objective planning and continuous provision

[flowlow]

Hi all

I have revamped the way we work and although after working in this area for so long I feel I should know all this I feel like we are starting again in some ways. I wondered if anyone would be willing to share their thoughts on what they do or comment on what we are doing.

Firstly I inherited some planning aspects and one was that the continuous provision is always itemised out on the planning along with the bits that you have changed or 'planned' so to speak. Recently when I caught myself doing this again I wondered why I am doing it? we all know the items or resources that come out every day so why do I keep logging them. It makes the bits you are changing or adding to harder to see and who is it for? Does anyone else do this? Can anyone see a reason why I can't take it for granted that everybody knows the continuous provision bit and just simplify to the bits we are changing or adding. For example the book bus for the book corner always comes out and this is on the planning, however I could just log three bears story sack in book corner, taking it for granted that everybody know the bus will be there. Hope that makes sense was the simplest example I could think of.

Also we have been exploring objective planning for the first time this term we have used Alistair Bryce-Clegg's approach as a starting point and then tried to make it our own. As a concept it is working fantastically we are much happier working in this way and taking the learning to the children. They are enjoying it more and we feel our interactions with the children have been more positively affected. However there are some things mostly the logging of it all that we are finding harder to wrap our head around.

For example we have an objective for each area and resource accordingly but only focus in or two at the moment where we then group the children by where they are now and where we want them to go and then review etc... These two areas were chosen by looking at the cohort as a whole and noticing that a large number of children needed support in following boundaries and expressing their feelings appropriately and in language and communication development. What I want to know is does anyone work like this? is this how you do it? should we be doing this for all seven areas? (which seems unworkable really)

 

Then there are plods I I have never used these not for individual children or for planning purposes but thought they might be good for remembering the good ideas week by week. (although as with everything they could change depending on child interest) Now how do others use these? I was thinking we have noticed that there are three distinct areas of interest in child-initiated spontaneous play:

textures (sensory play)

hibernating animals and natural resources

mark making (both pre-mark making and emergence writing)

so I thought a PLOD for each area based on activities that could extend interest or experience in each area. But then wondered if that was the 'right' use of if I should be using them for objectives and skills e.g. instead of sahra sand to support letter writing I should be using it for fine motor (although I know technically its both)

I feel a little shame faced at asking what seems basic questions but feel like I am thinking myself in circles.

 

[Stargrower]

Hi Johanna1

I can't answer all your questions but I'll be really interested to see what others say about ABC's objective led planning. We would like to use it too, but as a day nursery we're struggling to get our heads round how it would work for us. We don't have a 'cohort' as we have children moving into our Pre-school Room throughout the year as they turn three. Also, we have lots and lots of different attendance patterns so it isn't like school where everybody comes all day everyday (or at least a half day every day). I think it would be hard for us to divide children into different levels of attainment as it would change so much day-to-day. So I'll be watching with interest.

With continuous provision planning, I definitely wouldn't be listing my continuous provision every time I plan. We have continuous provision plans on the wall, which stay more or less the same. They show the resources in each area of continuous provision, what children can learn when they use that area independently and what adults can do to support children's learning in that area.

[Susan]

I feel a little shame faced at asking what seems basic questions but feel like I am thinking myself in circles.

Johanna, never feel that way.

[Guest]

I am a pack away, we have a continuous provision sheet which just states changes we make weekly, if something has changed for the day it is annotated. We do not get all our stuff out so listed on the sheet are the resources the children have chosen for the week, in case I am not the one setting up.

 

We use PLODS for individual planning for the children , we do not plan for different areas , all 7 areas in DM can be worked into all of your provision so we just observe incidental moments from our provision and enhance the provision based on a child's interest but key people would note this and add onto their planning sheet.

 

Will plan individually for each child

[Guest]

Hi Johanna1,

Please don't feel like you're the only one to ask these questions, I'm certainly right where you're at!!!

We have also been trialling the objective led planning and like you we love the principle of it but couldn't quite get our heads around how to record it and how it fits with our planning in general. In the end I emailed ABC with a whole list of questions because I felt like I was going round in circles too!

I think if you're going to embrace this sort of planning you almost have to forget everything you've "always done" , I was struggling to fit it in to our current planning,it was all too much. Anyway, after reading ABC's book and getting my lovely email reply this is what we are going to run with after half term;

1. Continuous provision - this is part of our long term planning I.e. Listing regular/ always available resources. We are Using ABC environment plan to review this each term and tweak accordingly.

2. Enhanced provision - weekly plan has a box to show how we might be enhancing the CP either to met interests, individual needs or anything we want to introduce such as Harvest Festival recently. We only list the 'new' stuff we,re putting out.

3. Objective led- we are going to try and implement 3 at a time, we plan to review at the end of each week and might well carry on with same plan for another week if we think appropriate.

4. Whole group/ teacher led times - planning for phonics etc

 

I was confused about next steps for individual children and how to plan for that but in the email reply I received ABC seemed to suggest that the next steps on the objective led planning is how we are meeting individual needs and that's enough. I think I'm right in saying they would look at most obvious needs of the group based on assessment , as you said, and that feeds into your medium term planning for half term / term . You then take some of them each week and break them down to something specific with specific next steps for each child and take those next steps/ objectives into their play. He said in addition to these next steps a key person might also have a specific next step for an individual if there was an obvious need for them and this would run alongside the objective led stuff,

I had the same question about making sure we covered all 7 AOL and he said you're covering them each week in your CP and he would also look to take his whole group teaching times (he calls them virtual base times) into other areas rather than just the carpet area in order to reflect other AOL.

Hope this helps and you manage to find a way to work this out, if we keep talking about it and sharing ideas hopefully we'll get our heads around it eventually!!

[Cait]

I've started using his environment plan and looking at why we change things about. I photographed the set up of the room at the start of the year and recorded what was where, then every time I change things I record again and say why I did it. It's already proving a useful tool and demonstrates reflective practice that we do without necessarily thinking of it like that. Now it's recorded!

Base times around the room are really good: again, something we already did without thinking about it. Recording it shows that if it didn't happen when O is in, then it does generally happen!

[Guest]

Help ! Really trying hard with obj led planning.

In the past I have set up 3 adult led activities per week, and one adult stayed with their key group to run a different activity each day. As we had 10 in a group it was simply traumatic - so much behaviour management and 'getting them to listen,' very little quality learning. Now if we want to try obj led planning, I am thinking, ok 3 adults, lets have 3 objective running simultaneously, linked to assessment.

 

First question: Do you focus on the core areas? as maths and UW and EAD can come from so much child initiated and we have an adult led phonics session?

Second: My staff aren't specifically early Years trained, they could just as easily be working in KS1/2 in the school as Nursery/ Early Years. I feel I need to plan an activity to give them ideas, but want them to take initiative from the children and where they are in the environment. How do you all manage this? I think obj led for a maths is easiest. EG: If oral counting is a focus, then tell staff if they are playing with dinos we count them, if in the role play we count the plates.

 

I want counting objects to be a focus, as some can't count more than 3 things, but some can count more than 20 objects and recognise most numbers. The lower ability are easy to provide for I think, and adults can quite confidently interact to extend their learning and draw evidence. For the higher ability, would you make the next steps as moving onto adding two groups?

Could someone give me some examples of their obj led planning for other areas, such as C&L, PSED.

 

PSED: I have some quite isolated chn who aren't making friends easily, and play alone a lot, at a low level of play, sometimes just wandering from area to area, not getting involved in play without an adult to support. Other play along side and have friends but don't respond to each others comments very well. My highers are interacting. Would an obj led plan next steps be: model use of language on how to break into play with others for my lower ability/isolates? I can understand how I would observe what is happening, but I'm less confident knowing how to get them to the next stage.

 

C&L: I do a lot I feel to encourage speaking and listening.. We have a bear with a diary that goes how at weekends and chn report back, then the rest ask questions. I have 'What's in the box?' to replace Show and tell, to encourage comparative language by asking questions about what is might/might not be. I have a birthday book, whereby chn make a feature page with photos, copy of cards and mark making or mums hand written notes, and we talk about it with the rest of the class. How does obj led planning look for C&L?

 

Third- when it comes to being observed, what do they expect to see? - adult led activities still? or you, with a list of where chn are currently in hand, and focus or obj at the top of a sheet, then you interacting and questioning with the chn to draw evidence of their thinking.

 

I really want this to work next term, but I'm beginning to feel that I'm losing confidence in my ability to provide a stimulating env that allows me to asses where chn are.

[flowlow]

Hi Johanna1

We don't have a 'cohort' as we have children moving into our Pre-school Room throughout the year as they turn three. Also, we have lots and lots of different attendance patterns so it isn't like school where everybody comes all day everyday (or at least a half day every day). I think it would be hard for us to divide children into different levels of attainment as it would change so much day-to-day. So I'll be watching with interest.

 

Hi Beehive we are actually the same as you with children moving into the pre-school each term and not the same children in every day. This is the way we worked it the children that are moving up to school become one cohort and the children staying with us become the next. Even if the cohort increases as each term goes by we still think in terms of leavers and stayers! With our objective focus I asked the key workers to look where their children are in our focus area and then we made our groups from that. (there was some best fit decisions) then as we don't have all the children in every day we ran the focus over several weeks adjusting if needed at our planing meetings. So some children stayed in the group for next time some moved into a different group, some groups needed their focus adjusting completely. It does work but does take a little extra thinking about. This term we have only had two focus areas partly because we wanted to get our head around things before going for loads and partly because these areas were a real need for most of the children we had. Next half a term we will keep the language and communication one I think as there are still high numbers of children that need this but we will changes the other. Hope all that makes sense.

[flowlow]

Hi Johanna1,

 

1. Continuous provision - this is part of our long term planning I.e. Listing regular/ always available resources. We are Using ABC environment plan to review this each term and tweak accordingly.

2. Enhanced provision - weekly plan has a box to show how we might be enhancing the CP either to met interests, individual needs or anything we want to introduce such as Harvest Festival recently. We only list the 'new' stuff we,re putting out.

3. Objective led- we are going to try and implement 3 at a time, we plan to review at the end of each week and might well carry on with same plan for another week if we think appropriate.

4. Whole group/ teacher led times - planning for phonics etc

 

 

thanks so much griffclan can I ask then would you have an aim/objective for each area?

so at the moment I have seven little hexagons on my planning sheet and I just write what we might be aiming for in that area so not to actually have 'stations' in the room for each area as all provision can be all seven, but just maybe:

psed - collaboration and working together

so wherever we are that might be something we look for or encourage. Obviously each aim was chosen based on need/interest/schema etc... but I wondered if I really needed to do this or if I just say ok CP covers all areas and we would naturally pick up on what children are engaging with or working towards and then just have the areas of focus. So last term it would have been psed and communication and speech which was chosen by assessing the cohort needs.

Also would you then just use your environment plan as the log of your continuous provision or do you have a separate list and the environment plan becomes the evaluation?

we have some sheets I made up on the wall that has for example small world and then all the things that that would/could cover and links to areas of learning and COL's. On top I was logging the cp on the planning but this seemed too much. So would the environment plan (updated every term) be enough do you think?

I also use ABC's feed forward plan so this is our reflection on the last week and then how that is informing the next week. This covers environment what working and not, the new experiences we want the children to have and any interests, schemas, next steps, how we are progressing with objective focus and how we plan to get parent involved.

[flowlow]

Hi Heaton

as you can see from this post I am not sure I have it all clear either but in your situation this is what I might start with.

We started with a statement of need. So basically for the first week/two weeks we just observed all the children and logged anything that might be a common need for all the children on a form ( the key workers logged the information for individuals). So on my list I became aware on one session that we had a lot of children with language support needs of one form or another so we wrote what we would like them to do and then at this stage listed the names so you have a record of informal obs to back up why you have chosen an objective focus. We then looked at all the children and made a best fit assessment into three groups so the ones with where children where now and what the next steps would be. This is then what we took into the provision the following week and again logged when children achieved next steps so when it came to evaluation we could adjust.

This means we don't automatically focus on core areas we focus on the area of need which comes form the children and which could be different every year.

Sounds like for you maths or counting might be it so I would go through the above with that area in mind. I don't do the above process for every area as I feel this would be too much. I do at the moment have a aim or objective in as much as psed working on collaboration, c&l extend language etc.. which we then take to the children in their play but as you can see from my posts I think this maybe too much. I may not do this but focus in on maybe 2/3 area in depth.

Our adult led doesn't look like adult led all the time. We have here taken advice from the way ABC does things and mostly go to the children. Our adult led might be just adding certain resources and waiting to see what children do with that, or it might be that we watch carefully what they are doing and then add a guide or an extension at the activity, rather than having a set time, set activity or pulling them away from play to a set table. We have found in practice this allows us more freedom to meet individual needs not less.

does any of that help??

[Guest]

Thanks again for such a considered response. I think I need some examples from people running obj led planning already.

A few more questions: Should all children be on an area of focus sheet. Or can it apply to just some of the chn. Not all chn wil have the same need.

For instance - I have some children with poor language skills, who would by my lower ability. I would want to work on developing vocabulary, so I guess that would mainly come from modelling. My middle group are beginning to connect ideas, using more complex sentences, so securing that would be the next step. My highers are very articulate, use tenses correctly etc, and a good vocab generally. Would they need to be on this focus sheet at all – maybe next steps is linking statements or responding to others.

However, I’m not completely sold on how I show this as a focus, over and above any other week. That this, this would be such a big area for chn who come from households with generally poor vocabulary. I wouldn’t necessarily see the progress of chn in just a few weeks, and it isn’t as if I would stop focusing on it in later weeks. Wouldn’t it always be a focus as the children ‘evolve.’ The sort of thing I’d do to help develop language would be the sort of things that us practitioners would do all the time isn’t it – so I’m struggling with what I’d show on my focus sheet to demonstrate what I’m doing to facilitate next steps over and above any other week. Hope I'm clear...

 

Similarly making relationships. How do I show what I'm doing to support it, over and above any other week - it's a constant isn't it?

 

I think I'm much clearer when it comes to mark making, number etc on how I assess need, show the provision I've made and monitor progress.

 

Arrghh, I'm stressing about his now and can't get on with my planning, yet promised myself I'm chill more this half term.

[finleysmaid]

remember to SMART target any next steps. So if you are looking at laguage skills target them to parts of the body or dinosaur names or ????? this will extend the language of the children in a more organised way

[Guest]

Hi Johanna 1

No I don't have an objective on my weekly planning for each AOL, only for the specific areas we are covering on objective led planning. I do worry that I need to spread objective led planning over all 7 AOL and how to do that and that was one of the questions I emailed ABC about. This is what I asked;

 

With objective led planning I get that on entry assessment will provide a starting point by highlighting particular needs e.g. my current class PD needs supporting as many struggle to hold scissors or a pencil etc. This might mean we'd concentrate on PD for quite a while as its a Prime area. My question is, do you think that's ok or should we still be planning for a balance across all AOL in objective led planning, or is that covered in CP ??

He replied;

 

I would teach my direct/core sessions through other AOL thereby getting engagement and coverage. I would also reflect other areas in my continuous provision enhancement.

 

So I'm thinking that we can justify that we plan for all 7 areas each week through CP, enhancements, adult led and objective led.

Like you I've got CP sheets for small world etc that show general resources, links to AOL, how adults might support in this area and possible links to development matters statements. I'm using the environment plan on top of that to reflect and adjust CP for children's needs. So after doing our initial on entry assessment of the children we've written up our Autumn term environment plan. I haven't listed all the CP in each area again but specified certain relevant items and why e.g. On my CP sheet for creative workshop area resources such as glue, scissors etc are listed but on the environment plan I've been more specific were needed and said that we've put out some 'spring loaded' scissors for the children who we're using two hands to hold scissors, some adult training scissors and a few pairs of regular scissors for the children who are starting to use scissors with one hand so more than just scissors as stated on CP sheets. This reflects (hopefully) that we know our current group of children and supporting them by what we put in CP. The Autumn set up is fairly detailed (but just in bullet points) Some time this term we will plan to stand back and observe how the CP is working (ABC uses a ticklist system for each area to see if used and by who) we will then use that along with our knowledge of where the children are at to adjust the environment /CP. We' ll then just list on environment plan any changes and why. For example in the past we'd noticed our book corner wasn't being used so we moved its position, added some more bean bags (as we only had 1) and put in some comics that linked to interests e.g hot wheels for the boys that never went anywhere near the book corner.

 

Hope I've explained that clearly, it's so hard sometimes to put into words what you do!

Can I ask you something about next steps..... When you talk about using the feed forward sheet for next steps as well as reflections on objectives do you have other individual next steps for children in addition to the next steps that are on your objective led planning?

Edited October 29, 2013 by griffclan5

[Guest]

Hi,

I haven't read all of the replies on this topic but just wanted to say something that we found really useful. We use a tracker to record each child's progress which is filled in once a term. We also fill in a group tracker with all of the children on one sheet with all of the aol. This straight away shows where all of the children are and gives you areas to focus on. For example it showed that numbers were an area that needed some work so we focus on numbers that term ( as well as communication for instance). Obviously we have CP which covers all areas. Our planning is focused on the children's interests which are most prevalent each week, each child gets a turn eventually. Our planning is so flexible that we don't even have medium term planning anymore ( this was even suggested by County so I know it's ok)!

I have attached a group tracker plus a continuous provision file for construction..... is this similar to what other people are using?

construction on going.odt

group tracker.odt

[green hippo]

Very interesting thread

We do this but with individual targets for each child. Am thinking of adding one differentiated target for all children.

We do small group direct teaching sessions each day which cover all AOLs through week. Does ABC suggest how many direct teaching sessions there should be?

Thanks Green Hippo x

[Guest]

I am from a Playschool by the way!

x

[flowlow]

 

Hope I've explained that clearly, it's so hard sometimes to put into words what you do!

Can I ask you something about next steps..... When you talk about using the feed forward sheet for next steps as well as reflections on objectives do you have other individual next steps for children in addition to the next steps that are on your objective led planning?

thanks griffclan I think I am now getting my head around what we are going to do (fingers crossed)

What we have is a table that has different sections, the first being environment - so here we say what worked from the week before what didn't, what we would change so it might be as you said no one using the book corner so we will move it! then we have space saying what have we noted about individual and group interests/support needs/schemas etc.. and that is under the unique child section. We would also comment on how the objective led is getting on and if there are any additional experiences we would like the children to have from observing them over the week. We may also here note any particular next steps that key workers need help with in order to work with certain children. Then lastly how we plan to get parents involved. That is basically the sheet.

As far as next steps for individual children we are trying to link these with objectives however we do have some children who may need some to run alongside. For example it might be learning to use the toilet, or observing boundaries or maybe working towards tidying up when requested etc... so sort of fundamental skills but easy to do additionally to everything else. That's the plan any way

[flowlow]

 

For instance - I have some children with poor language skills, who would by my lower ability. I would want to work on developing vocabulary, so I guess that would mainly come from modelling. My middle group are beginning to connect ideas, using more complex sentences, so securing that would be the next step. My highers are very articulate, use tenses correctly etc, and a good vocab generally. Would they need to be on this focus sheet at all – maybe next steps is linking statements or responding to others.

 

Similarly making relationships. How do I show what I'm doing to support it, over and above any other week - it's a constant isn't it?

 

Hi Heaton

 

I can only really comment on what we did but assessing language skills we were in a similar position, had many who needed the support but a core group that you may not have picked up on this. However that core group still have next steps that could be achieved and actually we found that as key workers we were looking at thing like bringing in narratives to their play, or using talk to communicate their understanding and thinking etc... so it did all tie in really. We just (I hope) differentiated well.

In terms of showing it or seeing progress we have a column where we date and note briefly the observation of them meeting the next step (sometimes if it is a longer obs we just date and say where it is e.g. learning journey ) and then you can see how they are doing. We evaluate every week and note our evaluations at the bottom. Sometimes we have felt it appropriate to keep it the same, other times we have tweaked it a little and if children have progressed then we move them up to the next group (providing that is appropriate)

 

In terms of relationships then yes I would feel that it is always there however you could maybe think about linking children up to make friends or playing circle games etc... and this then can be shown both on planning and photo in a file etc...

[flowlow]

Hi,

I haven't read all of the replies on this topic but just wanted to say something that we found really useful. We use a tracker to record each child's progress which is filled in once a term. We also fill in a group tracker with all of the children on one sheet with all of the aol. This straight away shows where all of the children are and gives you areas to focus on. For example it showed that numbers were an area that needed some work so we focus on numbers that term ( as well as communication for instance). Obviously we have CP which covers all areas. Our planning is focused on the children's interests which are most prevalent each week, each child gets a turn eventually. Our planning is so flexible that we don't even have medium term planning anymore ( this was even suggested by County so I know it's ok)!

I have attached a group tracker plus a continuous provision file for construction..... is this similar to what other people are using?

construction on going.odt

group tracker.odt

Hi Lucyellen

This is similar to use too looks different but exactly the same information supplied. We have a tracker at the front of each file to fill out each half term and then a group one I do every term. CP sheet was again very similar to what I have and will now add environment plan as well

[flowlow]

Very interesting thread

We do this but with individual targets for each child. Am thinking of adding one differentiated target for all children.

We do small group direct teaching sessions each day which cover all AOLs through week. Does ABC suggest how many direct teaching sessions there should be?

Thanks Green Hippo x

I haven't picked up on that green hippo but maybe someone else has. We don't have much in the way of direct teaching sessions, we get together first thing and last thing and then leave the direct input from us as flexible based on the day and group of children.

[green hippo]

With objective led planning I get that on entry assessment will provide a starting point by highlighting particular needs e.g. my current class PD needs supporting as many struggle to hold scissors or a pencil etc. This might mean we'd concentrate on PD for quite a while as its a Prime area. My question is, do you think that's ok or should we still be planning for a balance across all AOL in objective led planning, or is that covered in CP ??

He replied;

 

I would teach my direct/core sessions through other AOL thereby getting engagement and coverage. I would also reflect other areas in my continuous provision enhancement.

 

 

Just wondered from this reply from ABC where he say he would teach direct/sore sessions to cover other AOLs - I assume he is referring to his 'virtual base times' - did he suggest how many of these or just whatever you feel is necessary for the children?

Thanks

Green Hippo x

[Guest]

Just wondered from this reply from ABC where he say he would teach direct/sore sessions to cover other AOLs - I assume he is referring to his 'virtual base times' - did he suggest how many of these or just whatever you feel is necessary for the children?

Thanks

Green Hippo x

Hi Green Hippo ,

In his book on CP he talks about having up to 3 a day of these adult directed taught times when you gather the children together, depending on the age and ability of the children. He suggests They are usually based around phonics, maths and literacy but can be focused on anything. I always feel that most of what he says is very Reception class based and so needs tweaking for nursery ( I teach in both)

He also gives a generic timetable that can be tweaked to suit;

1. Self registration with a short session of CP (usually just limited to just some of the CP and perhaps targeted for particular needs having a weekly focus with same activities out every day)

2. All together/ carpet time - he calls this interest session - an opportunity to hear what children are interested in, and for adults to introduce ideas and concepts or signpost learning opportunities available that day etc this session would have a weekly talk focus.

3. Virtual base time 1

4. CP session 1 with adults using objective led planning

5. Brief tidy up

6. Virtual base time 2

7. Lunch

8. Assess and review session - talking about what they've done already today

9. Virtual base time 3

10. CP session 2

11. Tidy up

12. Carpet time to end the day - stories, songs and round up the day.

Hope this helps,

[Guest]

Thanks again for such a considered response. I think I need some examples from people running obj led planning already.

 

For instance - I have some children with poor language skills, who would by my lower ability. I would want to work on developing vocabulary, so I guess that would mainly come from modelling. My middle group are beginning to connect ideas, using more complex sentences, so securing that would be the next step. My highers are very articulate, use tenses correctly etc, and a good vocab generally. Would they need to be on this focus sheet at all – maybe next steps is linking statements or responding to others.

However, I’m not completely sold on how I show this as a focus, over and above any other week. That this, this would be such a big area for chn who come from households with generally poor vocabulary. I wouldn’t necessarily see the progress of chn in just a few weeks, and it isn’t as if I would stop focusing on it in later weeks. Wouldn’t it always be a focus as the children ‘evolve.’ The sort of thing I’d do to help develop language would be the sort of things that us practitioners would do all the time isn’t it – so I’m struggling with what I’d show on my focus sheet to demonstrate what I’m doing to facilitate next steps over and above any other week. Hope I'm clear...

 

Similarly making relationships. How do I show what I'm doing to support it, over and above any other week - it's a constant isn't it?

 

I think I'm much clearer when it comes to mark making, number etc on how I assess need, show the provision I've made and monitor progress.

 

Arrghh, I'm stressing about his now and can't get on with my planning, yet promised myself I'm chill more this half term.

Hi Heaton,

Yes I think lots of things we just automatically do as part of our teaching, it's just good practise. I think for me one of the real benefits of this sort of objective led planning is that it helps you to focus on the needs of your children very specifically within different aspects of the curriculum and yet still grouping them so that it's manageable and the focus is off getting them all to do an activity for the activities sake!

I haven't got a copy of our planning filled in that I can post as we've been handwriting pro formas for a trial period. I think it is easier to see how it works with maths, so maybe start with that until you get your head round it. However, I can see now how it works with other areas such as talk etc. You'd still have all your children on the same sheet but split into the 3 groups ( or more if needed) that as you outlined above, say what they can do now related to talk eg simple sentences then what the next step is for this group e.g using words like and / because to make more complex sentences.

You might well end up with what seems like very different objectives for all 3 groups but they will all be talk related and so as a staff you'll know that this is the focus this week because you,ve identified talk as something you'd like to support. Sometimes we' ve listed a few possible starter activities to help staff with ideas, not so much things that you'd call the children over to do but things you might take into their play to support objectives. In the case of something like "talk" it might just be that coming alongside in the play and modelling using words like and / because is all you'd do, but this is now intentional and for purpose rather than random.

I've found that the key to making this sort of planning work is to be specific on the focus, so I wouldn't just say PD, but one week I might look at cutting with scissors as this is a big need for the majority of children, A lot can't hold scissors, let alone cut with them ! This objective is still relevant for the few children who can hold scissors to cut as their next step might be to follow a line to cut something out fairly accurately . I'd therefore put a range of scissors, paper, perhaps comics or magazines, maybe some cutting skills sheets out in my CP to support this . The hard bit can then be taking these items to the children who are just building with the Duplo on the carpet . Sometimes I get inspiration about how they might like to make a sign by cutting out pictures that would link to their Duplo creations but other times we've had to review at the end of the week and look at ways next week we could link cutting skills to the interests of those children who still haven't picked a pair of scissors up.

Hope that helps and wasn't too much of a ramble!

[Guest]

Hey I have just been appointed as a playgroup leader and am searching for ideas on planning and would like to know would it possible to see a example of your planning

[green hippo]

Hi,

So here we are again almost at the beginning of a new term!!! I am going to give the whole-class objective-led planning a go. In the past we have run with 2 or 3 individual next steps and although it has been successful, at times, it has been a real headache to keep track of where everyone was up to.

I'm going to try to have 2 focus areas for objective-led planning then have 1 individual next step for any child who has a particular area of difficultly that needs more focus on over a period of time. Fortunately, there will be 3 of us, so I'm going to give 1 of us the task of finding the children with the individual next steps (like interventions) so we can really show what we are doing for those children that are not at the expected age and stage. I'm not quite sure how to run the 2 focus areas - is it best to give each adult a focus area that they are responsible for or just to work together and cross-reference or to have 1 particularly area but with the other in mind so that if an ideal opportunity came up to work on the other area or both at the same time then you could run with it and then inform the adult who is responsible who you have worked with.

Also, at the end of the week, if you have a few children who need extra support in their objective would you carry this over just for them or repeat the focus area but making the objective different for those that have achieved?

Thanks,

Green Hippo x