Baseline assessments - advice

Hi everyone, firstly, I just want to check that I have my terminology right, when a child starts parents give me their child's starting points but then approx 6 weeks later I make my own assessments of the child, are these my "baseline assessments"??
Secondly, one mindee has turned two and I'm waiting for the go ahead to complete their progress check but this ties in with about the time I'd be making my Baseline assessments of the child so should I just hold off on these this time as the two year check should cover it, otherwise I'm duplicating work surely?
Any advice appreciated! :-)
Thank you...

If it helps, I was inspected yesterday and I don't use the term "baseline assessments" at all. Instead, I use "starting points" and make some observations in the child's first days with me, then as they progress, I log the next observations onto my tracker sheet under whatever period I'm assessing for - so for example, Spring 2016, then I just highlight on my EYO in my colour for Spring 2016, and pencil in the observation date beside it.

Ofsted were fine with this. (I'm not really a big fan of terms that I'm unsure of, so I just use the ones I know and that the parents know.) I got a strong good feeling about my inspection by doing this - but not changing my grade on here until I get my report - just in case.

Hope it helps,

LK

Yes - starting points are what parents give you and baseline is what you do yourself in the first few weeks ...

Ofsted want to see planning for the individual child from day 1 - not huge amounts of paperwork - this is what I use :Dhttp://knutsfordchildminding.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/planning-for-play-and-learning.html

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Originally Posted by sarah707

Yes - starting points are what parents give you and baseline is what you do yourself in the first few weeks ...

Ofsted want to see planning for the individual child from day 1 - not huge amounts of paperwork - this is what I use :Dhttp://knutsfordchildminding.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/planning-for-play-and-learning.html

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Thanks Sarah, I cant make out the play plan on the blog as its quite small, do you have link to it specifically?

Also, I noticed that your blog states "We use Early Years Outcomes when we are doing all our tracking of children’s progress because we know that it is Ofsted’s tracker of choice and we noticed that our inspector looked to see we had a copy for each child in their file." - i am just interested about this because EYO is not a statutory document so why were they checking one was present?

Also, how does your play plan differ from noting next steps generally?

Sorry, so many questions, minds working over time!

Oh and shoudl I do a separate baseline assessment even though they are around the same time as this mindees 2 year progress check? Thanks!

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Originally Posted by mumofone

Oh and shoudl I do a separate baseline assessment even though they are around the same time as this mindees 2 year progress check? Thanks!

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In my way of working I would not do 2 documents. Too much work! I would do the 2yr check and by the date of it it is clear it is the first of my regular assessments therefore the 'starting points' for the child in my setting (assuming it is done within 2-3 weeks of the child starting)- you can put a note on it to explain if you want to make it clear.

I do not use the term 'baseline' as it is not clear and parents do not understand it. You can call it what you want... 'What I can do now' or 'Assessment of Billy when he started at ABC Childminder'... title is irrelevant, I feel, as long as it is clear it is where the child started at and is done soon after the child arrives with you.

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Originally Posted by moggy

In my way of working I would not do 2 documents. Too much work! I would do the 2yr check and by the date of it it is clear it is the first of my regular assessments therefore the 'starting points' for the child in my setting (assuming it is done within 2-3 weeks of the child starting)- you can put a note on it to explain if you want to make it clear.

I do not use the term 'baseline' as it is not clear and parents do not understand it. You can call it what you want... 'What I can do now' or 'Assessment of Billy when he started at ABC Childminder'... title is irrelevant, I feel, as long as it is clear it is where the child started at and is done soon after the child arrives with you.

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I agree with Moggy on both points.

It wouldn't be of any benefit to the child for you to do two reports.

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Originally Posted by mumofone

Thanks Sarah, I cant make out the play plan on the blog as its quite small, do you have link to it specifically?

Also, I noticed that your blog states "We use Early Years Outcomes when we are doing all our tracking of children’s progress because we know that it is Ofsted’s tracker of choice and we noticed that our inspector looked to see we had a copy for each child in their file." - i am just interested about this because EYO is not a statutory document so why were they checking one was present?

Also, how does your play plan differ from noting next steps generally?

Sorry, so many questions, minds working over time!

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There's an old version of my play plan here - it's always worth looking in files!! Play and Observation

EYO might be guidance but it is Ofsted's guidance of choice and they want to see us using it! I don't tend to rail against the machine on these things - though when she said she didn't like my SEF I did remind her it wasn't statutory to even do one and she agreed with me...

Not sure what you mean about play plan and next steps... the play plan notes ongoing next steps in the prime areas through the months so it shows how children are making progress because I can link obs to them and things we have planned for the children to do...

Hth :D

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Originally Posted by sarah707

There's an old version of my play plan here - it's always worth looking in files!! Play and Observation EYO might be guidance but it is Ofsted's guidance of choice and they want to see us using it! I don't tend to rail against the machine on these things - though when she said she didn't like my SEF I did remind her it wasn't statutory to even do one and she agreed with me... Not sure what you mean about play plan and next steps... the play plan notes ongoing next steps in the prime areas through the months so it shows how children are making progress because I can link obs to them and things we have planned for the children to do... Hth :D

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Thanks Sarah, what did the inspector not like about your SEF, that's crazy, glad you responded about it not even being statutory :-)

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Originally Posted by mumofone

Thanks Sarah, what did the inspector not like about your SEF, that's crazy, glad you responded about it not even being statutory :-)

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She said it was too long - I said if you'd come sooner it wouldn't be as long and anyway it's not a statutory requirement to have one - here's my current action plan and this is the action plan we were working on last year and the one before ...

She said she could clearly see we were always aiming to improve and that's what she had been looking for :D

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Originally Posted by sarah707

She said it was too long - I said if you'd come sooner it wouldn't be as long and anyway it's not a statutory requirement to have one - here's my current action plan and this is the action plan we were working on last year and the one before ...

She said she could clearly see we were always aiming to improve and that's what she had been looking for :D

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Haha, i like your answer! Good point!

With the EYO in each child's file, i take it you just print our the pages with the age relevant to each child rather than the whole document in each?!

I have an EYO for each child starting with the age bracket they were in when they started, as sometimes the child is covering 2 or even 3 age ranges.

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Originally Posted by loocyloo

I have an EYO for each child starting with the age bracket they were in when they started, as sometimes the child is covering 2 or even 3 age ranges.

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Thanks loocyloo this is what I meant :-) do you highlight what they can do on the eyo pages?

Yes. I put a the date on the front and use a different colour to highlight it and then highlight whichever parts of EYO are newly covered.

Then when I look I can see the progression every few months. Other people highlight and date each statement.

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Originally Posted by loocyloo

Yes. I put a the date on the front and use a different colour to highlight it and then highlight whichever parts of EYO are newly covered. Then when I look I can see the progression every few months. Other people highlight and date each statement.

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Thanks loocyloo this is really helpful, my only concern is that ofsted may say then that I was using it as a tick list but i can't see how else it can be done!

My inspector liked the way I did it as you can easily see progression as highlighted colours move and 'blank' areas really stand out.

I know other people then link the statements to actual observations but sometimes I know children can do things that I haven't actually written up as an observation! It's all about knowing your children not endless paperwork/evidence.

Attachment 8880

This is what I use. I highlight each statement when I've seen it. And use the code at the bottom to show how I know they have been achieved. I fill these in every 3/4 months and use a different colour each time. I have sent them home before and asked parents to mark HC and date against things their child can do at home, some things I just won't see here. These are highlighted in a completely different colour to what I usually use and are marked as recorded by the parents. Happy to email you a blank copy if it would help. X