Tapestry pros and cons

[Cait]

We removed the assessments from the parents view screen as many didn't understand it, or were offended by their 2 yr old being classed as 8-20 or whatever. We decided it was information they didn't need to see, plus it bulked up the final PDF incredibly!

[BroadOaks]

We allow parents to see the assessment data and we feel it can help parents to see themselves an area that their child appears in an earlier age bracket, and can then ask questions regarding it. It could be a few reasons why this happens and parent's can be involved in the process of investigation. it open's up the conversations regarding their child and it is nice to see parents interact in this way.

 

This is a HUGE benefit of Tapestry and another reason this amazing tool can improve many aspects that Ofsted like to see.

[lynned55]

We've removed it from parents seeing. For the same reason as Cait really.

[BroadOaks]

I have refinements and statements selected, though wondering whether to stop refinements from Sept and add them to snapshots manually at end of periods ...any thoughts ?

 

Yes I think this is a good idea. Staff can then decide how to refine a child at the end of each Bi-term (or however often you have set) and this should then be more accurate?! It does make sense to do it this way and it seems more accurate, I have to say.

 

it does seem to be a problem to refine each observation and staff do seem to struggle to select the correct refinement or to secure an area of learning accurately.

 

We are going to try this, so thank you for this idea

 

EDIT: Just noticed this:

 

If the assessments are based on refinements or statements, but none are included in the observation, the observation is treated as if the user had chosen 'developing' for that age band.

Edited June 30, 2016 by BroadOaks

[Mouseketeer]

Hi broadoaks, I'm even thinking of not 'ticking' statements at all, and just assess a band for the aspect, I think adding the refinements at the end will help separate the higher and lower achievers working in a band.....though staff may need some persuading about this :-/

[BroadOaks]

I have tried every setting to see how it effected the analysis data for particular children. I do like the refinement part and it would be better if staff could accurately select the correct refinement for each area of learning in the relevant band. However it would be a good idea to not select refinements and then like you said summerise each child at the end of a period of time using the data we have available at these points.

 

The Summary sheets that can be viewed showing each child for each area of learning are extremely useful. With them showing the No. of assessments and the last observed date.. it is a clear picture for each band within this area of learning. Less it can be long winded to look though 17 areas for each child but if we did this once per term or selected a certain area each 2 week period

or some other kind of rotational system, then it would work very well.

 

Just from viewing these summary sheets for 1 child in 1 particular area of learning I have already noticed gaps in an earlier band that ideally should have been secured (according to tapestry) and is very empty of assessments! This child started mid point of this band and was "advanced" in his ways... so staff, for some reason had been using statements from the band above and not concentrating on the band he was actually at!! So it's going to be a long week next week to look through all these summary's!

 

At least it has helped my system of checking and now supervisions will be interesting

[angel99]

I got another call from Capture Education who offered me a 3 month trial.This was after i voiced my concerns regarding it freezing up and not working properly. Thinking of trying it if its free. Tapestry sounds great but complicated at the same time. Does anyone know how long it takes for staff to get confident in using Tapestry?

[AliceinWonderland]

I got another call from Capture Education who offered me a 3 month trial.This was after i voiced my concerns regarding it freezing up and not working properly. Thinking of trying it if its free. Tapestry sounds great but complicated at the same time. Does anyone know how long it takes for staff to get confident in using Tapestry?

 

To be honest Angel, we had a money back guarantee trial when we first signed up, can't actually remember how long (couple of glasses of wine!) but think it was 6 months, and as we had never done an online version before, internet issues and had staff reluctant to the change, it took longer than the trial to get comfortable with it. I have just signed to the trial for tapestry and am trying to get my head round it before letting the staff loose on it, i'm only one day in and so far my instinct is that it will be a lot better. I think it is a little more complicated and working out the analysis is going to be a small challenge but i'm already liking the simple things, like how quickly it loads the screens, how quick it is to input a child's details, and i really like the fact that parents (those who are bothered!) can contribute to an 'all about me', also the fact that it suggests next steps for you, it automatically tells you the child's age in months, this alone will save me time from working it out! i'm a little confused about the baseline assessments but i'm sure i can work it out, i plan to spend the weekend viewing the tutorials! good luck with whatever you choose.

[Mouseketeer]

I got another call from Capture Education who offered me a 3 month trial.This was after i voiced my concerns regarding it freezing up and not working properly. Thinking of trying it if its free. Tapestry sounds great but complicated at the same time. Does anyone know how long it takes for staff to get confident in using Tapestry?

It took staff no time at all (even the reluctant ones) to be off and running with it, in fact it's stopping them doing to many obs that was a problem, some are more confident and to be honest interested in looking at the analysis side of things, it's about finding out about what it can do for your setting, we don't just use it for observations and cohort tracking, we send newsletters and messages to parents and send out our own next steps and ideas to support at home each half term, adding different logos to the thumbnails so parents know what it is ie. a pic of a pen & paper for newsletter, speech bubble for 'child's voice' etc.....

Which is why I'm very excited that (I think) we will be able to keep the first pic added as the thumbnail sometime soon :-)

Edited July 2, 2016 by Mouseketeer

[AliceinWonderland]

we don't just use it for observations and cohort tracking, we send newsletters and messages to parents and send out our own next steps and ideas to support at home each half term, adding different logos to the thumbnails so parents know what it is ie. a pic of a pen & paper for newsletter, speech bubble for 'child's voice' etc.....

 

 

Didn't you could send things like that, how do you do it?

[Mouseketeer]

If its a newsletter I just add it as an observation and select all children, I sometimes type it in word and copy/paste to observation 'notes', I do remind parents that their replies wont be private on the bottom of newsletters, I also ask them to reply with 'seen' and make it a small raffle for all the children who's parents responded, to add a relevant pic just add it as you would any other photos, but if you add any other photos it will replace the one you want as the thumbnail at the moment. I remove the information type obs again when I put the next one on so they don't stay in the journals, I only have a couple of parents that don't look as soon as something is added so print off a couple to give them and put one up.

 

It's quicker to swap to the app to add all children to the same observation.

[angel99]

Thanks Aliceinwonderland and Mouseketeer for your great advice .i am very excited to go for Tapestry.I am hoping to start the trial in a few weeks.