Very Confused Over Reception Planning..

[Guest]

Im returning to reception after almost 5 years in ks1 and although i am originally early years trained quite a bit has changed and im expected to find this out for myself before sept. I,m fine with this but i keep going round in circles with all this no topics, free flow etc.

 

so my first task is to find out about planning. How do you all plan-do you do a weekly and a daily plan? Also if you have no topics as such, when do you do your planning? (as i have a young family i used to do my planning on a Thurs night for the next week-is this not really possible with the new changes?)

 

I,d be really grateful if anyone could share one of your completed plans that you use, any topic is fine-its just so i can get to grips with how to plan and what kids of things you include.

 

Sorry thats probs too many Q's in one post

[Lucie]

Didn't want to read and run, but im new to reception this year also (NQT) I seem to be finding that everyone has different ways of doing things!

Some people are still using a topic base but letting the children lead their learning and taking the topic and alering it as such. A few weeks ago there was some good planning on here so mayb do a forum search to find it. Also some of the LA sites have examples of planning to that mayb of help.

 

Don't know if this has helped at all!!!! But someone with more experience will be along soon I'm sure.

 

Oh and welcome to the forum!

 

Lucie x

[katekit]

Some people are still using a topic base but letting the children lead their learning and taking the topic and altering it as such.

 

 

I work in nursery but as Lucie says why dont you plan an introductory 'topic' to give you a starting base (bit of security) but then see where the children's interests lead. This might be less stressful for you as you get back into EYFS. The difference will be that you wouldn't HAVE to follow your planning to the letter, which in itself can be a bit daunting and you can develop the areas of interest with the children - you could learn together?

 

We usually do our 'planning' on a Thursday (PPA) but we only plan so many activities from the children's interests, and fit in things like assembly, R.E. or visits and we leave gaps on the planning sheet for child initiated activities and other activities that crop up during the week. There are lots of examples of planning on the forum, but my advice is do what you are comfortable with and develop it as you go on, as people say planning is a personal thing.

 

Does that make sense?

 

Cath

[Guest]

I'm in the same boat too as been working in KS1 (and KS1/2 trained) and taking on reception in September.

 

I did a visit to another setting who had had a very favourable ofsted and they do planning for Numeracy and Literacy and Topic. In terms of the topic they try and tie in Numeracy and Literacy as much as possible.

 

With the topic they try and keep it child led as much as possible and keep plans fluid as you never quite know where you are going to end up by the end of a session and where the children might end up.

 

They advised me to keep planning simple and just have a skeleton plan as such with a barrage of ideas behind it all and go with the children's ideas.

 

I like this in principle but I'm struggling to see how this works practically as I'm yet to have a go!

 

Advice from all you experts would be much appreciated.

 

Loving the site have learned so much from it already.

 

Newby to Forum and FS

[Susan]

Hi and welcome, Missclassroom.

 

Catma has recently shared some excellent ideas and advice about how to view the planning cycle and even more recently---this week---some advice about attainment on entry which will also be useful to you if you havent already found that. I think the planning advice may be in the resource library.

 

Use your topic as a hanger on which to put your skills and learning intentions. Children need to be given ideas and experiences that they would not otherwise have had so look at what you need to teach explicity---phonics etc and what can be learnt from any direction--scissor skills.

[mundia]

Hello missclassroom, welcome to the forum.

 

I think we seem to have quite a few new people coming into FS this year from other stages in schools, and its great that you've found your way here.

 

There are a couple of things I would add to what has already been said in terms of planning:

 

See what is there already, chances are you may have an experienced TA who is familiar with the planning formats already in use, which you can use and maybe adapt as you become familiar with it all. Even if there is no TA or a new one too, then chances are there are still planning formats used by previous teachers, so a chat with them may also help.

 

Second, I would focus energy in the first few weeks on getting to know the children, and thinking about the environment, what you are providing, how your room(s) are set up and what your daily routine looks like.

 

Get to know the EYFS documentation if you're not familiar with it, (and identify training you can attend if you're LA is doing anything)

 

And of course, spend lots of time looking at conversations here! (which I sure you are doing anyway)

[Guest]

Thanks for your replies (Mundia and Susan i remember you both being so helpful when i was a member years ago )

Looks like ive got a lot of thinking to do-im just going to wait to see how the first week goes and go from there

Edited August 7, 2009 by Guest