Guest Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 (edited) Currently the nursery I teach in has a folder for each child which contains settling in & room transfer sheets, a piece of work for each month and observations. They are heavy, ugly and never looked at so I want to start a Learning Journey file for each of my Pre School children which contains their observations, profiles, photos etc but have no idea where to begin. How did you start yours and what do they contain. Pleeease help! Edited January 22, 2009 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Hi there We started our learning journeys in September. We have a plastic folder (mega cheap) and have A4 sheets of sugar paper inside. At the front is a picture of the child with their date of birth, followed by an explanation letter to the parents of what a learning journey is and inviting them to contribute to it with their own photos, comments etc. if they want to. This is followed by a copy of the principles into practice - a copy of which is on here somewhere. Then the child profile sheet the parents fill in about the child. We put observations, photos and examples of the childrens' work into this, sticking them on the sugar paper. The majority of observations have the development matters statement linked to them followed by next steps. At the end of a 12 week term, we complete a summative assessment, highlighting the childrens achievements and things they have enjoyed during the term and they then go out to the parents to look at. The summative assessment form has a space for parents comments and they sign it as proof they have seen it. The advice from our EYAT is to record things once and once they have achieved something it does not have to be repeated in the learning journey, so you should then be recording "wow" moments. This builds a really nice memento for the parents to have once the child leaves pre-school and can go with the child when they move through differnt rooms if you have them. I would recommend doing a transfer document, such as the ones done when they go to school, if they do move to a differnt area or keyworker. Hope this helps. It is a lot of work initially but it does get easier and we find we spend less time on them than th eold building blocks. Plus they are more fun to do and the parents love them. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 We use a scrap book for the childrens obs and next steps along with any photos or other evidence. In the fornt of the book we glue an envelope with the top cut off, this is for any other information such as settling in visits info, transition between rooms, initial child profiles and our learning journey transition booklet as this is continually updated too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 We used A4 sized folders with the plastic see through pockets already fixed inside (about a £1 I think) We add pieces of work, or photographs which are anotated.... although only a little sometimes. Also by each photograph we add which area of learning we have captured so that parents can become acquainted with the 6 areas of learning. At first you feel like you have to capture everything but now, we are a little more laid back!! I think they will make for great keepsakes for parents when they leave us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 We used A4 sized folders with the plastic see through pockets already fixed inside (about a £1 I think) We use the same - but I'd be interested to know how big yours are and where you get them for £1! Our children love looking through their special books - and often will put pieces of work in them without referring to us which is lovely. We take this that they are proud of what they have done and want to keep it for posterity! Ultimately whatever method you choose needs to work for you and be easy enough for your staff to manage - and not cost too much! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 we use plastic trifold folers with elastic on the corners - these house all about me folder (info on the child, questionaire when they started etc) plastic wallets with observations and Learning journeys in and A4 activity books with any group work photos and post it obs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Take a look at the Southampton learning stories. Discussion about these here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Yeah - I love these and we have amended them for our own use and the parents love them too. They are working very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbat Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 We use scrapbooks from whsmith for 1.99 at the mo the front page has a sheet glued on with the name and dob of the child, a photo and then along the bottom it has squares to write the term and how many days they attend. Inside cover has a sheet explaining eyfs and the areas of learning etc and a place for the parent to sign giving permission for us to carry out obs etc etc. Next page has a "my first day" sheet that we fill in how the child did on their first day, what they enjoyed, what was for snack etc etc. Then we take photos, obs, their own work. Stick that in then under each one write what was happening/being done, what areas it links to and then next steps. On the bottom of each page I write "parents comments" That's about it really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Thanks for the ideas, I've pulled together quite a few of the ideas and am slowly getting there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Thanks for the ideas, I've pulled together quite a few of the ideas and am slowly getting there! Glad you found it helpful, yalisrib! I'm so sorry - I should have welcomed you to the Forum last time. Welcome aboard - now that you've got your first posts out of the way, keep them coming! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 We use scrapbooks from whsmith for 1.99 at the mo the front page has a sheet glued on with the name and dob of the child, a photo and then along the bottom it has squares to write the term and how many days they attend.Inside cover has a sheet explaining eyfs and the areas of learning etc and a place for the parent to sign giving permission for us to carry out obs etc etc. Next page has a "my first day" sheet that we fill in how the child did on their first day, what they enjoyed, what was for snack etc etc. Then we take photos, obs, their own work. Stick that in then under each one write what was happening/being done, what areas it links to and then next steps. On the bottom of each page I write "parents comments" That's about it really We get our scrapbboks from Wilksons -60p each xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 We have folders with plastic wallets in. We use sugarpaper to go in these which have obs, photos and creations in. These we number and link to areas of learning we have observed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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