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New planning ideas for newbie manager ?


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I have taken over as manager of an outstanding, traditional, morning only, pack away setting that I have worked at for a number of years. We are only small and have 5 staff and all work well together.

Our planning has been ok with the big "O" but I'm not sure it will be with all the changes so am looking to update/change it but boy is it difficult to get my head around having done it one way for so long !!! Or maybe I'm trying to re invent the wheel and should leave it alone !!??!!

We have good continuous provision ie library corner, role play area, craft drawers, malleable play, painting, construction area, physical area, large mat, tuff spots etc all with resources for children to access. Our planning is done a week ahead- we plan which toys/resources are going out ( have to have an idea what is coming out the shed) based on children's interests, and the focus for the week which is driven by the next steps that are needing to be done ie. numbers, so will be numbers in the sand to find, game with dice to use, hopscotch etc. all the staff then use these focus activities to take the learning to the children in the play that most interests them. It works well and but I am just feeling un sure as to how to show enhancements ,differentiation etcetera ... We do it all but just don't document it I guess.

Does anyone have a system they use that they would be willing to share as I would love to see other ways of doing it! Or is there a "method" that works really well.

Thanks in advance for any help and sorry for the long post !!!

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I will be following this thread with interest - sorry I can't offer any help but planning is the one thing I have never been happy with - we have tried so many different ideas and nothing seems right. At the moment we have a pre-printed sheet and add what we have done at the end of the day. If there are specific activities ie Mother's Day they are added with suggested activities but other than that it is all done retrospectively. I am happy to share our planning sheet if you like - think I pinched it off here.

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Oh would love to see your sheet.. Thanks for sharing ! It's a mine field once you start changing things and I doubt I will ever be totally happy with it but then again that means we are constantly enhancing and re evaluating .... That's Ofsted want !!!

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Congrats on your post I too am manager of an outstanding pre school that is a packaway . I have been running it for past 10 yrs.

 

My question to you is why only put out numbers as enhancement for the time you are completing next steps for your children. Things like numbers should be there all the time, what happens if you have a child who suddenly gets numbers and wants to link or use them but can't is they aren't there this week.

 

We have movable trolleys that have all bits on from natural bits like shells stones corks to puzzles numbers scales, small world.

The children choose weekly to have different stuff out, less is definitely more though

We have cork boards which have laminated numbers on them stuck around at strategic places eg snack area home corner construction area

 

We don't make a note of enhancements we just do them, usually because we have verbalised as a team. Enhancements for individual children noted by their key person is written on a weekly planning sheet that each staff is responsible for writing up. They plan individually for each child

 

Hope that makes sense!!

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make a note of enhancements we just do them, usually because we have verbalised as a team. Enhancements for individual children noted by their key person is written on a weekly planning sheet that each staff is responsible for writing up. They plan individually for each child

Hope that makes sense!!

Hi Suer, your planning sounds similar to ours, do you not record any of the toys you have out each day then? How do you plan individually for each child?

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We have a continuous provision sheet completed weekly and includes what the children have chosen for the week. What we don't do is link those resources to D M

Key people plan individually for their children. They have between 5 and 7 each and base planning on individual interests they then link what they want them to learn,their DM schemas, COfEL

 

Each key person has a set day to complete, during the week incidental obs are made

 

Working this way ensures that each member of staff truly know their children. And children individually learning and interests are met

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Great to hear what you do Suer.... In response to your comment about "numbers" we of course have numbers in print and resources out in our CP on a daily basis. It is difficult to write everything out on a post isn't it !! I am trying to come up with a sheet for planning that all KP can add to for their children for the following week ...

Thank you for your ideas... We'll get there but with "O" looming I want to get my head round it soon !!!

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