Long and Medium Term planning

[Leighhill]

Hi,

I am confused about long and medium term planning - I thought it was more about 'moment to moment'/ short term or even daily planning now, but I'm not sure!

Can anyone please share their thoughts about how they go about developing long and medium plans - do they change every year according to cohorts for example? Is long term planning the same thing as a çurriculum map'?

 

Thanks (in advance)!

 

[Guest]

Hi, Our planning....

We plan weekly, reflecting each child's next step targets which come from the information gathered from observation and tracking. We combine the child's individual interests (which sometimes change each week,) with their next step targets. We plan group focus on the areas of learning that come from the group tracker which is all of the individual trackers correlated on the one sheet, this is more of a long term plan but we are very flexible. I think that long and medium term planning is old hat and we don't do it, we stay flexible and are guided my the interests of the children, otherwise they would be bored. You could have an idea of predictable interests like a village carnival or something but even then if no children are involved in the carnival it wouldn't interest them.

On our weekly planning we put children's initials next to the area or activity so that it is clear that we are focussing on their next steps. We also make sure that learning is reflected at home by getting the parents input for each next step. I hope this helps, I remember being really bogged down with all of these planning terms but when you get into the routine of something flexible and exciting it's fab.

[Leighhill]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply!

How do you get the parents input for the children's next steps?

[Guest]

I attack them at the door and ask for there input, they are always really keen to get involved. If they're busy they come in when it's convenient. They add their comments in a simple format, just a sheet with the title, Parents Ideas for Home.