how far ahead do you plan?

[samkeddy]

Just out of curiosity how far ahead does everyone plan?
Thanks x x

[Toothfairy]

I have a long term plan for January - December.
This is then broken down into my Medium term Planning (3 months at a time)
This is then broken down into short term planning (monthly)

From my monthly planning I then split it into weekly planning taking into account my mindee's interests and age/stage of learning & next steps. Each child has a weekly play plan based on their next steps and interests which incorporate whats on the planning sheet for that week/month.

Hope that makes sense, I don't know if this how you are meant to do it but it works for me.

[rickysmiths]

I do the same as toothfairy

[Andrea08]

pritty much the same

LTP Jan-Dec including holiday dates etc also the 4 seasons
MTP each month dates that are important to plann for such as mothers day etc
STP by the week our activity days out to soft play and our craft sessions at the children's centre

because i keep the LTP and MTP in a file i re-use every yr just tweek the STP to fit for children on role and any special dates,

i know we are not surpose to use themes but i do a few at times of the yr..

holiday time is transitions to school and at the sea/ who lives under the sea etc and trips to the beach if we can,

we are just comin to the end of "people who help us"

new arrivials do "all about me " for their learning files

etc

[samkeddy]

I do the same although my weekly planning has been abit to pot recently.

Roughly how many 'activities' do you do a week?

excluding outings, we have 1 outing a day - playgroup, network, library & park/softplay (usually anyway, weeks do vary depending on interests) But now were doing 3 school runs a day im finding not as much time or interest in adult led activities.
So how many do you do please??

Thanks xx

[Penny1959]

I have recently (since end June)made radical changes to my planning.

I still have an overarching theme which is my very rough yearly plan - and very likely to change!

Each month - as the month approaches - so I guess mid the month before - I aim to write a list of ideas, stories, websites places to visit etc that MIGHT use. No linking to areas of learning - pointless as don't know if we will do and if we do what each mindee will do with it.

Then EACH DAY - I open a new document on my computer that I have called 'What we did' - that being the hint I record what the children did , reason why activity done - adult set up / adult initiated/ child initiated - and any reasons such as following interest / spontaneous and so on - then who took part and their age, then any obs / wow moments and finally the areas of learning - ie jusy PD, CD and so on. I take photos through out the day. While children eating tea as laptop is wireless I press print and print the what we did sheet and the photo's and stick then on to board in louge for all to see.

Not sure if explained that very well - so I will attach todays sheet - not quite complete - and of course you will not see photos but should give you an idea. Children's first names are included and their age in months - but I have permission in place for this.

Please remember this is a working document and so futher changes will be made as I do more thinking, reflection and reviewing.

Penny

Just noticed Erin has changed age through out the day - told you it was a working document!

[samkeddy]

penny1959 absolutly love this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[snufflepuff]

I do a long term plan, which is yearly, and just shows things like festivals, mothers day, birthdasy etc.

Then I do an individual monthly plan for each child, which includes one activity per week based on their interests and development. I usually do this in the last week of the previous month, but sometimes only partly fill it in and complete it as the month goes on.

I then write brief notes in my diary each day- eg 'park, painting, train set, duplo in the garden' sometimes in advance if it's something I've planned like going to soft play, and sometimes after we have done it because it depends what the children chose to do that day.

[HELEN10]

[QUOTE=Penny1959;953280]I have recently (since end June)made radical changes to my planning.

I still have an overarching theme which is my very rough yearly plan - and very likely to change!

Each month - as the month approaches - so I guess mid the month before - I aim to write a list of ideas, stories, websites places to visit etc that MIGHT use. No linking to areas of learning - pointless as don't know if we will do and if we do what each mindee will do with it.

Then EACH DAY - I open a new document on my computer that I have called 'What we did' - that being the hint I record what the children did , reason why activity done - adult set up / adult initiated/ child initiated - and any reasons such as following interest / spontaneous and so on - then who took part and their age, then any obs / wow moments and finally the areas of learning - ie jusy PD, CD and so on. I take photos through out the day. While children eating tea as laptop is wireless I press print and print the what we did sheet and the photo's and stick then on to board in louge for all to see.

Not sure if explained that very well - so I will attach todays sheet - not quite complete - and of course you will not see photos but should give you an idea. Children's first names are included and their age in months - but I have permission in place for this.

Please remember this is a working document and so futher changes will be made as I do more thinking, reflection and reviewing.

Penny

Just noticed Erin has changed age through out the day - told you it was a working document![/QUOT

Really like that, can I ask do you still do individual planning or is that incorporated within the daily activity sheet?

[catlyn]

Penny,...thanks for sharing that document..its fab.....do you have any hints on how to record next steps....I was recently inspected and this was the only area my inspector said I needed to improve on (apart from communicating more with LO's nursery which she attends 2 days a week 25 miles away from me )

[jane5]

I have recently (since end June)made radical changes to my planning.

I still have an overarching theme which is my very rough yearly plan - and very likely to change!

Each month - as the month approaches - so I guess mid the month before - I aim to write a list of ideas, stories, websites places to visit etc that MIGHT use. No linking to areas of learning - pointless as don't know if we will do and if we do what each mindee will do with it.

Then EACH DAY - I open a new document on my computer that I have called 'What we did' - that being the hint I record what the children did , reason why activity done - adult set up / adult initiated/ child initiated - and any reasons such as following interest / spontaneous and so on - then who took part and their age, then any obs / wow moments and finally the areas of learning - ie jusy PD, CD and so on. I take photos through out the day. While children eating tea as laptop is wireless I press print and print the what we did sheet and the photo's and stick then on to board in louge for all to see.

Not sure if explained that very well - so I will attach todays sheet - not quite complete - and of course you will not see photos but should give you an idea. Children's first names are included and their age in months - but I have permission in place for this.

Please remember this is a working document and so futher changes will be made as I do more thinking, reflection and reviewing.

Penny

Just noticed Erin has changed age through out the day - told you it was a working document!

Gosh Penny, I know you work long hours, but how on earth do you manage to find time to fit all this in

Are we seriously expected to do this much as well as going to playgroup, school runs (for those who do), and planned activities? There is no way I could fit all this paper work in.

I am having my inspection any day now, will my inspector expect this?

[Penny1959]

Thanks for your comments.

Right to answer the questions - individual planning is in same document - was none today - other than the rocker. But in other sheets it will say under reason for activity - some like adult set up to support xx interest as noted (either date or yesterday ect) also sometimes will say things like - adult set up to observe threading skills (or whatever)

Today was not a particularlly good example as usually work with an assistant - but as only had 3 was on my own. Our main focus with this 3 is PSED - or in other words sharing - working together - so that might explain the comments about taking turns with click clack car and tidy up time.

Re next steps - these are within the child's LJ so from my what we have done sheet and the photo's I can easily see each child's interest, will have mini obs of skills and together this information will help me note where each child is developmentally and then the next steps. I have to admit I have been around long enough to do this from my own knowledge but for those less sure the EYFS practice guidance is a good place to start.

Oh and I am happy for anyone to ADAPT my form for their own setting BUT remember whatever paperwork you use - you have to have confidence that you understand it, can it explain it to others - and most importantly that it does what you need it to.

Penny

[singingcactus]

I plan a bunch of group activities - along with links to EYFS, every 2-6 weeks which we do as and when throughout the weeks. These activities are taken from my long term plan.
Each month as I write up obs and next steps I transfer the next steps over to a next steps sheet. So each morning I will choose one next step activity for each child after I have greeted the child and discovered what kind of mood they are in and how their night has been etc.

[onceinabluemoon]

Penny, I think that is fab! I dont know how you find the time!

[Penny1959]

Gosh Penny, I know you work long hours, but how on earth do you manage to find time to fit all this in

Are we seriously expected to do this much as well as going to playgroup, school runs (for those who do), and planned activities? There is no way I could fit all this paper work in.

I am having my inspection any day now, will my inspector expect this?

No Jane5, the inspector will not expect anything like this - he / she will expect a system that works for you and provides the information that you need to record development and plan next steps.

My sharing was just to give some ideas - so please don't panic - if not for you - that is fine - iy is what I love about childminding we are all individuals and all do it our own way.

Penny

[sarah707]

Penny I love that, it's a great way to show what has happened each day. I am not sure I could write that much though!!

My planning is individual ... I follow each child's likes and interests and prevouis obs with more focussed activities.

Then I have a group plan which is plotted out Jan to Dec but which I write in detail before the month begins to make sure I am taking account of the children's current interests.

There's little point in planning a playdough activity if Jane prefers plasticine and John is currently obsessed with sand dough!

Hth

[samkeddy]

I'd love to do someting like that penny but really wouldnt have the time!!

I'm really struggling not knowing if i'm doing enough at the moment,
i have ltp - year's worth of theme's, events etc.
and mtp - month's worth of activities wrote up around themes, events with liks to eyfs

but this was just supposed to be my back up for when i ran out of idea's for the childs interest. Which is now, i cant seem to get any good individual planning, 'planning for childs interest' done at the moment!!!!

[jumpinjen]

Hi,

I have a working document for each week that I put a few starting points and ideas on according to observations of individual children the previous week and any activities out of the home and themes/interests and then add to it/evaluate/update as the week continues.

I use spider planning sheets for themes/individual interests or schemas/ cultural days/ seasonal planning ideas and these can be dipped in and out of for the day/for months depending on what it covers. I have an observation sheet for each child that covers a month and helps me to complete their LJ's when the photos are printed.

I keep any working documents on a clipboard then file them in my planning folder in date order.

I update in quiet moments throughout the day and whilst I am observing the children during free play. It works for me, as Penny says, whatever you use needs to suit your setting. Mine is handwritten rather than typed as this suits me!

I update my LJ's once a month.

I don't do long term and medium term planning, I plan a month ahead if there are themes/days/interests that I want to cover. As I have been minding for longer then i return to previous themes that have been enjoyed eg beach/sealife in the summer and apples in October.

Jen x

[miffy]

Penny, I think that is fab! I dont know how you find the time!

Ditto! I know I wouldn't be able to keep this up but I think it's a great way to show what you do each day.

Miffy xx

[Penny1959]

I understand where you are all coming re time - and I suppose it depends on how much time you have in each day to record as you go along.

This actually saves me time as is (apart from my rough year plan) all the planning I do

I do not spend time writing up ideas,(monthly / weekly etc) doing individual planning in advance, preparing activities or referencing to EYFS - all of that used to take me ages - and I hated it as most of it was not used or ended up being crossed out and something else written down.

It takes me an additional 10 mins in the morning - while having my coffee - to open the document, add the date and enter all the things that i have choosen to put out.

Then during the odd quiet min I just fill in who I have observed doing things - note any thing worth noting , and add any addition activities / resources chosen by the children,

I am lucky that at lunch time I usually get 30 mins (while babies asleep) on the laptop to finish the morning recording / do emails ( I get a lot with my committee work) andcome on here which to be honest takes up most of the 30 mins or so.

Afternoons tend to be quieter and so less to record - and then at teatime i print, display on wall along with the days photo's for parents to see.

In all about 40 mins a day - but spread out into 4 x 10 min slots (or on busy days 6 x 5min slots)

When I end for the day - sheets are put in my folder - job done.

I am going to take it a stage further and writing less in daily dairies (reducing to rountine times and corncerns - and instead - emailling each parent a copy of the what we did sheet and the photo's - just need to get new permission forms signed to make sure clearly states doing this (is cover on old ones but I like it to be stated as an specific point.

Well as I say many times - what works for one does not work for others - andchildminding is great as it allows us to do it 'our own way' and still meet the requirements of EYFS.


Penny