Managers Filling In Child Learning Journeys

[Guest]

Hi everyone! This is my first go on here so I hope im doing it ok!! I am a manager and owner of a pre-school. I work on the floor all sessions so do all the paper work and planning outside of hours. I am finding it very hard to do all this and do all my learning journeys and observations. I was just wondering if there are any managers who do not do them or is it just me getting my time management under control? x

[Guest]

Sorry can't help you but wanted to welcome you to the forum!

[Guest]

God Laura your a good boss doing all that!! we all do the planning in our setting and learning stories, the boss does do all the hard stuff like the paperwork, maybe let your staff do the planning we find it so much better that way, i think you are doing too much!

[Guest]

Aaah thanks!! Have a feeling this is gonna be really useful as awaiting Ofsted and absolutely bricking it!!! x

[Guest]

Jules01..you wanna job!!! I need staff that think like you!!! I feel like I am swamped so think I am going to stop doing learning journeys and concentrate on the paper work!

[Guest]

We just had ours and it was fine,they are more helpful than you think,mind you some of what they said clashed with what our early years team says,who do you take advice from if the have two diffrent views!! Make sure you deligate abit too, good luck!!!!

[Guest]

Thanks, yeah I keep getting contradicting advice from people and every time a member of staff goes on a course they all seem to come back having heard something different!! Thanks for advice, think I need to have a staff meeting and start deligating, not very good at that, I like to be in control!!!!

[bubblejack]

Welcome LauraB100 to this helpful and friendly forum. I'll tell you what works for us. We have 5 keyworkers and 2 floaters who assist and take over when anyones absent.Each keyworker plans for one day of the week. Keyworkers are also responsible for updating childrens records. I don't do anything at home regarding planning and updating records. I am too busy updating registers , funding forms and gaining information from this Forum. I don't know how many children and staff that you have but you must try to share it if possible. Do you have enough staff to do this. We all attended the EYFS course but we do learn more from on here and share the information.

[Guest]

Hi Laura

I do the same as you. I do all the 'paperwork' side of things in my own time and spend the days with the children as i am a key person. My staff do get involved with the planning and other areas like SEF etc. We have meetings and a bit of 'homework' occasionally to do all these things but i really do feel the strain. It's a very demanding job. If only we were recognised & appreciated for what we do!?

[Inge]

Our key persons completed the learning journeys for their children, and also took part in the planning, I just wrote it up, but more recently found they were doing this as well, particularly as it changed day to day,

they also did the observations for their key children and the spontaneous obs for all children during the session. we had an envelope system where they put them for the relevant key person to put into the journey but can be done in lots of ways..

 

I too was a hands on manager, but had 1 day a week to do all the paperwork at home.. sounds like you are trying to do it al.. perhaps a bit of delegation and pass on a few tasks ......... we ended up payinfg staff 1 hour a week each to do this, they come in to do this either before or after a shift,

 

Inge

[Guest]

Hi

We have regular staff meetings and during these times we collaborate on planning then our manager types it all up and gives us all a copy. We are all keyworkers and we fill in the learning journeys and do obs on our own key children.

 

Sally

[Guest]

This is all fantastic advice. Thank you all so much. This has really helped and I am going to hold a staff meeting to start deligating!!! If I can bring myself to let go!!!

[Guest]

It must be hard if you have your own keygroup as well! we do more or less the same as bubblejack it seams ot work for us ok (so far!!!) what about your deputy taking on some of the work for you?.

[Cait]

I am a Manager too, and have my own Key group of children - the pre-reception ones. My other staff are all Key persons too and plan for their own children's learning, updating the learning stories for their children.

This saves me a lot of paperwork which I spent hours over previously, so I'm happy - mind you there's plenty to take its place! All help with policies and SEF of course

[Guest]

My deputy is amazing and she will do whatever I ask of her, I just dont want to take advantage as I cant afford to pay her overtime!!! Going to call a staff meeting and explain the situation I am in. Thanks everyone. xx

[Guest]

Good luck with everything, and ofstead!!!!!

[lynned55]

Hi Laura and welcome, like you I pretty much dolmost of the paperwork for my setting BUT & it's a big but ) I am not a keyperson so dont do any learnng journeys/stories or observations. I dont quite know how managers who are keypeople manage?? We (staff & I ) do all the planning together,although it is my resposibility to get it written up, weekly plans anyway- staff do the focus activities. Although Im counted within the ratio 3 days, the other two I try to spend doing paperwork- still seem to get loads at home though! Every so often I remind the staff that I am the same as them and am only earning a wage, it's not my business.

[hali]

hello and welcome laura - im the same as Cait Manager and have my own keygroup - all staff have a group and plan for thier gfroups and keep up with the paperwork.

[dublinbay]

Hi Laura and a warm welcome to the forum.

 

I am in pre-school and am keyperson for 10 children. I get paid 2 hours a week to keep their learning journey folders up to date with photos, samples of their work and post-it obs. The manager and her 2 deputies do the planning on a Friday p.m. when we are closed.

 

You certainly seem to do so much. I may suggest my manager takes some lessons from you!!!

 

Nice to have you on board........this forum is the best one around

[Guest]

Hi everyone! This is my first go on here so I hope im doing it ok!! I am a manager and owner of a pre-school. I work on the floor all sessions so do all the paper work and planning outside of hours. I am finding it very hard to do all this and do all my learning journeys and observations. I was just wondering if there are any managers who do not do them or is it just me getting my time management under control? x

hi laura, im a manager and am office based so am supernumary, key persons do development folders, observations and implications for planning on obs sheets, then keypersons does the planning- each one is allocated 4 hours per week to do it, i monitor it each week to make sure it meets the eyfs, its hard to delegate sometimes but you have got too!! by giving staff more responsibily it gives them ownership of their room and raises self esteem which creates a more productive and cohesive team, although i am office based i spend a lot of time in the rooms so i get the feel of whats happening and cover the odd lunch or school run, as too time management its difficult we need a 10 day week sometimes t o fit everything in!!

[Guest]

hi laura, im a manager and am office based so am supernumary, key persons do development folders, observations and implications for planning on obs sheets, then keypersons does the planning- each one is allocated 4 hours per week to do it, i monitor it each week to make sure it meets the eyfs, its hard to delegate sometimes but you have got too!! by giving staff more responsibily it gives them ownership of their room and raises self esteem which creates a more productive and cohesive team, although i am office based i spend a lot of time in the rooms so i get the feel of whats happening and cover the odd lunch or school run, as too time management its difficult we need a 10 day week sometimes t o fit everything in!!

just read this back- mean room leaders do planning!!

[Guest]

I too, do all the paperwork as well as having my own key children. I do a lot of work at home and am doing NVQ level 4. I too need to delegate more bur all my workers are on the minimum wage so it seems unfair to ask them - they do the learning journeys in their own time at the moment. On a positive note we got 95% in our Ican accreditation assessment today!!

[Guest]

I used to type all the planning up after planning meetings..i have limited time..so decided to print blank planning sheets and write straight onto it at the planning meetings..saves me sooo much time

[Guest MaryEMac]

I am leader of our group and I have key children. I also used to do all the planning but we now do it as a team on a wednesday afternoon, where we clean, plan and try and get on with learning journeys. We are paid but at the min wage and we are allowed 2 hours per week. It is not long enough and we are trying not to have to remove the learning journals from the premises. It's not easy by any means.

Welcome to the forum, Laura.

 

Mary

[Guest]

Hi everyone! This is my first go on here so I hope im doing it ok!! I am a manager and owner of a pre-school. I work on the floor all sessions so do all the paper work and planning outside of hours. I am finding it very hard to do all this and do all my learning journeys and observations. I was just wondering if there are any managers who do not do them or is it just me getting my time management under control? x

 

Hi,

 

I do them, but found the secret to time ,was only to have a few children and then the rest of the staff have their own. It seems to work, but they do take a lot of time.

 

Kyra

[HappyMaz]

On a positive note we got 95% in our Ican accreditation assessment today!!

Congratulations on your Ican accreditation - well done!

 

Maz

[hali]

ww well done you congratulations

[Cait]

Very well done!

[sunnyday]

Hi everyone! This is my first go on here so I hope im doing it ok!! I am a manager and owner of a pre-school. I work on the floor all sessions so do all the paper work and planning outside of hours. I am finding it very hard to do all this and do all my learning journeys and observations. I was just wondering if there are any managers who do not do them or is it just me getting my time management under control? x

 

Hi this is my first go too. I am also a manager at a small rural pre-school. I used to do all paperwork but with the introduction of the E.Y.F.S. in September we adopted the key person system and now 'my girls' take care of individual plans and running records (learning journeys) - have to admit I found it 'hard to let go' at first - but now find this is working really well.

[hali]

hellp and welcome sunnyday - thats excellent news well done for delegating