Guest Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Hi - having spent the whole week doing new rotas and paperwork - I was just wondereing how everyone else manages with part time staff and the EYFS ethos. We are a sessional pre-school (open morning only) and all staff (except for me work part time. That is no one works every day - the committee don't think it's good for staff to be in everyday However with the EYFS planning from childrens interests, following their lead etc - I find this a nightmare to try and run with. We have been desperatley trying to grasp the next steps, identify interests and - but I find the staff memeber involved in the initial activity might not be in again for a week or we have 2 new people in the next day and they have no idea what is happening. How do you manage continuity? I have been following the learning wall discusion with interest as I thought this might be a great way to go - but I would need to update daily. Any suggestions gratefully received - or just ideas on how everyone else manages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 If you set up an activity that will be running for a few days but by different staff what about keeping an activity feedback sheet on clip board by the activity. Im no good at decribing it so I'll try and attach one Activity_feedback.doc it helps so that staff know why the activity is out and also they can see which children are accessing it, we only write very brief comments often just a few words and we add the childs involvement level which we find helpful when reading a short comment its one thing to write "holds pencil make marks on paper" but the child might have been staring around the room or concentrating so hard a bomb could have gone off how are you managing key workers / whose maintaining the learning journeys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 We are fortunate at the moment that all our staff are needed every day, but in the past we have made sure staff work on the same days as their key children are attending. With regard to the planning we try to have ideas as a group based on what everyone has seen and we tend to discuss this as we are packing away after the session, shouting out as we tidy. Staff then take it in turns to write out a formal plan of activities on offer and we have evaluation sheets (quite like above) which stay up all week so staff can follow what a child has done at that activity previously in the week if they did not witness it themselves. We did try the Learning Wall idea but unfortunately found it took so much time it wasn't as effective, but this method does seem to be working. Although everyone is in every day at the moment the same staff might not always be involved in the activity all week. For example I might set up an activity on Monday and be involved with supporting children in it during Monday and Tuesday but by Wednesday I am begging someone else to step in and free me so I can see what else is happening in the setting, especially if it involves paint, chalk, playdough or any of my other pet hates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliamch Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 We have a form similiar to Alison's and we also use this form as well. Focus_Activity_Doc.doc Focus_Activity_Doc.docx Karrie both docs are the same, first one I think is 1997-2003 compatible, unfortunately they're coming up as read only docs on here, and I don't know why ! I'll just have to wait for Cait to pop along and tell me where I'm going wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Cait here! Both files open ok, no worries. It's quite common for them to say 'read only' when you download, but when someone decides to save them - 'cos they love them, they can save them as they wish and then amend to their hearts content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 we have our planning up on a board and if we want to continue - extend an activity it gets written on there. then the staff know for the next session what to get out-add too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliamch Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Thank you Cait Karrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Oh, and I should have said that I am the only full-time member of staff, with 3 part-time members of staff. We arrange that staff hours coincide as far as possible with their Key Children. Where this doesn't happen - ie if a child picks up another session, they have co-key person who makes notes and observes. Post its and sticky labels are great for this and of course good chat time between staff, which often makes recollection of something someone may have seen, and not realised it at the time really useful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 We have just moved to a paired and shared key person system so that key people (or should that be persons?) work together. In this way, children effectively have a 'back up' key person who knows them well, and therefore always has someone on hand who can be there to support their learning because they are aware of the plans in force for that child. Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Absolutely. It always used to fall on me, as the only full-timer to fulfil that role, but it's nice seeing my staff work together well between themselves to organise this. Takes a great load off. Plus I am always there too, as another set of eyes, or a reminder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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