Refinements

[Cheryl_Herrick]

Hi

 

Is there a way of explaining to my team how to use refinements for each observation.

 

Do we tick each objective in a certain age band and decide whether they are emerging, developing, secure on that obs or as a keyworker knowledge.

 

Team are just asking as they are putting secure on e.g. 30-50mths as they have put their coat on pulled up zipper confidently BUT they are still in nappies, can't use equipment safely and can't observe activity.

 

What do the refine them on?

 

Thank you

 

Cheryl

[Lauren]

Hi Cheryl,

I'm not sure if you're already familiar with how the attainment for children is worked out, but I thought I would explain it here in case that influences how you would like your team to assess.

In a period, all of the assessments that have been made since the first day in that period for a child in a specific aspect are averaged out and that score will be displayed in snapshots. There are a couple of ways that average can be calculated (some involve counting the number of statements ticked in each observation and some ignore the refinements you choose, but the one we recommend is called 'age bands and refinements' and only takes into account the age bands and refinements the practitioners have chosen. This tutorial explains the other options if you're interested).

So for example, if 4 assessments have been made for a child in MR in a term, 3 as 30-50 emerging and 1 as 30-50 developing, the score in snapshots will be 30-50 emerging, because that is the average.

If however, you have not chosen a refinement in an observation it will count as developing (as that is the midpoint), so if you had assessed a child once as 30-50 emerging and three times as 30-50 with no refinement, the snapshots would base the average on 1 emerging score and 3 developing ones, meaning the attainment would be 30-50 developing.

 

As such, you don't need to use refinements if you're not sure which one is the best to use, but it could end up skewing your results.

 

The good news is you can always override the attainment that shows up in snapshots, so if you're not sure where exactly a child is in the age band until the end of the period, you could always just not refine at all, and then decide by changing the refinement in the snapshots section when you're ready.