Tracking Progress

[Guest]

hi everyone

 

having spent some time developing our plans, observations, learning jourenys for use with the eyfs and using these for the past few months i have no been told by our training coordinator that parts will have to be changed.

 

we stick snapshot observations into the childs learning journey along with any photos or "work", and each observation is given a reference eg p001, p002 and so on in order.

 

we then use the development matters sheets at the back of the learning journey, we place the date and the reference number next to which development matter we think that observation covers.

 

i think this is a great way to see what each child can do and see if there are any gaps in their learning- for example looking at on child's development matters chart in their learning journy i can see lots of refrences in cll but few in prsn so i know i need to try obsevre him in prsn or lan mor activities in prsn.

 

weve been told we cant track this way, is this correct?

 

i just cant see any other ways of how you could see childrens progress so clearly

 

what is everyone else doing?

[Guest]

I'm not working with eyfs, so can't help with practical ideas, I'm just curious that if you've found a system that you can work with you've been told not to do it this way.

 

Who told you and what was the reason not to do it this way, and has this person suggested other specific ways to do it?

 

Peggy

[Guest]

I'm not working with eyfs, so can't help with practical ideas, I'm just curious that if you've found a system that you can work with you've been told not to do it this way.

 

Who told you and what was the reason not to do it this way, and has this person suggested other specific ways to do it?

 

Peggy

 

 

it was our training coordinator, only spoke to her briefly at a works event last night and she just said we're not supposd to be using ticklists. very frustrating!

[lmwhite]

Hello

 

We are doing exactly what you are doing with regards to the obs etc. We also ensure we fill out a next steps sheet once a month just to keep a track on where each child is.

 

Our EYFS development officer said the same to me when she visited last week, the development matters is not meant to be a tick list! but I cannot see how we can use this guide then if we are not supposed to be referring or noting obs on it. OFSTEd will want to see that we are looking at this guide and the only way to prove this is by noting on it.

 

I have come to the conclusion that I am going to proceed as you are making sure we are planning for the individual child , which is what I think the whole EYFS is geared towards. I have been to loads of training sessions and meetings regarding EYFS and each development officer says something different. I really don't think until OFSTED starts its inspections they really want to commit to telling us anything concrete.

 

i am with Peggy if you have found a system that works for your staff and children and is inline with the regulations set out in the EYFS guide , go with it.

 

I know the system has changed but we were inspected 3 years ago and did use the stepping stones chart as a reference, our development officer was questioning it then, but we then had an inspection and received outstanding in three areas. They especially liked the way we had refereed back to the Stepping stones sheet as a guide. I really do think they will want to still it is being looked at.

 

This is obviously only my opinion and who knows I may have got it all wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have just been umming and Ahhing for weeks / months now and have finally decided to go with my gut!

 

Good luck

 

Lisa.x

[Guest]

I think the valid point Lisa makes is that the 'chart' (for want of a better term) is used as a 'reference' (which can only be done if each childs progress is indicated on it) and that maybethe advisors have not fully listened and are advising, quite rightly, not to use the 'chart' in ISOLATION, as a tick list, which is a practice I have previously seen many settings do. (but obviously not yours )

 

I would suggest that progress comments, in the learning journey files, are worded within the 'context' the development was shown rather than (as some people do) worded from the guidance. (if you know what mean). The relevant comments can then be 'translated' to the 'chart' to enable a view of current development level of each child.

 

So yes, for some the EYFS will be a move away from tick lists, and like yourselves record keeping will become more relevant to each child but with the recognition that there needs to be a recording system to enable an 'overview' of each childs learning journey, to indicate where they are at , at any given time.

 

also a group chart in same format will enable an 'overview' of areas of learning that have been successfully demonstrated, and at what average level, and areas that may need more focus for future planning of what learning to encourage (ie: calculating)whilst the children follow their given interests.

 

Peggy

[HappyMaz]

No, its quite right to say that the EYFS frowns on using ticklists.

 

However, Mrs Ofsted will be looking for how you assess children's learning and are able to report to parents about their development. It sounds to me as if you have found a way of showing which stepping stones your observations of children have highlighted, and a pretty thorough way, at that.

 

Perhaps there's been a bit of a misunderstanding here. I could understand the objection if you were using the L&D section as a ticklist to methodically work through in order to plan for children's learning rather than taking the child's own interests and abilities as the focus for planning for their learning. Perhaps you should have a team meeting to decide whether the methods you are using/propose to use are childcentred and effective for tracking and assessing children's learning.

 

Once you have a concensus, you will feel much more confident in justifying your system and how you use it!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Our training advisor has stated to us that as long as you cover the eyfs then its down to you how you provide and record it as long as it shows you have an understanding and your able to pin point the childs progress. But as everyone has said so many people say different things.

I personaly can not bare the tracker book but i use it for myself to keep a guide on what needs covering etc but as i said thats for my own info.

 

what your doing sounds great.

[Guest]

As we have to write out the development matters statements achieved by each child in each area every 6 weeks then i have devised a checklist aswell for CLL and PSRN so that i can keep up to date on the DMS that we have recorded for each child so that it does not get repeated again in their learning journeys. It will save a lot of reading over what we have already written. Of course it goes without saying that the next statement we write in or plan for will be relevant to our observations of the child. I am just trying to cut down the amount of time it takes to assess for learning, to stop my key person who has limited experience in this area and myself from spending hours reading past records.

 

Perhaps as we get used to all the statements i will no longer need this check list but until then it will stay no matter what we are advised to do - just for my sanity!

 

lisatoll