Next Steps

[sallye86]

Hello

I have been discussing with my manager and colleagues how we can ensure that each practitioner knows the next steps for the children in their room. We know what they are, however, reading up on inspections has made me realise that maybe we need to put a system in place. Can anyone share their experience from inspections and how they monitored the children's learning and what your strategies are please?

 

Thanks

[Joanne123]

Watching this with interest. With higher numbers attending we need more of a system.

[Wildflowers]

Ours are not a direct follow-ons from observations of what children can do; they are what individual children are about to be able to do. Let's say someone is balancing with a bit of a wooble, almost catching a ball, or counting to 20 missing 15 - that would then be their next step. (Zone of proximal development)

[finleysmaid]

our next steps are put on a summary sheet which is posted in the room and outside but i realised a while ago that because of the way we work they have to be more transportable. I found some small photo display books in our local stationers they are just big enough to fit in a pocket or to be attached to a key chain. I now print out a small version of the next steps and everyone carries tham around. This way they know ALL the childrens info not just their own key children.

[Wildflowers]

I now print out a small version of the next steps and everyone carries them around. This way they know ALL the children's info not just their own key children.

Having next steps in files don't make much sense. At least I can't remember everyone's, so be able to take opportunities to model something or provide a challenge etc., they need to be available in the midst of the action.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Wildflowers

[finleysmaid]

Having next steps in files don't make much sense. At least I can't remember everyone's, so be able to take opportunities to model something or provide a challenge etc., they need to be available in the midst of the action.

they have always been posted on the walls inside and out but the new portable system works much better...as you say impossible to remember 60 children's next steps!

[Joanne123]

they have always been posted on the walls inside and out but the new portable system works much better...as you say impossible to remember 60 children's next steps!

Do you show next steps for each section of every area?

[finleysmaid]

Do you show next steps for each section of every area?

we dont do that! each child has one next step! (as some are only in 3 times a week) I'm not a believer in setting next steps for areas that the children may not need to cover at the time (so if they are good at numbers but rubbish at talking then i would concentrate on the speaking first)

[Wildflowers]

We have two types of next steps - the longer-term more developmentally related (medium term), which could be related to confidence or ability to be attentive, and those that need targeted practise with adult input, such as first sound or number recognition (short-term).

[finleysmaid]

We have two types of next steps - the longer-term more developmentally related (medium term), which could be related to confidence or ability to be attentive, and those that need targeted practise with adult input, such as first sound or number recognition (short-term).

yes similar here too as the parents are given a termly next step (ie toilet training /improve counting etc etc)

[Joanne123]

I'm not a believer in setting next steps for areas that the children may not need to cover at the time (so if they are good at numbers but rubbish at talking then i would concentrate on the speaking first)

 

I agree, just sometimes worry whether we are doing enough!

[finleysmaid]

I'm not a believer in setting next steps for areas that the children may not need to cover at the time (so if they are good at numbers but rubbish at talking then i would concentrate on the speaking first)

 

I agree, just sometimes worry whether we are doing enough!

ofsted loved our planning when they saw it ....although the next inspector might hate it of course!

[bluestar]

We do most of our obs on post it notes then write on the back what the next steps are then every term we set our own key children's learning intentions/next steps for the next term x

[finleysmaid]

We do most of our obs on post it notes then write on the back what the next steps are then every term we set our own key children's learning intentions/next steps for the next term x

do you not find that the next steps are irrelevant by then? most of ours would achieve their next steps in a 2 week period, sometimes they need to have them repeated for the next two week period but if they haven't done it by then i would say they are not ready and revisit it later on...or is it that your next steps are more global than that?

[bluestar]

It depends really if it is a small next step or something that takes a little longer. Key persons work on their childrens next steps on a ongoing daily basis anything that is taking a little longer goes on their learning intentions/next steps.

[SL58]

We put next steps onto the observation sheet and write them into the weekly update of each child's Learning Journey and then put them into next weeks short term plans.