Guest Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I know that a lot of people are at the moment not keen to share SEFs, and I am totally aware of how all settings are very very different. I also understand that people have put a lot of work into them and do not want them to be 'pinched' by other settings!!!! I am however struggling with some aspects of the SEF and would really like to see what other people have put even though it may not be entirely suitable for my setting. In a bid to encourage people to share what they have done so far I am posting my (incomplete) SEF for all to see. You can see which bits we are missing!!!!! And hopefully help me out with what I haven't done!!!! I also don't mean to be anal, but if you don't want to share, please don't download what I am sharing!!!! Thanks (fingers crossed) Zoe. xxx SEFanon.doc
Beau Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Hi Zoe, Thanks for sharing in this way - I'm sure that people will find it very useful to see one that has at least been partially completed. Just to let you know that I have looked at it but I am not working at the moment so can't share one back! We have a very large number of members on the forum, many of whom read but do not generally post. For this reason you will get many more views than replies. As a suggestion, perhaps it would be an idea to actually work through each section of the form rather than the form as a whole? So for instance, you might post telling everyone what you put for Section 3 and ask others to contribute what they have put or suggestions for other things that may be included. This way those that haven't started it may see that it can be tackled gradually and may not find the idea of starting such an ordeal.
jean4459 Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Thankyou so much for your post. Although we had our Ofsted inspection in January and received a good, our SEF wasn't really upto scratch. Reading ours will help me to redo mine, once completed I will then post it. Once again THANKYOU XXXXX
Guest Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Thank you for being brave. As I have already posted before, SEF is the easter holiday job so I can't share yet.
wellerkaren Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Thank you I will be taking a look latter as the SEF for is still on my to do list but I keep putting it off.
sunnyday Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Hi Zoe I have downloaded, I take on board your point about not downloading if not prepared to share info., that's absolutely fair - don't have time to read now but will do and will compare with my notes (haven't started mine yet) and will give you my feedback (for what it's worth!). Sunnyday
louby loo Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Hi Zoe I have downloaded, I take on board your point about not downloading if not prepared to share info., that's absolutely fair - don't have time to read now but will do and will compare with my notes (haven't started mine yet) and will give you my feedback (for what it's worth!). Sunnyday Same here Zoe ........... hoping to do mine over Easter [seems I've joined that club too] currently gathering together the information, have given staff questionnairs to help with whole staff input, and having a complete nightmare asking the children their views! We tried doing it at a staff meeting but seemed to get knowhere fast - I have the kind of staff that like to 'mill over' each question! xx
JacquieL Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 I have just had a quick look at your SEF. It must have taken you a long time and is very detailed about what you do and why. Well done. The questions I would ask are: How do you know what you are doing is effective? How do you evidence this and draw your conclusions? For example you have responded to a previous inspection report by working on your numeracy provision. How do you measure the effectiveness of what you have put in place since then? What has that demonstrated to lead you to have decided to work on this area in the future? I would also make sure I identify any weaknesses/areas for development, and say how I have identified them and what I am doing about it. i hope this is helpful?
sunnyday Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Have just read Jacquiel's post - this was stressed in training - we were told to ask ourselves 'so what' each time we made an entry. sunnyday
Guest Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 A big thanks from me too. Sharing is a big deal, especially with something that has taken so much time and effort and that needs to be respected. I will endeavour to dig out my incomplete SEF and post although I don't think I've saved the whole thing like you. I did mine on line and then had a really hard time trying to save onto my computer what I had entered on line! Derrr..... One thing I really wrestled with is the tick box for our assessment for where we think we are at - not having done the training what have you guys been told to do with these sections?
Cait Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Zoe that looks really useful - a lot to take in quickly so it'll take a while to look through. I'm only up to page 15 on mine. I notice you have used bullet points - Is this what we're meant to be doing - I've had conflicting advice
sunnyday Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Zoe that looks really useful - a lot to take in quickly so it'll take a while to look through. I'm only up to page 15 on mine. I notice you have used bullet points - Is this what we're meant to be doing - I've had conflicting advice I'm sure I will use bullet points - my thoughts on this are - this is not a statutory document and it is designed for info. sharing and the way we choose to present it should be our choice - oh who's feeling stroppy tonight!!! Not really it's just the thought of this SEF looming over me all the time! sunnyday
Guest Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Thanks from me for posting your SEF - I too like others on here have it to do in Easter - I will sit down at that time, download yours and have a good look on the posts on SEF - I too am happy to post mine at that time - sharing only improves our practice - thanks again
Cait Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Here's mine so far - I've not done bullet points, but I could do them if people think it would look better Our_Early_years_self_evaluation_form__Word_format__so_far.doc
sunnyday Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Here's mine so far - I've not done bullet points, but I could do them if people think it would look better Cait - that's very generous of you to share - have downloaded, but no time to read now - apologies I wasn't implying that bullet points are 'better' or 'necessary' - I was just sounding off a bit about how I intend to do whatever I please!!! sunnyday
Guest Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Hiya Just wanted to say thanks for that although I have nothing to share with you just yet as I am just going back into foundation stage after 5 years in KS4! I am sure that it will really help and as soon as I do have something to share I will. Thanks again Nat74
blondie Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 had a quick look at your work , not downloaded it - it must have taken forever - well done you ! have just started ours after ten minutes training - the preschool development worker told us we were doing ok but in each area we needed to say what the impact on the children waas - that is the most important part of it - have you had any feedback about yours?
Smiles Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Thank you for sharing your SEF with us. We were recently inspected at the end of Januuary and it was the first thing the Inspector asked for. I had attended a course on how to complete it and had began to fill it in. I had completed some of it briefly using bullet point notes. The Inspector did not comment on it but I think it is reflected in our report. There are two points on the report which I think point to the importance of the SEF although it has been said that it is not complusory. We were awarded Good but were given satisfactory for the two points below. In the Annex A - record of inspection judgements Overall effectiveness The capactity of the setting to maintain continuous improvement Leadership and management How effective is the settings self-evalauation, including the steps taken to promote improvement. I am now in the process of trying to complete ours fully and will share. smiles
Guest Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Wow, thanks so much for sharing!!!! Haven't even started mine yet, totally unsure of where to start. Iam in the 'doing it over easter' club, but will probably be starting a new club, 'doing it over the summer'. Will share mine when complete. Thanks again Ladrylady
Shiny Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Wow, thanks so much for sharing!!!! Haven't even started mine yet, totally unsure of where to start. Iam in the 'doing it over easter' club, but will probably be starting a new club, 'doing it over the summer'.Will share mine when complete. Thanks again Ladrylady Can I join your club please Lardylady!!! Sounds like I would fit right in!!! All good intentions but will spend the 6 weeks holiday doing it!! Already spent the last half term holiday avoiding it!!!!
rosepetal Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Hi Zoelet, Thank you for sharing your SEF. With the SEF being fairly new for alot of practioners/managers I can understand people being a little nervous about sharing thier SEF. My settings SEF is on the computer at work. We have completed up to section 3. My first section has very similar content to yours. In the other sections we have started with a paragraph describing what we do and then I use bullet points (advised by area managers to do the bullet points as it helps with the reading of the report and gives more space to write other comments). We have put the learning environment into sections under the early learning goals and gave examples of what the children do and what impact it has had on their learning etc. We have included the children's views by encouraging them to take photographs of what they enjoy doing in nursery and what they don't like about nursery. We have also made up question cards using the 20 questions from the Ofsted website and use them in small group circle time discussions. All the practitioners have taken part in this and they have also used reflective questions which we made up using the reflective questions on the EYFS cards. Using thier comments on the reflective questions, these get added to the SEF as part of everyone's input. After writing about what we do in the setting, we write what the impact has been on the children's learning and then we write about what our next steps are for future goals for the setting. Hope that is of help to you Zoelet. Rosepetal
Upsy Daisy Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 I've only had time to look at the first couple of sections so far and I think you might have helped me a lot more than I could help you! Your learning and devlopment section seems to focus so much on following the children's interests it may be logical to develop it into identifying children's schemas. I had that on my SEF under 'Priorities for Improvement' for my last inspection and it went down very well. I would share the whole thing with you but I can't find the electronic copy on my computer anymore. Thank goodness I printed it out! Anyway you are way beyond getting much from mine! I'll watch this space with interest.
Guest Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Thanks so much for sharing your SEFs. I don't have responsbility for writing one so can't upload anything, but just wanted to say that they look really really impressive - you have helped so many people by sharing them so thanks so much
Motherclanger Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Many thanks to Zoelat and Cait for posting their sef forms. They have both been very helpful I have been having nightmares about filling in our sef, for a start I didn't have a clue how much detail to put or what format the answers should take. Its now given me more confidence to get on and do it, I've been putting it off since last summer ! Just hope ofsted give us a chance to complete it as we are due an inspection soon ! Well done to both of you ! Motherclangerx
Guest Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Yes of course you can join my club Shiny!!! All welcome! Lardylady
Guest Posted March 11, 2009 Posted March 11, 2009 Hi there Thanks Cait and Zoelat. You have done wonders! I agree with others that it is both brave and kind to share what has obviously taken a lot of time and effort. My manager and I spent several days making a start on our SEF, but gave up exhausted. This has given me inspiration to get on with it. Thanks to both of you! I will be happy to share once it's done. Lesley
Guest Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 Thank you so much. I have downloaded both and I promise to share mine once it's done. Thanks again!!
Carol Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 Hi Zoe and Cait Thanks for sharing your SEF's I have downloaded them to read later and they are both very informative. I have to go through mine and update it and check for spelling and typos and will upload mine when its done. Carol
Guest Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 Thank you very much. These have helped me get started. I'll share when I've got something to share.
Guest Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 Thanks for sharing Cait. You have ticked the boxes too you brave woman. That fills me with more dread than writing in the boxes!
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