Childminder Weekly Planning And The Eyfs

[Guest]

Hi ya guys, im new to all this forum thing but would love some ideas on how to set out my planning. I am a childminder and look after children between 0 and 8yrs and I have a basic planning sheet but am not 100% happy with it. Just wondered how you guys do it and how you cover all areas of development and all children in the age range? Many thaks Kerry x

Edited September 14, 2009 by Guest

[Guest]

I am in exactly the same situation, so can't really help you but I wanted to ask along the same lines, If i'm doing a daily diary and a scrap book with pictures and notes of which sections of the eyfs they cover and alongside that a sheet planning activities i plan on doing, am I doing enough????

 

I'm gettng so confused and could really do with some help!!!!!!

 

Amanda xxx

[HappyMaz]

Welcome to the Forum Kerry and Amanda.

 

We have lovely childminder members here who will no doubt be along soon with words of wisdom to offer - but in the meantime I just wanted to say hello. Hope these are the first of many posts from you both!

 

Maz

[Guest]

Hi both, and welcome to the Forum!

 

There are lots of posts on here regarding planning - have a look in the Resources section and in the Childminder forum.

 

Different areas of the country are suggesting different methods, so it's probably a good idea to speak to your local Childminding Network or Early Years team. There's also good advice on the NCMA and Bromley childminding association websites so have a look!

 

It seems that most of us on here are keeping daily diaries, shared with parents, and a scrapbook/learning journey record. Lots of photos, linking activities to the 6 areas of learning. Planning doesn't have to be formal, or written down, Ofsted are looking to see that you use the children's interests as the starting point and "plan" to extend their learning around that.

 

So, if Billy arrives and says he went on the train at the weekend, you'd "plan" to get the train set out. You'd talk to Billy about his experiences (PSED, CCL and KUW) build the train set (PD and CD) count the trains, match the coloured engines and trucks (PSRN)

 

Hope I've not oversimplified it but wanted to show you it's not as scary as it sounds! I was on a training course for observations. assessments and planning last week and this is how it was explained by the trainers.

 

Good Luck!

 

Nona

[Guest]

Hi Nona,

 

Thanks for the info, I think its a confidence thing in yourself and the more you do the easier it will become. (well thats what im hoping)

 

Thankyou again

 

Amanda xx

[Upsy Daisy]

Hi to both of you and welcome,

 

Kerry, I think if you have a look through the posts about planning you'll find that not being 100% happy with your planning format is a recurrent theme. There seem to be lots of people either trying out some new method or looking for a new method to try all the time. It shows that you are a reflective practitioner so that's really good. Try looking at what your planning tells you. Is it useful? Are you writing things down for the sake of it? Is there anything else that would help you to support the children better or be better prepared? Your planning format is only there to help you so don't worry too much about what other people do, just make it work for you.

 

Amanda, You are doing more than I am. I do not write any plans down in advance. I have a daily diary sheet which includes a space for evaluations and I complete individual learning journeys tracking the child's progress through the EYFS with a scrapbook for photos. My inspector was perfectly happy with this in November. As long as you can show Ofsted that you track each child's development, use this knowledge to consolidate their learning and plan next steps and keep some sort of record/learning journey which you share with parents you are covering all of the bases. Don't make it any more complicated than it has to be.

 

My daily diary sheet shows link to areas of learning to show that I provide activities which cover them all rather than showing each child individually cover tham all every day. In my opinion everyone knows that every child covers every area of learning every day unless there is something very, very wrong.

 

Good luck to both of you. I hope this helps

[Guest]

Hi

 

I would recommend Penni Tassonnis EYFS book. It has lots of good simple ideas in it and ideas for planning too. I have used the main planning sheet in this book and adapted it slightly. I then do each child a monthly individual planning sheet for the 6 areas based on their interests. If they are not achieved then they are carried over.

 

Hope this helps

Edited September 21, 2009 by Guest

[Tink69]

Hi everyone

I am a newly registered childminder(previously worked in a nursery setting) I am struggling to find a format for my planning thats not to complicated and time consuming. Do you do long term plans aswell as cant see how you can when planning from the childs interests. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Upsy Daisy]

Hi Tink69 and welcome to the forum.

 

I'm a childminder and my planning is all done retrospectively in a daily diary with a space for evaluations and ideas for next steps. I never make any medium or long term plans and the short term planning is in my head until it happens. Ofsted were perfectly happy with it which was a pleasant surprise. I talked the inspector through how I follow the child through the process offering support and resources as appropriate and she said it was exactly what the EYFS was intended to promote.

 

i think you just need to should how you link to the child.

[Guest jane707]

I'm a childminder and I have 3 types of planning...

 

- routines - the things we have to do like school runs

 

- individual - planning to follow each child's interests

 

- group - planning for different ages of children differentiated for each child's needs

 

It doesn't take me long to write every week as I use continuous provision (lots of ideas on tes downloads)

 

Hope this helps

[Tink69]

Thanks for the help there seems to be so many different versions of planning sheets out there its hard to pick one may have to make my own as there are bits of them all that I like but not one has everything I would like. Find this site useful but doesn't seem to be that many childminders on here.

[Upsy Daisy]

I think most people end up making up their own version consisting of the bits they like best from others. Planning seems to be very personal as far as what works for you goes.

 

I find that most issues are relevant to all settings so childminders being in the minority isn't too much of a problem most of the time. If you do need to know something specific to childminding quite a few seem to come out of the woodwork to help which is really nice.

[Guest]

I'm new too guys and I'm an ex teacher too so I was worried I was doing too much - stuck in the habit so to speak. I carry out observations by taking photos or making little post it notes up whenever I notice the child(ren) are doing something new/of interest. I then make these notes into written observations when I have a bit more time and add the photos if I have photographic evidence. My observations might be as simple as 'E was playing with the train set and picked up a couple of carriages. He noticed that they stuck together. He pulled them apart and then stuck them back together. he added another carriage, dangling the line of carriages in the air.' I would then make EYFS links - showing a sense of curiosity - PSED; having a sense of curiosity about things around him - KUW; manipuloating and investigating objects - PD; and so on. I then suggest possible next steps, e.g. putting together a magnetic investigation box, investigating magnetic objects around the home, etc. I put all of this information into a learning journey and then transfer it to my weekly planning with the possible activities for other children too. I reference the learning journey page in my planning to show the link. I hope that this is of some help and along the right lines?!!!!!