Using Analysis on Tapestry

[tinkerbell1403]

Morning,

 

I have asked this a few weeks ago on the tapestry forum area but yet to have any replies so thought I would try over here

 

We have been Tapestry since September last year and my staff have really taken it on and embraced this new way of working for us.

 

I have taken the lead on supporting staff with training etc. However, I am feeling pretty confident with all but the snapshots and analysis I just feel a bit overwhelmed by it all and don't really know where to start teaching myself how to use it before sharing it with the rest of the staff. I know we need to be tracking children, particularly groups but don't know how often we should be doing this i.e once a term, once a half term and also how to record this? I have seen some settings are using paper trackers as some of the refinements generated by tapestry are not quite as accurate.

 

Would anyone mind sharing their systems of working with the analysis on tapestry and timescales for doing this etc? I am hoping this will be my task for over the Easter break

 

Thanks

[Rafa]

Hi, your not alone about finding the analysis bit difficult - its mostly beyond me!! I have tried....read and re-read how to use it but still not sinking in. To be honest we are managing with using:

 

A termly snapshot for individual children - plus we run a paper tracker alongside - mainly for access

 

A termly cohort snapshot summary for school year group, 2yr funded, eypp, summer borns

 

We look at the above - look for areas where there may be low achievement and put thise areas on our planning for the next term.

 

Im sure if your a techy you could do all sorts of wonderful analysis of how, or how not, your children are developing but keeping it simple works for us.

 

We all agree Tapestry has been a gift for us busy practitioners - I personally do not have the time or mind frame to make it my hobby!

[LesleyF]

Hi, this is part of my role. First I would print out a key worker group snapshot, (using the highest age band refinement), and check it matches with your key worker knowledge. I found ours tended to be out of sync partly as we weren't putting in personal judgements. To adjust any, go to snapshots, from the selected period, select the date and the period you are in, and the child.

 

When you are confident in the data, I analyse it in 2 ways. Firstly, I look at attainment. The age band tracker is very useful for this as it gives you the percentage of children in each age band for each area of learning. (Just be careful as it doesn't include any children that do not have an assessment in that period). So if the average child leaves for school Secure at 30-50, how many children are currently in that age band. Crucially I look at the areas of learning - are some much lower than others? For example, space and shape came up as one of our lowest areas, so we made an extra effort to include that in our planning, make sure we had sufficient resources for it etc.

 

Secondly I look at progress. Again the age band tracker looks very useful here, as you can hover over a child when on the PC, and it shows you where they have come from. It helps you to flag up individual children who are not progressing. So if little Sophie is 22-36m in quite a few areas, when she is actually 40 months, why is that? How long has she been at that stage for? What interventions can we put in place for her? If looking at groups, are particular groups of children behind others? Are the boys roughly equal to the girls in EAD, or are our activities less 'boy friendly' than they could be?

 

My aim is to do this termly. I don't always succeed! I record it by simply typing up my findings. Sometimes it feels like it's just what you already know, particularly if it's a small cohort, but it is useful to be able to take a step back and look at the data objectively.

Edited March 17, 2016 by LesleyF

[pickles37]

Could you explain how you know if children are developing where they should be from a data perspective. Not the knowledge of the child, but say a child is 46 months and they are developing 30-50 months but have been for around 6+ months where do you assess that data as surely that isn't showing progression? Expected level of development,below expected level of development or well below?

[SueFinanceManager]

Hi pickles37

 

Are you using the refinements?

 

These often help to show progress over these broader age ranges as you can see 30-50 emerging say for a few months then 30-50 developing and eventually hopefully secure.

 

If you have not turned these on so that they can be viewed in the snapshot screens go to:

Control Panel

Manage Settings

Options: Summative Assessments

 

Once in the screen scroll down to EYFS and check tick the box 'Use refinements' and then lower down 'Base summative assessments on' and select from the drop down refinements or you can use refinements and statements

 

I hope this helps.

[pickles37]

Thank you very much - that has been really helpful