Guest Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 I have a friend who works in a large sessional nursery and is being asked by the early years team for evidence of her value added during the children`s time with her. How would you show this in your settings. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 On entry assessments to show progress throughout the year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Can I ask are they entry assessments that you have devised yourself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Hi Gwen! This is an issue that I've been struggling with for a while now because Children's Centres are also being asked for this evidence. The whole concept of producing scientific evidence and statistical data of "value added" makes me feel very uneasy I have to say, but I think it's something that we've just got to comply with and I suppose it does give us a tool by which to assess the quality and effectiveness of our provision in promoting children's learning and development. I've come to the conclusion that the only way to do it is to make a thorough baseline assessment of each child, linked to the Development Matters statements in the EYFS, and then to track that progress. I KNOW we've been told not to use these staments as ticklists, and of course evertyhing we record will be backed up by a wealth of observations and other evidence of the children's development and learning, but we HAVE to use some kind of statements to track the children's learning and to use something other than those statements seems ludicrous and unnecessary. We're looking at implementing an electronic tracking system called the Essex Tracker which apparently can translate the raw data (for want of a better term) about children's developmental levels into graphs and charts which will demonstrate the "value added" information that we need. I don't know much about this system yet - we've arranged to go to a nursery already using it for a hands on demonstration. I do know that the nursery in question have found it simple to use and are impressed at the information about groups/cohorts, etc. that it produces. Does that help at all?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Thanks for the reply - I just want to get away from all the intense documenting and that we shouldnt all be doing endless reams of paperwork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 Join the club! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 9, 2008 Share Posted November 9, 2008 In our Nursery, we got a class list and then gave the children the colour stepping stone for each area of leanring on entry- as we would need to do! And then we added a coloumn next to each component and gave the childrne their coloured stepping stone for exit. This very much satisified our SMT and Ofsted. Our assessments/ observations and target setting/ Next steps for each child, could explain how we got their and what progress was made, along with commnets for parents evenings and reports. But I do feel that it very much depends on who your ofsted inspector is!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Hi At a recent conference I saw something from early education that deals with the "raw data". It is similar to the Essex Tracker but has been developed by them and is on an excel sheet I think, it is a while ago when I saw it. It has been written by one of the ex foundation strategy bods though. May be worth contacting them to get a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Join the club! Only if you've got a lot of chocolate on your biscuit! Thanks for raising this question and adding to my 'to do/to think about list'! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Hi At a recent conference I saw something from early education that deals with the "raw data". It is similar to the Essex Tracker but has been developed by them and is on an excel sheet I think, it is a while ago when I saw it. It has been written by one of the ex foundation strategy bods though. May be worth contacting them to get a look. Thanks for that info - I'll be on to them in the morning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 So, I'd like to ask the question What is the difference between 'value added' and 'progress'? My perception is that 'value added' will give statistical data / percentages of a whole group and 'progress' will be about the individual. My concern is that if 'value added' figures are calculated for under 5's, what next, a league table for preschools/nursery's? When I had my preschool (and I must make clear I haven't worked with the new EYFS) I always thought Inspection was about whether we were meeting the childs needs, so if I could show that each individual child was making 'progress', then I was meeting the requirements of the Standards. I worry about making judgements on quality based on an 'average' data. We all know that variables such as SEN, socio-economic facters etc will affect data and therefore not necessarily show the quality of provision that the individual experiences. Maybe I have misinterpreted the term 'value added' and how it is calculated. If so then ignore the above. Please feel free to enlighten me though. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 I have the same concerns Peggy but am also being "forced" to provide statistical evidence of "value-added". I suppose the concern over variables such as SEN, socio-economic factors, EAL, etc. can be provided for by carrying out a comprehensive baseline on each child, so that there is evidence about each individual starting point and therefore individual "value added" information - rather than just looking at group data about the average levels obtained by a cohort of children at the beginning and end. I have spent the morning with our Centre's SIP (School Improvement Partner), who has reiterated that I need to be collecting this data. She also mentioned comparing our "results" (UGH!) against national data (UGH!) - can anyone point me in the direction of a source of this national data? By that I mean information about "expected" levels of progress and attainment in the Foundation Stage - obviously there will be no information under the EYFS umbrella yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Thanks for that explanation Wolfie, makes a bit more sense if baselines are the starting point for the value added. I'm just anti too much 'assessment for comparisons with other settings etc. I feel for all those working out there who are being 'forced' to provide such statistical evidence. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Keep feeling for me Peggy, it goes against everything I believe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Wolfie I would go back to your Centre's SIP and tell her that you would need to know how the national data are collected, by who, using what methodology and over what timescale. You need to point out that she will not be able to meaningfully compare any of your data to any national data if the methods used are different. (Any data collected in this area will be unreliable anyway in my opinion but at least that may be a stalling device)! Starburst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted November 11, 2008 Share Posted November 11, 2008 Oooh, what a lovely voice of reason! Thanks for that Starburst - you can always count on someone in this forum helping to put things in perspective! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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