Managers as keyperson

[Guest]

Just a quick question, as manager of a setting with 29 2,3 and 4 yr olds I have struggled as a key person, so have now had to give up this demand. How many of you deputy/managers are keypersons and how do you manage it?

[finleysmaid]

with difficulty! wanted to give up as keyworker this year but now no chance......just had a member of staff resign so now have to pick up hers too!!!!

Can't tell you how i manage i just do!

[Wildflowers]

I co-key person all 25 children. I want to be fully involved at the core of it.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Wildflowers

[finleysmaid]

I co-key person all 25 children. I want to be fully involved at the core of it.

Don't get me wrong wildflowers i am fully involved in all of the 54 children we have but i could do without compiling their learning stories (i know you dont do them ...but it works for us)

[Guest degplay]

I currently have 13 key children, write my own learning stories, and read through and check all the other 15!! helping 2 less confident members of staff analyse no, I don't sleep....... it is getting increasingly more difficult though to do everything.

[lashes2508]

As manager/ supervisor I have 3 key children but also involved with all others , having Tapestry obviously makes life easier but any chance of giving children up , not really as staff have a few each and , some are studying too plus I don't really want to give them up.

[Guest]

I have 9 key children with three more next term. I oversee the others as manager including the one learning journey my apprentice does.

I also write ALL of the learning summaries that are shared with parents.

This latter decision was made with staff.

One member struggles because she is dyslexic.

 

I find near the end of the term when I need to write and share the learning summaries my learning journey books are left to do when I can!

[finleysmaid]

One member struggles because she is dyslexic.

 

 

sorry this is no excuse.....that's what spell and grammar check is for!

(i dont like anyone playing this 'card' im afraid....am surrounded by dyslexics and have serious tendencies myself ....really annoys me when people use it as a get out clause!)

[RedDragon]

I don't have any but oversee everybody's and know what all the children can do and next steps etc but would really struggle being a key person as so many other things would be left undone.

[blondie]

i don't have any key children now - had upto 19 at one time but struggled with all the other work= our development worker kept saying you shouldnt have key children you have enough work without them - and she was right - i still play and write obs on children using key persons next steps but dont do books etc., - must admit it is lovely when i play with the children as at times that is all i have to do-play and not sit making notes

i do check books, next steps and planning for every staff member though .

Edited December 11, 2014 by blondie

[Mouseketeer]

I do keywork for a few but nothing like the number other staff have...I tend to pick up older children that come to us from previous settings with only a term or two to school due mostly to house moves, I find this works as they come with info to move forward from rather than starting from the beginning as I just don't feel that I can give the littlies the support/ time they need with their key person, but it is always my LJ's that get left to the rare times when something more pressing isn't on the to do list...but Tapestry has definately helped me, I don't feel like I'm letting their parents down by not putting as much effort into LJ's as some do...and my staff are great at capturing the things I miss and including my children in their planned activities or making sure that the things I've planned for my KC happens if I don't get to it, therefor adding obs for me now it's so quick

[Guest]

I am in my second year as manager . The first year I had key children and found it so hard I felt I was letting the children down . So this year I am not key person but help oversee all my staff key children. Much better this year !!

[Guest]

Finsleysmaid, it isn't an excuse!

Our learning summaries are hand written not typed and I think I'd spend more time checking them than it takes to do them!

 

We all have our strengths and we are a team so I think what we decide to do within our team is fine as long as it's acceptable to us all.

[Foreveryoung]

Finsleysmaid, it isn't an excuse!

Our learning summaries are hand written not typed and I think I'd spend more time checking them than it takes to do them!

 

We all have our strengths and we are a team so I think what we decide to do within our team is fine as long as it's acceptable to us all.

I too have a staff member who is extremely dyslexic and her confidence really took a battering the whole time we was paper based she would take work home to write it up which got excessive till I stepped in she would check it through then have me check it through as there was still mistakes, she felt embarrassed as she would constantly spell childrens names wrong too (and still does) however now we've gone paperless she is much better and I don't have to check her work as much. I used to provide support same as you writing everything up as otherwise she would have to do it in her own time which I felt was unfair just because she has dyslexia she shouldn't be burdened with added work. It's a hard call but I think it todapends what setting your in, access to computers and most importantly the individual.

 

I have key children carnt afford not too as we're bursting at seams this year but if it was quiter I would elect to have fewer than the other qualified staff, I agree with above it's a lot to do as we as managers also have to check everyone else's x

[finleysmaid]

Finsleysmaid, it isn't an excuse!

Our learning summaries are hand written not typed and I think I'd spend more time checking them than it takes to do them!

 

We all have our strengths and we are a team so I think what we decide to do within our team is fine as long as it's acceptable to us all.

sorry! think i was a bit wound up when i posted this. My daughter has just started uni and denies all knowledge that she has dyslexia whereas those around her seem to be using it for all they are worth!!

[Carol]

I am manager and SENDCo, I have a small key group and am second key person to other children. I monitor all childrens learning journeys and staff sit with me and explain where their children are working at before they write their reports. This is done three times a year and ensures I know where each child is at.

[Guest]

I have 5 key children. I don't find it too hard to cope with as we mainly work in 'key families' according to rooms. My 5 key children are part of the 2 year old room 'Key family' and all the staff gather observations and photos for me when I am not able to be in the room. I know my key children well and I actually like paperwork so often take it home