Hi everyone!

At the moment I plan individually for each child based on observing them and then noting down possible next steps and starting off the next day and week's planning with some of those next steps as a starting point for my planning - this is fine but I see so many possible next steps that there are myriad things to plan for and choose from and it is never ending and I'm finding it hard to pinpoint actual progress as the steps are so tiny (yes I know small incremental steps are good for children!)

So I was sitting here today doing my three-monthly round-up for this child for which I use the development matters statements for the appropriate stages in a table form into which I add comments, highlight bits, note down evidence I have etc, then I give to parents and they add in bits and together we jot down a plan for some areas to focus on over the next few months. This is usually jotted on the back of one of the sheets and is made up of obvious areas where the child could develop further and areas where lacking and parents ideas of where they would like their child to head.

And I started wondering if this was a better way to plan all round - make these jottings a bit more 'formal' in that I record them as a plan for the next few months of areas of focus and plan to provide general resources, activities and experiences to meet those areas rather than every little day to day thing taking me off in all directions.

I hope you can understand my ramblings - any thoughts? I'm not trying to shirk out of planning, it just seems to me that it might be a more valuable way to plan - my setting is very child-led anyway with a focus on developing independent access of resources rather than lots of adult led activities, with me there as a resource to provide back-up and support when needed!

Opinions please?

Jen x