working in partnership with pre school HELP!!!!

**georgeypie07** · 31-07-2012, 07:15 PM

I've got a new lo starting in september, aswell as coming to me he's going to be starting pre school, this is going to be a first for me and I'm stuck on what I should do to be sharing information with the pre school! I've adapted my daily diary to incorporate pre school but surely there's other things I should be doing???? I've been searching the internet for days to try and find out and nothing!!!!!:

**migimoo** · 31-07-2012, 07:22 PM

I'm in exactly the same boat-I was advised to make up a little learning journal with some of their work,some pics of activities and a summary assessment....I was very kindly sent an example of this if you would like to see it.
I've also written down any comments,hopes and fears she's expressed about starting nursery and a note from me introducing myself and saying that i'm looking forward to working with them.

I take it the LO will still be coming to you aswell as the nursery? I'm just going to send her daily diary with the expectation that they will write in anything relevant.
hope this helps xx

**littlecheeks** · 01-08-2012, 02:13 PM

i share learning journeys, i.e when my mindee started playschool i went in and had a meeting with his key worker and went through his journey with her. we have verbal discussions at drop offs, pick ups and i go through his development folder they do as well.
i dont 'share' as such his daily diary as that is mainly for parents, and me to communicate.
you can also share topics your doing or what they are doing.

**Jods** · 01-08-2012, 02:24 PM

I have worked the other way round as a preschool assistant -

Firstly get all permissions in place - then go and speak to the relevant people in pre-school, the best one I ever had was with a childminder she gave me a transfer baseline assesment of where the child was in the eyfs (as the minder had had him since 7 mths) - we communicated our next steps (as this is essentially what the EYFS wants you to do) and any obs of significance, if there was something the childminder wanted to observe then if I saw it I would pass thoses details on, once a half term I met with the CM to tally out LJ's and also with the parents. We also go together prior to the child starting school and together filled out an assesment sheet for school x

**zippy** · 01-08-2012, 03:09 PM

Ask for a copy of pre school planning, then look at one thing that they are planning in each area for example they may be focusing on a certain shape, you can then plan in some activities in line with theirs but yours can focus mainly on what your lo is interested in first so say your lo loves to bake and loves sparkles you could make some sparkly shaped biscuits, then I would print out a sheet at end of month or half term with these activities on, and title it what I did at my childminders house, if you are very lucky like I am you will get a sheet back with some pics on which say what I have done at preschool for you to file. Even if you get nothing back file a copy of planning and what you sent into preschool then you can prove to Ofsted you're trying.

**zippy** · 01-08-2012, 03:12 PM

Sorry I also forgot I did an assement sheet covering the 6 areas and gave a copy to parents and preschool so they had a starting point, I have since been given a copy of their end of year report and a cd containing their lj for my lo. Most preschools are happy to share info I just think a lot are not sure how to or what we want, just go in with stuff and hopefully you'll get stuff back.

**zippy** · 01-08-2012, 03:13 PM

Eeek forgot again lol, I also gave them my lo's lj for a week when she first started.

**JCrakers** · 01-08-2012, 03:30 PM

This is one of my bugbears

We have to show all these signs of working with other settings and not once have any of the settings made the first step.

The local preschool have had numerous things off my but I've had nothing back. I hope you get more joy than I have

**catswhiskers** · 01-08-2012, 10:42 PM

I agree with you JCrakers - it's always us childminders making the first move and not the other way around.

I've contacted nurseries in the past with an intro letter, photos, parts of diaries, obs etc. and get nothing in return. I think they probably get more ideas from the stuff I've given them to be honest.

I've been looking after a now 22 month old since January on a Mon/Tues. The rest of the week he goes to a private nursery. I've heard nothing at all from them.

He's now broken up for the holidays (he's a term-time only mindee) and a few weeks ago I asked Mum if she could get some bits from them but they didn't have anything.

I think as long as you have evidence that you've made contact then Ofsted can see you've tried.

Last year a nursery I had given lots of info to recently got an outstanding. Reading their report it was clear the inspector probably had not even asked them about working in partnership with other settings!

**Jods** · 02-08-2012, 07:22 AM

hate to say it but its not ALWAYS the CM's who make the first move - sorry but I had some issues the other way round, it is very much down to the individual!

**georgeypie07** · 02-08-2012, 11:22 PM

Thanks everyone

The only problem is, he starts with me AND pre school on the same day so I have nothing to give them!! He has a number of settling in sessions booked with me so should I plan activities for those and take notes or do observations? I'm confused, why is there no official paperwork we can use? Instead its kind of 'make it up as u go along' type thing!! (Rant over!!)

Also migimoo I would love to see an example and would greatly appriciate it, thankyou so much!!

**EmmaReed84** · 03-08-2012, 05:32 AM

When I had my Ofsted Inspection she mentions that working in partnership, is not just about sharing LJ's assessments and things like that...

...It could be you have mindee in the afternoon and have an activity planned, you collect him from playschool and they say "X has been very busy today, I think he is getting a bit tired" You then go home and change your plans to accommodate a child who might not want to do what you had planned... The reason you changed your plans were based on you "working with the playschool"

I have have weekly plans that I print out each week, but I am always scribbling all over them for changes and such like, so I would put on there, what was said.

I have to say I am really lucky, I know the the manager, who is also mindees key worker, so every now and then she comes to my house on an evening we have some wine and go through folders and put plans in place for the following term.

Get to know his key worker...

**migimoo** · 03-08-2012, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by georgeypie07

Thanks everyone

The only problem is, he starts with me AND pre school on the same day so I have nothing to give them!! He has a number of settling in sessions booked with me so should I plan activities for those and take notes or do observations? I'm confused, why is there no official paperwork we can use? Instead its kind of 'make it up as u go along' type thing!! (Rant over!!)

Also migimoo I would love to see an example and would greatly appriciate it, thankyou so much!!

will try to PM you.x

**hectors house** · 03-08-2012, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by JCrakers

This is one of my bugbears

We have to show all these signs of working with other settings and not once have any of the settings made the first step.

The local preschool have had numerous things off my but I've had nothing back. I hope you get more joy than I have

I was looking on a nursery website the other day trying to pinch some ideas for outdoor play areas, (one of my mindees goes to this nursery), and I saw a link to Ofsted report - for first time ever I saw that a Nursery had been picked up for not communicating with other people involved in caring for child - mind you they still haven't contacted me and I haven't contacted them!

And at an EYFS training session recently I was sat on a table with Nursery staff from a different nursery - I introduced myself and said that child A came to me one day a week and said I'm supposed to have contacted you but there again you are also supposed to contact me and they just looked at me blankly!