Role Of Keyworker

[Guest]

Hi all,

 

I have an FS2 unit of 41 children, I am the only teacher but have a Nursery nurse, and 3 TAs/LSAs.

 

I have been advised to set up a keyworker system but am unsure how to set this up efficiently?

 

Would the keyworker only work with their group?

 

How would you timetable this- my original idea was to have 3 inputs and 3 jobs with an adult responsible for each one and they would work with all children throughout the week (obviously those that wanted to do the job).

 

Then in observation time they would then focus on their key children.

 

Is this the best way to manage it?

[Guest]

I am aware this is slightly off your topic however, I thought that children of Reception age came under the infant class size regulations which require no more than 30 pupils to each qualified teacher. Shouldn't you have 2 teachers working with 41 children?

[Guest]

I am aware this is slightly off your topic however, I thought that children of Reception age came under the infant class size regulations which require no more than 30 pupils to each qualified teacher. Shouldn't you have 2 teachers working with 41 children?

 

We will eventually have another teacher who comes back from maternity leave after half term, she will work mornings only, the children will be coming into school in small groups and will only become full time 2 weeks before half term. They're will be 2 (well 1 full time/ 1 part time) teachers, 1 nursery nurse, 3 TAs after half term.

[Guest]

Our reception class has the key worker approach with one teacher and two TA's.

Their numbers are about 28.

 

Not in the early settling in stages but later they do have focused times in their groups, but I am not really sure how this works. Sorry.

 

I did want to add though that it's also my understanding that with 41 children you would need 2 teachers full time regardless of how many other staff you have!

 

Hopefully someone with reception experience will come along shortly to help you out!

[catma]

You should have 2 teachers at all times - if you have more than 30 reception age children you will be out of ratio. Doesn't matter what the rest if the adults have. look at the framework statutory guidance document appendix 2. (ratios).

 

re key workers - the requirement for EYFS is a key person, which is different. I've attached a useful document re keypersons in reception classes

 

Cx

Guidance_1.pdf

[Guest]

re key workers - the requirement for EYFS is a key person, which is different.

 

Hello Catma - can you tell me - what is the difference between key worker and key person?

[millhill]

This document from the EYFS CD explains the difference on page 2

 

key_person.pdf

 

and here's another document from the EYFS CD:

 

key_person_eyfs.pdf

[Guest]

Many thanks millhill - that's really helpful

[Guest]

Thanks for the documents attached, they have answered a few questions.

 

I myself am fully aware of the number of pupils ratio to teachers within the infants however my head/SMT are not taking this on board.

 

However if and when Ofsted/ LEA come in (which is expected) I'm sure they will having something to say.

[millhill]

Glad they were of some use.

 

I used to manage a pre-school, where it was much easier to implement a key person system as there were 3 staff (excluding me) to 20 children. I then moved into a school nursey class as a nursery nurse and again, the key person system worked well as I shared the children with the teacher (26 children each), and then into reception (15 children each). I was paid quite a bit more than a TA so was expected to do record keeping and parent meetings with my key children's parents.

 

However, now I am a teacher in Reception I have a full time TA, but I'm not sure about her taking on extra responsibility as a key person. In the guidance it does say the TA can be a key person, but she is not paid to do extra work on children's records and does not have PPA time to do this either.

 

I would like to allocate children to her, but what will happen when it comes to talking to parents about their progress etc.? I do individual learning plans for children based on the observations we have made, but again I wouldn't expect her to create these or talk to parents about them as this is done in my PPA time and out of school hours.

 

I am thinking of allocating key children to her and her responsibilities would be to settle the child in, be the first point of contact for the child's parents and carry out activities planned for the child. I would keep responsibility for the assessments and planning for every child.

 

Do any Reception teachers (with 1 full time TA, not a nursery nurse) do it this way? Or do you have other ways of managing the system. I would be grateful if anyone could share what they do, as I will be discussing it with my TA on Monday. Thanks.

Edited September 3, 2011 by millhill

[catma]

As a teacher you also have to layer in your responsibilities under your conditions of service too.....in reality, whatever system you have in place, the FS2 teacher is the overall key person for every child and so parent meetings etc would generally be your responsibilty. I see Key person is about the relationships rather than the mechanics of having specific allocated children.

 

Cx