Guest Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 Hi Everyone I need a little advice..... i have just returned home from a paper work evening where we discussed wrting the progress summaries for the children to send home to the parents at the end of each term. we have sort of got our learning journeys up-to-date......most of the staff have had to take them home to do. we now have most of the staff complaining about the time they need to put in outside of their working hours to complete the learning journeys and there are even more complaining now that we have been asked to write progress summaries!!! we are currently being paid and extra hour each half term to complete the learning journeys etc how does everyone else do it in their setting??? does each member of staff get time out or are they expected to do it in their own time??? i feel a bit disheartened by the lack of motivation of the staff as i enjoy doing my learning journeys but i do agree they take time to do!!! would be great to hear how every one else is coping!!!!! xxxx
Cait Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 Ours are labels or post its which get stuck into the key person's file. They write these up in their lunch hour non-contact and I take them home every few weeks to type them into the electronic copy (which is printed out when child leaves) in my own time, unpaid. All 31 of them. My staff are aware of this and don't complain at all.
hali Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 it is a problem my staff are paid an extra 2 hours each term do extra at home - but its not enough
Guest Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 I have written free time for Learning Journeys each week into the rota. We have 5 rooms and each key person in the rooms gets assigned a morning or an afternoon a week. Its generally enough time. This is achieved by me covering the rooms and we also have a member of staff who works full time but is only room based 2 days a week so she is able to float and cover in rooms.
Guest Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 Its a problem getting them done. We get some time in the session but depends on how many children are in that day and how the session is going so normally we take them home. We get £1 per key child per term.
Guest Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 I bring mine home to do, can't do them at school, not enough time and too many distractions. They do take lots of time though, I seem to have spent most of my half term doing them, jackie.
Guest Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 thanks for replying so quickly!! they do tkae forever!! some staff have been doin them in the session but then they dont interact with the children and i think thats unfair on he children as well as the staff who are doing them at home. most of our staff have been working there for over 20 years so they are finding it extremly difficult to adapt to the changes tht have been implemented.... we also work to minimum ratios so most of the time we never get time in the session
mundia Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 Hi Puja, have you thought about doing them WITH the children? Its a great opportunity for the children to revist their learning and take some ownership of them. When I was in a school nursery we used to plan in time for this each week, on a rota round our groups (3 of us), worked really well and significantly cut down the amount of time spent in lunch breaks. They even used to print off their own pictures.
Alison Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 Ive spent a chunk of my half term doing mine I agree they are more enjoyable than previous record keeping and the parents are appreciating them more but its not the point, Rant warning...... i imagine alot of settings are taking files home to do in their own time which really we shouldnt be doing because of data protection and the personal details that are kept in the files but what other choice is there? £1 a child per term is less than 15 minutes pay on minimum wage! tell me any other profession that would put up with these demands at that wage. the time and materiels the learning journies take.....Id like to make a learning journal "charge" for all the materials they use up folders, paper, ink, photos, poly pockets, would it be unreasonable to make a registration charge to parents when their children start the setting? .........but as i say I do enjoy doing them!
Guest Posted February 23, 2009 Posted February 23, 2009 We've been doing these for years and I HATE them!!!! They take at least a whole day every week which is usually at the weekend alongside all the planning etc. I used to have 30 to do by the summer term. Now I only have 16 as I am now in charge of the SSC at work. I am a teacher and I expect a rasonable workload at hoem, but the other Key Carers , Nursery Nurses , have up to 10 children and do all their work at home too with a morning or afternoon every other week for PPA. We do do some with the children and send them home for parents to add bits to as well.
blondie Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 we take ours home too -although we have been told we shouldnt by our pdw because of data protection. we are paid half hour per child per term - not a lot. we have now worked a way where a member of staff can do their books for half hour a week whilst other staff look after children the ratio goes to one to eight but its only for half hour and as stff do this different times and different days we feel this is only option as staff were complaining more and more. i have twenty one key children and am lead practitioner so lots of other paperwork and find it takes up a lot of my time just doing books but wouldnt have any other job - think its something you either really want to do or else you would be working in sainsburys
Alison Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 - think its something you either really want to do or else you would be working in sainsburys .....but some days I do crave an uncomplicated job with better wages and not taking work home with me..... sainsburys is looking more appealling by the day!!!
Inge Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 we used to take them home but decided that this was not really 'right' so staff are now paid 1 hour a week non contact time to do them in the setting...... children will join the staff when they are being done and often have input into them as well, once up and running one hour a week is long enough for up to 10 , as a lot is done on the incidental obs, by all staff and monitored /added to the journeys by the keyperson, we dont do an interim report to parents each term, but have a meting to discuss the journey with each parent at regular intervals , and only have to do a transfer document when they go to school,which we got paid half hour per document to do. Not saying that we don't do lots out of hours but at least this one was recognised.... I now realise how lucky I was to have a committee that actually realised the paperwork increase for all, and would listen when I asked for changes. Inge
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Hi Everyone I need a little advice..... i have just returned home from a paper work evening where we discussed wrting the progress summaries for the children to send home to the parents at the end of each term. we have sort of got our learning journeys up-to-date......most of the staff have had to take them home to do. we now have most of the staff complaining about the time they need to put in outside of their working hours to complete the learning journeys and there are even more complaining now that we have been asked to write progress summaries!!! we are currently being paid and extra hour each half term to complete the learning journeys etc how does everyone else do it in their setting??? does each member of staff get time out or are they expected to do it in their own time??? i feel a bit disheartened by the lack of motivation of the staff as i enjoy doing my learning journeys but i do agree they take time to do!!! would be great to hear how every one else is coping!!!!! xxxx hi pujia This is subject that hits home in our setting , we take ours home to do in our own time without any extra pay . Must say our leader is aware of this as tried to get us some pay ,but as of yet no luck. Committe seems thing its not somethink that needs be done , mmmmmmm wish ofsted would tell them this .Maybe we should just leave them see what they say to ofsted when they turn up thye,ve not done . I enjoy my work dont mind taking little home , i like to think i give one hundered percent to my children if not more , would walk that extra mile to achieve this .
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 I work in school and have 15 learning journeys plus assessments to do ,but dont get any time to do them so I take them home. Have spent two full days in the holidys getting them up to date and linked to the stepping stones. I dont mind doing them but as a nursery nuse can see why some people do mind. You shouldnt have to rely on peoples good nature to do extra work ,that should be completed in works time. Nobody should have to do them at home unless it is there choice and £1 per key child a term is absolutely horrendous and taking total advantage : .this term that would only equate to about 8 p a child someone is having a laugh
Helen Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 In my nursery, we had a fortnightly staff meeting for two hours, where we all sat down together and completed the learning journeys. A lovely time for us all because while we were sticking things into their books, we'd talk about the children and really get a full picture of each child, whether or not they were our key children. All staff were paid for the two hours. Puja, I'd question why you need interim reports on a termly basis. I personally don't think these are necessary. Is there a way round this do you think?
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 We allow key persons time allocated on rota for updating folders in session and discourage them from taking them home as we had an incident of folders going missing when someone's car was stolen!!! Please, please please try to keep them on site as not only did it breach confidentiality, all those magic moments were lost, the parents were devestated
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 my staff complete their obs into key work folders at home (their choice) and they get paid an hour a week to work at home I agree that no one should be asked to work at home with no pay............... in our line of work it it a neccessary evil
Guest MaryEMac Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 We have a staff meeting for 2 hours a week (paid at min wage) and we do the learning journals together. now Cambridgeshire has produced a profile booklet that we are mean't to fill in which will go to the next setting/school. That is something else that we have to photocopy and fill in as well as the learning journeys. I'm getting really fed up now with all the extra paperwork that comes our way. Mary
Cait Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 We've been given what can only be described as a 'ticklist' from ours. It looks like we just highlight the development statements - the old stepping stones. How passe is that?!?!?!
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 This makes interesting reading for me as manager I don't have any key children but my staff have been complaining about the maount of work they have been doing at home. They have 15 key children each and get 3 hours non contact in the setting each week, this is all together when we also do planning and have staff meeting, they also get 1 hour a week paid for working at home. Reading this they are obviously better off than a lot of you but still feel overstretched with having to update individual files and complete termly progress reports, having said that thy do less now then we did beore EYFS Mary, we are in cambridgeshire too I haven't seen profile booklet or heard anything about it yet, is it a very new thing?
Guest MaryEMac Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Two of my staff went on the 'Moving On' course just before half term and this is what thet came back with. Apparently you only have to fill it in once a term. It is to be shared with parents but they don't keep it as it will go straight to the next setting. Wherabots are you paintbox? Mary
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 In village just outside Ely, I'm booked onto that course so will no doubt get it then sound like another case of form filling for form filling sake to me!
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 this is very interesting reading. I feel I have photos coming out of my ears and duplicating photos for learning journeys and it is so time comsuming with all the other things you have to do in a reception class. They are trying to do learning journeys in the year 1 class to and the teacher is really struggling with a class of 30. can anyone remind me again why we are doing these. I wish I could say I was enjoying them. I hate the fact that if I am not writing down an observation I feel guilty. today I said blow it and we made pancakes much more fun..............so fed up with all this assessment, observations, learning journeys, none of us are doing the same thing, who does it all benefit????????
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Hi Just to let you know that we are in the same boat. We have to wait for committee to print off our photos tho so sometimes it comes down to sorting out 170 photos in one go. Love the scrapbooks with postit obs and photos and hate the learning journals with next steps! DOnt think we hould be taking home either but no chance of doing in setting as running with 3 staff and at min ratio. Also dont get paid to do them. Some parents off committee complained that we did not have nice diaries on top of everything else! Seeing as they moaned about the cost when we bought the scrap books and the photos they cant complain as we fill all out in our own time. In fact our biggest problem is getting the folder backoff the parents (sure some of them have gone missing too!)
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 this is very interesting reading. I feel I have photos coming out of my ears and duplicating photos for learning journeys and it is so time comsuming with all the other things you have to do in a reception class. They are trying to do learning journeys in the year 1 class to and the teacher is really struggling with a class of 30. can anyone remind me again why we are doing these. I wish I could say I was enjoying them. I hate the fact that if I am not writing down an observation I feel guilty. today I said blow it and we made pancakes much more fun..............so fed up with all this assessment, observations, learning journeys, none of us are doing the same thing, who does it all benefit???????? I feel exactly the same Ger. All I want is to go to playschool and just have some special play time with my children. Is that too much to ask? Isn't that what we do best?
Buttercup Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 I am sorry to say i really enjoy putting photos and pictures in their scrapbooks. It normall takes a couple of hours each week which I do in my own time but Its my business so i suppose it does not count. Any way what we find more time consuming is observations and recording evidence. I just want to be playing not having to write notes evey few minutes and remember who you are observing this week. Any suggestions on quick and easy assessements with little paperwork. angela
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 We also get together as a staff team out of session time to support each other- we are all new to learning journeys so it has helped being able to discuss together but what is interesting is that despite several meetings staff moan about not having any photos- because they don't use the camera! and then printing off pictures- the printer is easily accessible every session at the one setting and is relativey easy to use. They have been reminded whenever they mention it yet still seems an issue! We are lucky as we are paid for whatever we do extra- staff meetings, planning meetings, most courses etc but then the committee chair is ex leader who knows better than anyone exactly how much work we do unrewarded and unnoticed cuz she used to do everything pre-eyfs. We also timetable within the day and rota time for staff to complete individual plans (which usually take about 10-15 minutes) and we all ensure that if we want to do an observation it is at an appropriate time when the child is happily playing and other staff will be able to cope for 15mins without that staff member Having completed the first term of learning journeys I personally found it a wonderful opportunity to reflect on my child and how well I really know them and I am looking forward to seeing their progress come end of March but yes they are hard-going and during the term I find myself constantly thinking 'I need a picture etc to back up what they've just done/said' or disappointed if I haven't taken many photos/done many post-its this week I've just given one of my parents the folder for them to peruse over hols so will see what feedback is come Fri- hoping its good and they appreciate the hard work that has gone into them! Next step is to get my Key parents and children involved in adding to their learning journeys!
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 In my nursery, we had a fortnightly staff meeting for two hours, where we all sat down together and completed the learning journeys. A lovely time for us all because while we were sticking things into their books, we'd talk about the children and really get a full picture of each child, whether or not they were our key children. All staff were paid for the two hours. Puja, I'd question why you need interim reports on a termly basis. I personally don't think these are necessary. Is there a way round this do you think? Hi we have been told by our manager who attended the 2nd part of progress from the start that interim reports need to be done at the end of each term......one to keep in the childs file and then anaother paretn freindly one to send home!!!! i have been to a meeting this morning...which was run by an independent research company.....it was to find out from child care practitioners about how easy/difficult is has been to change to the EYFS etc and how it impacts on our planning, obs, delivery and assessment. it was really interesting to hear views from different practitioners. the majority said they find there is 2 much paper work and we dont get enuf time to do it.......all this feedback is going to be sent to the 'people' who have designed the EYFS so HOPEFULLY something will be done about it!! i have suggested to the management team that each member of staff is given half hour non contact time and at this time the manager on the day would come out to cover that member of staff!!! thansk to all of you for letting me know how things are done in your setting.....i will pass it on to the other staff to show them that its not just us who are going feeling the way we are!!!!!
Guest Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 For us the eyfs as not changed what we already did, parental input is bigger than before and i am plodding through the welfare guidance to make sure that all our policies are fine but for planning not much change
Recommended Posts