52 replies to this topic

[hali]

I have 12 4yr olds at present 1 of which is moving into school in January 2004 and 5 others going in at Easter - a bit late i know but when should you start filling in the foundation stage profile books and should they be completed by the time my children move into school at 5 yrs

[jovana]

Hi Hali :D

I was browsing through the forum, I am new here and took the time to get aquainted with the different postings, that's when I came across your "topic starter". Well if you look at the topic starter just below yours, "Foundation stage profiles" (and there are 5 pages), you should find some interesting reading. It might answer some of your questions, though for me it seems to have created more questions and confusion than I originally started with.

I hope this helps some. By the way, you didn't say what kind of setting you worked in.

[Susan]

If your children are in the final year of the Foundation Stage ie will be 5 on their next birthday within the school year 2003-4, they will need a completed profile during the Summer term. The profile is an ongoing document throughout the Reception Year

So you should be beginning to make observations & assessments against the profile scales now, recording your judgements by marking the Autumn term circle underneath the statement.

By "now". I mean that you should be increasingly aware of the statements and the children's progress towards their attainment, so that at some point before the end of term you can make a judgement & tick the box.

At the end of the term you could indicate those statements that are part completed by underscoring that part of the statement that is attained.

Susan

[hali]

thanks for the replys
- i manage a charity pre school in berkshire, i have 60 children on the register ages 2 1/2 - 5 yrs
am going on more profile on tuesday just find it all a bit much to cope with and confusing when to start it as have 12 children that need profiles filling in this term.

[mousebat]

Hi there

I'm also at a pre-school in Berkshire. I went on a course about the Foundation Stage just before the summer break. It was mind numbing and scary to say the least.

I don't know about the rest of Berkshire but pre-schools in Wokingham District have to start the FSP's.
I don't think this is true for the rest of England. What makes Wokingham different I don't know!!! if anybody could shed some light on this I would be grateful in knowing the reasons.

Do your feeder schools stagger the intake of children in to Reception Year? In the Wokingham Area we do. So this is what we have to do with the FSP - If you have children who start school in the September then you won't need to do the Profile just send the Observation and Assessment document to the school. If you have children who start in January then you will have to complete the Profile for the Autumn Term only. If you have children who start after Easter then you will have to complete the Profile for the Autumn Term and the Spring Term.


Confusing? Absolutely!

Best of luck

mousebat

[hali]

thanks mousebat
my pre school is in maidenhead and like you i dont why we have to do profiles when other areas of the country dont - have you had your new reference manual yet - i went on that training yesterday!!!!!

[mousebat]

hi Hali

What did you think of the training? Is everything as clear as mud? We have all the documenation we need
and have started the FSP for children starting school in January. There was a lot of information to take on board on the training course and it'll probably take some time for it all to sink in but I'm sure you'll cope alright. You must remember that teachers of Reception classes are new to all this and find it equally daunting. I doubt they will be judging any of us too harshly when they get the FSP's from the pre-schools. The reason I know this is because I work in a pre-school and as a TA in a Reception class!

Do you have any idea why pre-schools in Berkshire have to start the FSP's, because I have no idea whatsoever?

mousebat

[hali]

hi mousemat

no i dont know why we have to do them - it just seems like they like to give pre schools more work to do!! Training was ok and i have started to do profiles just think its extra workload we dont need!!
take care

[connie]

hali, on Sep 21 2003, 01:28 PM, said:

thanks for the replys
- i manage a charity pre school in berkshire, i have 60 children on the register ages 2 1/2 - 5 yrs
am going on more profile on tuesday just find it all a bit much to cope with and confusing when to start it as have 12 children that need profiles filling in this term.

I'm in berkshire too. I'm still waiting for training but have the same problem as you maybe we can keep in touch.

[connie]

mousebat, on Oct 18 2003, 10:19 AM, said:

hi Hali

What did you think of the training? Is everything as clear as mud? We have all the documenation we need
and have started the FSP for children starting school in January. There was a lot of information to take on board on the training course and it'll probably take some time for it all to sink in but I'm sure you'll cope alright. You must remember that teachers of Reception classes are new to all this and find it equally daunting. I doubt they will be judging any of us too harshly when they get the FSP's from the pre-schools. The reason I know this is because I work in a pre-school and as a TA in a Reception class!

Do you have any idea why pre-schools in Berkshire have to start the FSP's, because I have no idea whatsoever?

mousebat

I'm in Berks. and the reason we have to do the FSP's is to do with the age the children start school. There are only two counties in England which do not take children at school until they are 5 or the term after and therefore we need to begin their FSP's. In other counties, they be done in reception class.

Anyone else in Berks here?

[mousebat]

Hi

That rule doesn't apply to the whole of Berkshire. In my area of Berkshire children start as rising 5's, not in the term after they are five !

So I'm still wondering why pre-schools in Berkshire, who send children to schools as rising 5's, have to start FSP's?

[AngelaC]

Hi =just browsing the site and found this topic interesting and a bit worrrying - are there a lot of you out there actually filling in the individual booklets for each child? There is no requirement as far as I am aware for individual booklets to be filled in - they are just a suggested way of recording and to my mind a waste of paper and space. Look at page 3 of the FSP file - it clearly states that schools may choose their own recording system. We have developed our own recording system using a spreadsheet - the whole class can be added to one page per section (e.g. Numbers as labels and for counting) and we highlight each achieved step in different colours depending on the term ( a highlighted box indicates step achieved.) It is very easy using this system to identify gaps in learning for groups or individuals, which in turn allows us to plan very focused objective led activities alongside learner-initiated activities. We are also able at a glance to see exactly what stage each child has reached without having to plough through 48 booklets. Don't make work for yourself!!!!

[hali]

Hi
yhank you fotr all your replies
here in berkshire we have to fill them in - believe me if i didnt have to do it i wouldnt!!!

[mousebat]

I've been told that we are 'obliged' to fill in the FSP in Wokingham but I still would like to know the reasons why. We have also been told that if the parents don't take on board the FSP then funding for their child could be withdrawn. Also, any pre-school assistant who refuses to take on board the FS and the FSP should not be working in a pre-school. All this information came to light at a course I went on in July.

So that's the situation we're in in our little part of Berkshire.

Hali - if you find out why Berkshire is so different please let me know.

mousebat

[Steve]

That sounds quite unbelievable Mousebat!

(By which of course I don't mean that I don't believe you...)

Is there any written documentation of the Berkshire position? Or is it all just verbal? It would be good to persuade them to put some of it in writing so you know that is there 'official' position!

Is it the LEA, EYDCP or who, giving you this advice?