Observations And Planning In Children's Centre Groups

[Guest Wolfie]

I've spent a lot of time over the last two years revamping observation, assessment, record-keepng and planning systems in the full daycare nursery within our Centre...a project that is still very much "work in progress"! Over the Christmas break I've been thinking about these systems within all the other groups we have both in the Centre and at other locations - our creches, stay and play sessions, parent and toddler groups, Peeps groups, etc. At the moment our early years outreach workers and the staff in the nursery do different things but I'm thinking that I would like to co-ordinate everything so that all centre staff follow the same guiding principles and practice whichever group(s) they are involved with.

 

For example, staff running weekly creches set up individual portfolios for the babies and children attending in the same way that we do for babies and children attending the nursery, gathering and recording observations, photos, etc. and linking them to the EYFS framework. Staff planning activities to provide at the groups would complete the same activity planning sheet as nursery staff, again linking to the EYFS framework.

 

I feel that there needs to be more consistency in our approach so that every group, however organised and whatever its purpose, duration, etc. follows the same guiding principles to observation, assessment and planning for the children attending and we have a record to share with parents which follows the same format . Does anyone do a similar kind of thing in their Centre? Am I the last one to do it??!!

[Guest]

Hi Wolfie,

Another topic i am also giving some thought. At the moment we don't formally observe and assess any children in the c.c groups. We are thinking about trialing a pilot of a small group of families who only attend the centres groups to do a learning journey linked to EYFS. Not sure how managable it will be and haven't set anything up as yet. At the moment I can't imagine having a learning journey for every child who attends the centre groups!

[Guest]

I've spent a lot of time over the last two years revamping observation, assessment, record-keepng and planning systems in the full daycare nursery within our Centre...a project that is still very much "work in progress"! Over the Christmas break I've been thinking about these systems within all the other groups we have both in the Centre and at other locations - our creches, stay and play sessions, parent and toddler groups, Peeps groups, etc. At the moment our early years outreach workers and the staff in the nursery do different things but I'm thinking that I would like to co-ordinate everything so that all centre staff follow the same guiding principles and practice whichever group(s) they are involved with.

 

For example, staff running weekly creches set up individual portfolios for the babies and children attending in the same way that we do for babies and children attending the nursery, gathering and recording observations, photos, etc. and linking them to the EYFS framework. Staff planning activities to provide at the groups would complete the same activity planning sheet as nursery staff, again linking to the EYFS framework.

 

I feel that there needs to be more consistency in our approach so that every group, however organised and whatever its purpose, duration, etc. follows the same guiding principles to observation, assessment and planning for the children attending and we have a record to share with parents which follows the same format . Does anyone do a similar kind of thing in their Centre? Am I the last one to do it??!!

 

You are certainly not the last on to do this. This is something that we have been thinking about in our centre. We already plan for Stay and Play groups which run throughout the year (in a more simplified version of the nursery planning) and are starting to plan for creches from this term. Actually this will probably be easier to do as we know that the same children will be attending every week for the block of time their parents are attending courses/training in the centre as opposed to the Stay and Play groups where attendance can be very hit and miss in terms of regular attendance. I feel very much like you that a consistent approach is needed. It can only benefit children who go on to attend the nursery.

[Guest Wolfie]

Do you keep files for the children attending creches and Stay and Plays?

[mundia]

We are also doing this, but in early stages as we don't have a building yet and therefore don't have that much running yet.

We are beginning to get files together for stay and play and creche and we hope that all will follow the same format. But our day care is already established and has a corporate background so its quite tricky for them to change things in line with us without the agreement from their head office, so they will always have a degree of autonomy.

[Guest Wolfie]

Mundia, are you going to set up files for all the children attending creches, stay and plays, respite, etc.?

[mundia]

Yes ultimately.

We already have family files for families that we are visiting or have been referred to us. The children will all have records and these will indicate if we have a family file for that family too. It will take some organising as we don't have a lot of space at the moment, so at the moment we have stay and play folders, and family folders, but this will expand as we get the maternity services and health visitors on site.