Tracking Progress

[smartlass]

Just a quicky query - is there any requirement to do tracking for Ages and Stages (tracking according to month)? We do look carefully at progress with the profile and track progress on e-profile but am wondering whether the months tracking is essential. I know that it helps to see where the next developmental stage will be, but just feeling a bit confused and wondering whether I'm creating more work for myself than is necessary. Any replies welcome!

[Guest ChunkyMan]

Hi there,

 

we have decided to just use the profile when showing progress but still refer to the ages and stages when planning. All of the children in our F2 unit have achieved 1, 2 or 3 scale points so it seem logical. Our SIP stated that he wouldn't bother using the ages and stages and to just use the profile. Let's face it, this is what they children will be judged on at the end of the year?

[Guest]

We have been having this conversation in our LA.

 

I think that the development matters recording is not so much about progress, which as you have indicated comes through the EYFSP, but about recording where the children are in order that your planning is fine tuned to each child's needs.

 

Ofsted look at on-entry data and look to see if the children come in at what they refer to as "likely to demonstrate some of the elements of skill, knowledge and understanding within the development matters bands for ..." for recpetion the sentence finishes "for 40 - 60 months, in addition all of the elements in the preceding band for 30 - 50 months". (Inspecting the Early Years Foundation Stage).

 

So what we have been talking about is having some record of where the chidlren are and periodically ensuring that you feel this is still a reflection of where the chidlren are working. We have been talking about a simple excel sheet with the children's names down one side and the six araes of learning across the top. Then making a professional judgements that describes in a 'best fit' mode where the chidlren are working. One school has colour coded this so that 22- 36 is yellow, 30 - 50 blue and 40 - 60 green, ELGs grey because there planning is also colour coded to denote differentiation. What is important is that it does not become too time consuming or arduous because it has got to be useful.

 

We have been doing lots of interrogating of Ofsted reports, in particualry outstanding EYFSF within schools since March 2010. It all comes back to rigorous assessment of the children. knowing where they are and planning appropriately for them.

 

If it were me I would do regular reviews of where the chidlren were working within the dev matters, probably as I was doing the eprofile (i.e. 3/4 times a year) to ensure that I was correct in what I was planning for them. I would use the significant statements for each age band so that it was not too much. I would then use that as a guide when planning and go back to the guidance for more in depth support and direction.

 

At the end of the day you have to do what works for you and it is always a tricky balance, delivering the EYFS - using the dev matters and assessing using te EYFSP which does not quite exactly correlate. Bexley early years have looked through the EYFS and EYFSP and have tried to correlate them togther and they have put it onto their web site.

 

I hope this helps and doesn't confuse more. At the end of the day you have to do what works for you and most importantly for your children.