here and used their obs to do my tracking with, obviously I didn't do as many obs as I. Would had he not gone to nursery so my contribution was a lot less, I just linked to lore areas so my tracking wasn't affected if that makes sense.

    How you observe and track is up to you, no where in the eyfs does it say it has to be written, you need to find a way that suits you and that you can share with parents, other childcare workers/professionals involved in the child's care and of course Ofsted.

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    Hi,

    Thankyou for your replies.

    Teacake - tricky one but what can you do? You can't force him awake and if he and mum is happy then it's difficult to address isn't it?

    Bluebare - thankyou I chat with school but still do all my reports and planning.


    It's my first term so I'm getting to know the children more and more each day. I just find pictures and videos so much easier to capture the moment rather than finding a pen and writing it etc. It is also more Eco and saves paper etc. I can print pictures off etc and plan to at the end of term heading paper with each area on, pictures of them working towards their targets and pop them in their folder. 1 90 second video the other day covered soooooo many DMs that it seemed silly to write for the sake of it?


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    Hi Orchard. I have just started using an online system that I think is allowed to be mentioned on here, tapestry. You can take a photo/video type a quick note and link to the areas of learning. It sounds like a method that could suit your needs. It's saving me a lot of time :-)

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    Natlou, that sounds fab I'll have a look into that thankyou

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    Quote Originally Posted by **Orchard CM** View Post
    Natlou, that sounds fab I'll have a look into that thankyou
    I use Orbit app at the moment and it is free. Maybe you could try it for a while and then progress on to Tapestry. That is my plan in September when I loose the majority of my lo's to school.

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    Quote Originally Posted by natlou82 View Post
    Hi Orchard. I have just started using an online system that I think is allowed to be mentioned on here, tapestry. You can take a photo/video type a quick note and link to the areas of learning. It sounds like a method that could suit your needs. It's saving me a lot of time :-)
    I also use an online system that cannot be mentioned ...but despite the historical issues I think it is the best and nurseries local to me are using it too so with one child we are both adding to the same learning journey independently.
    It is the way forward.

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    Floradora, is the service you use an app?

  11. #11
    Simona Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by **Orchard CM** View Post
    Hi all,

    I'm hoping that I will get some good advice and opinions

    Firstly I have a 3 year old, 4 next month and starting full time school in September. She goes to school nursery every morning. She has an all about me but do I still need to observe and write reports even though she is at school?

    Secondly, can I use pictures and videos for observations? Do I HAVE to write observations if I cover the DMs through that? I highlight and review every three months.

    Many thanks for reading

    Xx
    Have you asked the other setting if they have heard of the new 'working together' initiative that is being spread and talked about a lot?
    You and the other setting will be getting the child ready for school...maybe you could suggest a way to do this for the benefit of the child and work in partnership. ...take the lead and make the suggestion, also check what the EYFS requires so you don't 'overdo' the necessary paperwork.

    Just to clarify the 'All about me' document...that is something providers/parents fill in when a child starts at a new setting so that we know all the child can do and what we plan to for the child to achieve...not everyone has an All about me as each setting does things differently...some call it 'Starting points'

    All about me is not a static document...it will change as the children progress in their learning and we record their achievements as we observe their learning developing and move them on.

    Good luck!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Simona View Post
    Have you asked the other setting if they have heard of the new 'working together' initiative that is being spread and talked about a lot? You and the other setting will be getting the child ready for school...maybe you could suggest a way to do this for the benefit of the child and work in partnership. ...take the lead and make the suggestion, also check what the EYFS requires so you don't 'overdo' the necessary paperwork. Just to clarify the 'All about me' document...that is something providers/parents fill in when a child starts at a new setting so that we know all the child can do and what we plan to for the child to achieve...not everyone has an All about me as each setting does things differently...some call it 'Starting points' All about me is not a static document...it will change as the children progress in their learning and we record their achievements as we observe their learning developing and move them on. Good luck!
    Hi Simona, can you tell me more about the new "working together" initiative? I've not heard about it...

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    Quote Originally Posted by FloraDora View Post
    I also use an online system that cannot be mentioned ...but despite the historical issues I think it is the best and nurseries local to me are using it too so with one child we are both adding to the same learning journey independently. It is the way forward.
    ...To provide a more holistic record of the child's learning...?

  14. #14
    Simona Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by mumofone View Post
    Hi Simona, can you tell me more about the new "working together" initiative? I've not heard about it...
    I think the title of this initiative says it all...'working together'...is it a new concept? NO
    Are providers being encouraged to work together now?... why now when it has been in EYFS since 2008 and many have done for years and years?

    seems a bit strange when we have Multi Agency working together....TAC (The Team Around the Child)...Info Sharing publications ...Working together to Safeguard children ...The Common Core of Skills and Knowledge...and much more including SEND which has working together at its core for those involved.

    Suddenly Working Together has taken a new meaning since the 30 hours scheme was announced...it seems the EY sector and schools are now all encouraging this especially doing so to smooth the transition to school to make children more 'school ready'...sorry I am a bit confused by all this.

    You can research this and apply it to your setting as it is suitable to you....I sound a bit cynical about this 'new' idea but I think many share the feeling that it is old ground revisited with a new label attached to it.
    Last edited by Simona; 05-05-2016 at 07:58 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Simona View Post
    I think the title of this initiative says it all...'working together'...is it a new concept? NO Are providers being encouraged to work together now?... why now when it has been in EYFS since 2008 and many have done for years and years? seems a bit strange when we have Multi Agency working together....TAC (The Team Around the Child)...Info Sharing publications ...Working together to Safeguard children ...The Common Core of Skills and Knowledge...and much more including SEND which has working together at its core for those involved. Suddenly Working Together has taken a new meaning since the 30 hours scheme was announced...it seems the EY sector and schools are now all encouraging this especially doing so to smooth the transition to school to make children more 'school ready'...sorry I am a bit confused by all this. You can research this and apply it to your setting as it is suitable to you....I sound a bit cynical about this 'new' idea but I think many share the feeling that it is old ground revisited with a new label attached to it.
    Sorry Simona i thought you were referring to a specific document.

    I understand your cynicism, they like to reinvent the wheel!

  16. #16
    Simona Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by mumofone View Post
    Sorry Simona i thought you were referring to a specific document.

    I understand your cynicism, they like to reinvent the wheel!
    I was referring to the latest initiative called 'working together'...not a document as such
    there is also another called 'Starting School Together'...same thing and yes it triggers cynicism...as you say why reinvent the wheel?

 

 

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