Next steps

[Guest sophsmile26]

Hi everyone, I've had the big O in this week and need to change my next steps for various reasons.
1. How do you link/show next steps on your planning?
2. How do you show that you've followed it through and what is the time scale for this?
3. How many next steps should a child have and where should they be shown?
Thank you so much in advance

[bubblejack]

Each staff member with key children(5 keypersons) are allocated a week to do the planning. They plan

the weeks activities to suit their own childrens next steps. Other children have a go throughout week

but Target children are encouraged to do it on a daily basis. Keypersons work on this throughout term

then when achieved adult finds a few more. Next steps are written down in childrens folder, when

achieved date is written down alongside. Children normally have 2/4 next steps. We also inform

parents of next steps if children seem unable to move forward. Haven't got a clue if this method will

suit big O but it suits our group.

[Rafa]

Oooo your scarying me now sophsmile26! All our children have Individual learning plans (next steps). Each keyperson chooses a 'child of the week'. Its up to the keyperson to work with continuous provision or select additional resources to help the 'child of the week' achieve or work towards a next step. As for how many, well we tend to choose something for each area (prime areas only for u/3s) as some next steps maybe as simple as experiencing something new and these are achieved during the general day to day activities eg: joins in actions in music movement. Like bubblejack I have no idea if we will get the thumbs up from O for 'our way'. Our last ofsted was 4 years ago and im sure we've changed it 4 times since! Each year we try a 'better way' ha ha. Just wish they're was ONE way and then we can be sure we are pleasing the O mighty one : /

[blondie]

we give one next step for each area (under 3 in prime only) and the staff would then do a small group activity to cover a certain next step - they would follow this up with working with them in session if needed and consolidate on the learning. x

[Buttercup]

Each child has a next steps sheet in their learning journal. 2 next steps each which key persons fill out. evidence gathered and recorded on sheet. e.g. is able to climb - see photo in lj etc. These are changed as each child reaches next step. Key persons uses continuous provision to observe or plans an activity if required. These are not recorded on planning sheet rightly or wrongly. Each week I ask if any one wants any thing on plans each week same response from staff. I do think that most things can be observed through every day activities we do and dont need a special activity to achieve this.

Agree with you Rafa wish there was one method for all then tweeked to meet our provision.

Buttercup

[Guest sophsmile26]

Thank you all for your replies I'm still a bit confused about following up the next steps. We have to put them in our Maths and Literacy books in Reception but I was told I haven't followed these up. So if a child's next step is to 'count 15 objects' do I then plan an activity which enables them to reach this? I've been told my Learning journerys don't need next steps in just books

[Guest]

We (in Reception) record next steps for each child for literacy and maths in a next steps book. Then we date the entry each time we work towards it before ticking it off when achieved.

Next steps are identified in our marking in books and may be worked on straight away (eg letter formation) or transferred to the next steps book for more long term attention.

Then when ever we have two minutes we look in the n/s book and have a purpose in working alongside a child, or look out for their development in freely chosen activities. We do set aside time each week to work on next steps systematically, working with each child, individually if necessary, just for a few minutes. Marking is referred back to before starting a new piece of recording.

Next steps are recorded in evaluations and feed into the following weeks planning so we might enrich an area to support a particular child.

It worries me that the focus is so strongly on Literacy and Maths, so we have next steps entries in the book across the curriculum too.

I would very much like to find a simple system for recording the 'next steps' work - have tried various ways and using a book is cumbersome but seems to work for us for now. However it is important to have evidence of next steps being identified and worked on. With the big O looming we are going to extra lengths to make sure it is all written down, so a marking comment may be 'Well done Tabitha! you have remembered to write the letter a correctly. Next time please leave a clear space between each word.' so that the previous n/s is referred to and a new one set.

This doesn't feel as though I've been very clear, but I hope it makes some kind of sense. Still searching for an elegant recording system!

[Guest sophsmile26]

Thank you for your reply, I like your idea of a next steps book. Does this have a list of every child in and then their next step written alongside and then dated when achieved?

When you refer back to marking do you write where you have the evidence that the next step has been achieved on the original piece of work that had the next step on?

Also how often do you follow up your next steps for other areas of the curriculum? I see these next steps as taking longer.

Yes I agree it would be good to have some sort of simple recording system as everyone and every school seems to have a different approach!

[Guest]

next steps book. Does this have a list of every child in and then their next step written alongside and then dated when achieved?

Each child has own page, comments written in a different colour of pen so they stand out, or might just date to show worked on, then finally write 'achieved' and date.

When you refer back to marking do you write where you have the evidence that the next step has been achieved on the original piece of work that had the next step on?

no, hadn' t thought of doing so!

Also how often do you follow up your next steps for other areas of the curriculum? I see these next steps as taking longer.

We do this during time allocated for 'next steps' work - usually Fridays. We do also set up scenarios to allow children to work towards a next step as often as possible in free choice activities, especially for PD, UW and EAD. Yes, they do usually take a bit longer to achieve, though I wouldn't like to say whether that's because he children take longer to master them or we take longer to notice thanks to literacy and numeracy being so dominant.

Yes I agree it would be good to have some sort of simple recording system as everyone and every school seems to have a different approach!

Here's hoping, though if something was imposed I guess I'd be first in the line of rebels!!

 

Hope this helps.

[Guest sophsmile26]

Thank you for your reply- you've made it all a lot clearer to me! I'm going to use a next steps book and see how it goes for now. Also going to allocate some 'next steps' following up time on my timetable too.

I moved to a new local authority in September and they have very different approaches to where I've worked before in EYFS.

Anyways thank you for your advice