salm Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 can anyone help I am looking at changing my initial assessment when a new child starts at our preschool, at the moment I have a really basic one but have found that it doesnt give a good enough assessment starting point. Just recently I have had a large number of three - three and a half year olds starting from other preschools but no matter how much we ask there is no details given by the previous setting so it then takes longer than I would like to get an overview of a childs stage of development so does anyone have any ideas they could share with me or if this has been covered then maybe point me in the right direction thanks Sal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 as with another threadat the min other settings should give you info you want I dont think there is any better way than just doing some long obs and at different times finding out from parents their childs interests and we also do well being and involvement sheets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 See page 18 of the statutory EYFS bit (I'm using my pre may 08 version at home but it is the same in the may 08 updated one.) A provider should send information to the new provider within 15 days after request. It's only a should not a must but it is part of what we all signed upto with EYFS. Cx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apple Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Have you thought about starting with the development matters- or is that a daft question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 (edited) i have got baseline assessments for babies, tweenies, toddlers and pre school age that we fill in with parents prior to entry to gain a starting point, i just simplified the key pionts in the development matters statements if they will be any help- if so i will send them from work tomorrow, we then do holistic obs for 1st 8 weeks then a summative assessment to see overall stage of development, then plan to meet needs (although needs are planed from weekly plannned obs and spontaneous obs anyway each week i.e enhancing continuous provision /planning focused activities) hope i make sense!! its been a long day!!! Edited March 22, 2009 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salm Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 Hi Jaycooks that sounds great I am in preschool which have children from 2.5 up to reception year I was looking at all the development stepping stones and wasnt quite sure where to start. I use the framework and observations for future planning and next steps but it was just the initial assessment I need to improve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) Hi Jaycooks that sounds great I am in preschool which have children from 2.5 up to reception year I was looking at all the development stepping stones and wasnt quite sure where to start. I use the framework and observations for future planning and next steps but it was just the initial assessment I need to improve have removed attached files Edited March 24, 2009 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salm Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi Jaycocks thank you very much they are a great help this now gives me a good starting point. There are so many things to think about and sometimes I just need a little visual start thanks again I see it seems to have helped some others to so prehaps I'm not the only one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplewednesday1 Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi Playing devil's advocate here ... also it's something we've been thinking about at our setting following the recent PEAL training ... how would a family with poor literacy, or little English cope with these documents? they're very wordy. I understand that for us it's really useful to have the baseline in language that directly corrolates to the EYFS document however for Parents and carers its a whole new vocabulary. We do an "All about me" booklet which we give to all new starters and then whenever a key worker in Nursery changes (from staff changes or children moving groups) - knowing our families well we either give them the booklet saying that they can do it at home with the child or we make a separate appointment during the settling process and talk to the paretns about the questions and scribe for them. Doing it this way enables parent to concentrate on what they want to say rather than how to write it ... it also allows them to be in partnership with us with feeling embarrassed - the skill is in how you phrase the question to them about filling it in!! - we also do this for our enrolement forms. I expect you're all doing this anyway ... just thought I'd stick my oar in!! pw xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salm Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Thanks PW all polite comments are very welcome what I am looking to do is something that the keyperson can go through with the new parents, I also think that it would need to be written in plain english instead of professional jargon not only for the parents but also for the staff I have who although have just finished their NVQ2 have no knowledge of the EYFS and all the terminology regards Sal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplewednesday1 Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I absolutely agree with you ... In my opinion and experience Parents want you to talk to them!! We find it massively helps with keyworker / parent relations too. It has a knock on effect in many areas... for example if a parent has already spent a substantial amount of time with key workers talking about the child it means that there is a relationship that can be called upon in the future if there is a problem - before a complaint arises! and that can only be a good thing. pw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) Hello - thought I would jump on the band wagon and share what we do at the moment and what I am looking to change it too - the second one is a work in progress! Hoping it will kick start the learning journey......well that is the plan. Everyone works in different ways and settings are all different, the best way is to get a range of information and develop practice that works for your setting. I believe that as long as the process is evolving, it is working, as we are reflecting and responding to the needs of the setting. What works for one does not necessarily work for another and all opinions are valued for their differences. Initial_Child_Profile_2.docx EYFS_Initial_child_profile_2.docx Edited March 24, 2009 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I have to agree with you purplewednesday, the form would put me off and to make all parents feel inclusive and included some of the understanding with our parents who have eal this would not work We do an all about me asking fav foods,books,toys pets, if they have siblings, go to another setting and so on i feel the other forms can lead to a tick chart which at the end of the day is not what it is all about jsut an opinion p[lease dont shoot me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachelllps Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Just a thought, but have you looked at Sound Learning? They have EYFS progress records in three parts we bought Part 3 which covers 30 to 60 months. As well as having really well explained progress records: child development, what to look for etc, they also have really good and simple starting assessments, registration forms and obs sheets. Our set cost £16 but we can make as many copies as we like. We have shown it to our two main feeder primary schools and they were both really keen as they said it worked better with the e-profile than anything else they had seen. We have just started using it and the latest parent who filled it in with me while her child was having their visit said it really made her think about her child and how she wished we had been doing it when her first child started a few years ago. Rachel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I absolutely agree with you ... In my opinion and experience Parents want you to talk to them!! We find it massively helps with keyworker / parent relations too. It has a knock on effect in many areas... for example if a parent has already spent a substantial amount of time with key workers talking about the child it means that there is a relationship that can be called upon in the future if there is a problem - before a complaint arises! and that can only be a good thing. pw re downloaded docs, we dont expect parents to take them away and fill in!! an appointment is made with key person and they ask questions and scribe for parents , that way you can word questions accordingly to parent ability or level of understanding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I have to agree with you purplewednesday, the form would put me off and to make all parents feel inclusive and included some of the understanding with our parents who have eal this would not work We do an all about me asking fav foods,books,toys pets, if they have siblings, go to another setting and so on i feel the other forms can lead to a tick chart which at the end of the day is not what it is all about jsut an opinion p[lease dont shoot me we also have all about me forms for info re personal needslikes dislikes etc . this wasnt sufficient sufficient for ofsted this is why i developed these ones which they really liked last month! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I have to agree with you purplewednesday, the form would put me off and to make all parents feel inclusive and included some of the understanding with our parents who have eal this would not work We do an all about me asking fav foods,books,toys pets, if they have siblings, go to another setting and so on i feel the other forms can lead to a tick chart which at the end of the day is not what it is all about jsut an opinion p[lease dont shoot me its not a tick chart, thats why keyworkers sit and discuss questions and we get comprehensive information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salm Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 same as you jaycocks I have a more personal form with likes and dislikes which is nice but its still laking a starting point which I found your lovely forms a great help so thatnks very much thanks again Sal . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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