catma Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Just one simple planning form Ofsted please would make all or lives so much easier But then people still wouldn't be happy! Nor would it meet the needs of children from 0 - 5, I suspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 We don't do 'topics'........haven't done them in a long time! As others said we celebrate the festivals our children celebrate....and i'm working on finding out from parents/carers how they celebrate their festivals.....inviting them in to do some activities with our children(if they will)! A butterfly landed on the windowsill in preschool two weeks ago so we've been looking at 'butterflies' as a shared group interest from the reactions and comments the children made when it arrived and we caught it to get a closer look(and a touch) surprisingly it isn't spring but we weren't struck down for daring to look at something other than autumn in autumn The most planning done is focused on individual learning journeys with a bit thrown in for shared interests as and when this arises, like the butterfly event. We have a Enhancements sheet for the room and that's it....where interests for key children and group are added that's it! It never gets too much to manage when you've been doing it a while the new staff struggle at first but soon get into the swing of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Having a one size fits all model of planning wouldn't work at all, because it isn't the sheet of paper itself that makes the planning, its the thinking that goes on behind it that really makes the difference. So even if we had one single format that everyone uses, it would still be used in a myriad of different ways according to our styles, experience and knowledge, because the way we think about our planning is unique to us. Our documentation, whatever it looks like, should be there to support our thinking about and our reflections on our children and what they are doing, and where they are going next. The paperwork is one of the the tools that helps us to do that. Writing things down often helps us to organize our own thinking (in the same way that children do running commentaries to support theirs), and when this is then shared between a team, it becomes 'collective thinking', rather than just 'something we do because so and so said we had to'. I think if you can start to see the actual process of 'going round in circles' as something that supports you to really think through what you really want and what really benefits your children, then what you finally end up with is of much greater value, because its yours, its personal and it helps you clarify your own thinking. Well that's my current thinking anyway! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafa Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Well there's always going to be the voice of reason! : ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 ok, throwing it out there, we have continuous provision which we enhance (but I don't have continuous provision plans I just write what enhancements we are going to add onto my plans each week. We then have carpet time in 2 group (about 15 children in each group) where we count, show and tell, chat with the children etc. We then have an activity planned usually by me either based on observed interests of any of the children (and yes often the same children are the ones throwing up the ideas) or the activity is based around a theme/topic depending on what is going on and how many interests we have had! The activities are open ended, so the keyworkers can then differentiate themselves within their group - so the child who is showing an interest in writing their name for example can write and mark make until their hearts content, another child at the table could cut all the way round their paper, cut it in half, or even cut out the picture on the paper if that is something that they are currently interested in doing. (broad examples here!) So the keyworkers keep their obs and records up to date and use their information about children's next steps to help support the children within a variety of activities. We don't evaluate on the main planning sheet, but verbally as a previous poster said. The next steps are written on the group lists so that if someone else took that group they would have an idea of what area the child needs supporting/encouraging in. The children then have free flow time, so the keyworkers again can use this time to get out resources that they know are appropriate according to their professional judgement and the children in that session. At the end of the session the children come together in two groups of 15 again for a planned activity of something like silly soup or a circle game, before a few whole group songs and home time or lunchtime. The planned activity is different every day, and children simply access them in the way that suits them and their needs. I currently feel stressed out as Ofsted is looming, but am a little bit of the opinion the same as others, what we do works, the children are progressing (we have individual assessment sheets to show this) and I am fed up with jumping through hoops and changing things for the sake of it when you don't even know what your inspector is going to want to see. However I want to get a good result!! Argggggggggh!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 I currently feel stressed out as Ofsted is looming, but am a little bit of the opinion the same as others, what we do works, the children are progressing (we have individual assessment sheets to show this) and I am fed up with jumping through hoops and changing things for the sake of it when you don't even know what your inspector is going to want to see. However I want to get a good result!! Argggggggggh!!! Hi Clare - it all sounds great to me and you have explained it very clearly - you will be able to do that when the big O come a-knocking - which will work really well - good luck with your inspection! :1b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Thank you Sunny Day :-) I think I need to update my SEF and explain myself in there too and then leave it at that :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 And would the sky fall down? Makes me so cross 'listening' to us all frantically trying to dot all the i's and cross all the t's as though someones life is threatened if we fail to get it right!! We seem to be the only workforce who are monitored so critically and live in fear of all our hardwork being being dismissed by the shake of a head and the swipe of a pen from an advisor or worse Mrs O! With many of us working out of a cupboard for goodness sake!! No, the sky will not fall. Yes,, continue to do our best and children will learn, thrive and have fun. This paperchase gets more and more ridiculous. IF there is a RIGHT way to do this job then as someone else said on this thread, there should be ONE format for all! Produce it .......and let us get on with our job, for the kids sake if nothing else! Rant over.... I agree completely! I have just taken over as owner/manager and its all making my head spin! I worked as a pre-school assistant for 6 years and then Manager left and I took over but have never done anything on the management level and the planning for everything and trying to get it right is soul destroying! one format for all would suit me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I agree completely! I have just taken over as owner/manager and its all making my head spin! I worked as a pre-school assistant for 6 years and then Manager left and I took over but have never done anything on the management level and the planning for everything and trying to get it right is soul destroying! one format for all would suit me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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