2 year checks - when?

[Emma_t12]

Hello everyone I was wondering how long do you wait to complete a 2 year check?

I work in a pre-school and new 2 year olds started in september, how long do you observe and get to know your children before you do their 2 year check summary?

I have 2 written observations in learning journey of a new key child and the child has been to pre-school 3 times (3 hour sessions ) and my manager said I need to do the 2 year check now.

Any advice /comments please!

[Panders]

I think we all do them when we feel we have sufficient evidence. Sometimes the children don't start with us until they are nearly 3, but because they are still 2 we still do a 2 year check - which will be remarkably different to a child who has just turned 2!

 

On my LA's 2 Year Check form it says, "significant learning in the past 2 months", so clearly they are expecting us to take that long to gather evidence. Depending upon how often a child is with you and exactly what you want to check, and how many children you have that need a check will obviously determine when you do it.

 

We have to cover all 3 prime areas - I am looking for them to be developing in the 22-36 month range and we then have to plot them as to whether they are entering, developing or secure in each of the 3 areas.

[Guest]

You cannot do a check if you don't know the child. I would not be advising my staff to do a check after seeing her 3 times.

Ours will be done by half term most of our children who require the check will have been with us for 5 weeks approx.

[thumperrabbit]

I've had a child start who does 3hours a week - so since she started she has completed 9 hours she turned 3 yesterday - she did have a health visitor check at 2yrs 3mths and all was well (according to mum, we have no reason to disbelieve her)

 

We don't feel that we know her well enough, she seems capable for her age but when only attending for such a short time we don't really know her yet.

 

Sometimes getting the timing right on these checks is very difficult!

[Stargrower]

I agree with Suer, you need to know the child before you do the check. They can be done any time between the 2nd and 3rd birthday. Depending on how often a child attends, we usually wait at least a couple of months before we do the check.

[finleysmaid]

The problem with this is that the government say the check MUST be done by the time they are three so actually i wonder whether ofsted would have an issue . Our lea guidelines are now that we do them by their third birthday...no ifs or buts. I have done two on entry this year with the parents (just like an HV would do) then have said we will assess and get back to them with concerns within 6 weeks. I now ask to see their red book and sign in there the date they started pre-school.

[Guest]

Hi all, we take from 2 and the way we have decided to do the checks so that we don't forget is all children who come to us as soon as they are 2 have their progress check done at two and a half - all those who join later just before they are 3 at 2 years 11 months. We also try whenever possible to fit in with the health visitor checks but only if we know the child well enough to produce the report!

[Guest]

As long as you can justify why it was done that should be fine. If I had a child start and few weeks after starting she turned 3 I wouldn't do one.

[Guest]

Hi there it says in the statutory guidance that you should undertake to do a progress check at 2 between the child's age between 2-3 and this can be agreed by parents and the setting when you this would be most beneficial to be undertaken. Our LA suggests doing it at 29 months so that the parents can show our checks to their health visitors at their Healthy child at 2 check to try and get the envisaged inter professional working process working. xxxx

[Stargrower]

I guess all Health Authorities work differently as our children have their HV check as soon as they turn two...

[hopeytg]

Our last Ofsted inspector recommended trying to do 2 yr checks at a similar time to the HV check, she suggested we liaise with the family so the checks coincide, so far this has worked well.

[zigzag]

Our children come to us at two and a half sometimes later. We ensure a check is completed by their third birthday, but it is usually the week before they are three!! I refuse to do this any earlier as they only come to us two sessions a week at this age and I really need to be able to evidence the information that I am putting on this document. I have just had to complete one for a child who turned three yesterday but has only been with us for seven sessions!! (not easy)

I had this battle with our quality improvement officer just before the summer holidays. I complete a progress chart within the first half term of a child starting at pre-school. As we all know you do not really get to see the real child until they are secure and settled. So my belief is that by six weeks the child should be secure and engaged with everything that is on offer and really able to show us where there development is. I was told that this MUST be done within two weeks. I totally get that we need to know a child's starting point and be able to show progress from this but I really think two weeks, which amounts to four sessions is ridiculous.

Sorry for the rant, have had a big glass of wine after a long week.

[Guest]

I think it needs to be made clearer as to when they're done to be honest as we've had this arguement at our setting too.

 

We've been doing them when our 2 year olds are close to turning 3, but then after attending training on 2 year old development and the subject being brought up, I argued that they should be done sooner. I think they should be done by the time they're 30 months else they become a little redundant.

[Devondaisy]

It's difficult isn't it? But I have just done one for a child who started with us in Sept who will be 3 in Dec. I needed to do a review anyway as we always do a parent review after 6 weeks, so have done the 2 year check instead of the usual review. This particular child does 2 mornings a week with us and I feel I know her quite well so happy to do it. But I make decisions on an individual basis and I don't think I would be so confident if I had only seen the child twice in the setting....if it needs to be done it would be mush more of a 2 way flow of information with parents I think, to get a true picture of abilities.

[starsdance]

I have the same issue as zigzag whereby our quality improvement officer has said that all starting points and 2 year checks must be done in the first week as that will give you the chance to show improvement when Ofsted come to visit.

My issue with this is that when you have 2 year olds it can take a few weeks for them to settle and to get a true reflection of where they are at. But, if this is what they want this is what they will get.

[lashes2508]

Zigzag/ stars dance do what is realistic for all concerned and state your reasons to Ofsted it will show your passion and professional approach to ensure you get a clearer picture surely that is better than bowing to something you know and many others share your view too that the first week is too soon.

Many HV have to do 2 yr checks and probably don't know the child or can assess much in short visit with a child, unless the child was coming and parents or other health professionals give support and informed you of send or other difficulties with child , would I say maybe sooner but not necessarily.

[MarshaD]

Doesn't the foundation years booklet state that a child should be settled before the check is made? I fail to see how your advisor thinks you can make any meaningful progress check on a child that has been with you for a week! One of our children who started in September had to be peeled away from carer, sobbing for about a month (two sessions per week). A check of him engaging in the activities and interacting with peers which he does now of course surely gives a better reflection of whether on not development is age appropriate. I think to do it early just so you can show progress isn't in interests of the child or parents and in fact is at best artificial and worst unethical.

[thumperrabbit]

Our September starters are EXTREMELY young this year and we are really struggling to be positive, trying to do the reports a little earlier than we used to.

Is anyone else finding them a 'challenge'

Speech & toilet training is virtually non-existent in our under 3's

[Wildflowers]

Their purpose is to become aware of and communicate any concerns about a child's development, which is difficult with the 2 to 2 1/2 year olds. When they are approaching 3 years, one can better determine if any particular support needs to be given, particularly if the child has been in the setting for a while and has had opportunities to interact with other children, climb, practise toileting, eat independently etc.

[thumperrabbit]

Their purpose is to become aware of and communicate any concerns about a child's development, which is difficult with the 2 to 2 1/2 year olds. When they are approaching 3 years, one can better determine if any particular support needs to be given, particularly if the child has been in the setting for a while and has had opportunities to interact with other children, climb, practise toileting, eat independently etc.

I agree and this is why we always like to wait until at least 2.5yrs as usually by the time they do get to 3 they have caught up.

Nearly all of our children have had their health visitor 2yr check and they are saying everything is ok, even though speech & toileting are not where they should be at this point in time.