Baby Room Planning

[theoldschoolnursery]

Hi

Have posted this on the tapestry forum as well as that is the one i use most!

Currently I am the Room Supervisor for our Pre-School Room and have worked with this age group for many years, but next month I am being transferred to our baby room to become the Room Supervisor. Apart from odd days in there and interaction in our outside area etc, I have not worked full time with babies (although i have massive support from everyone at the setting). I wondered if anyone would share their planning sheets for babies please?

I will be working with two other practitioners, who have not got any qualifications in early years, but are willing to undertake them. Both are new members of staff and seem to be enthusiastic.

I know that it is generally their emotional and physical wellbeing is being taken care of and that activities are not just 'hands and feet', i just want to make my own mark, not necessarily continue with the previous planning (although it does work)

many thanks

Wendy

[blondie]

HI,

why not go with what is being done at the moment until you are settled? this way you can decide what works for you and what doesn't and where and how you want to make changes.

good luck

[theoldschoolnursery]

Thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, I am aware that i could continue with the current planning, but i would like to see how other settings plan for babies and then compare and use what i feel best suits me and my baby team!

[finleysmaid]

Thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, I am aware that i could continue with the current planning, but i would like to see how other settings plan for babies and then compare and use what i feel best suits me and my baby team!

perhaps if you tell us what you're doing already otherwise you might get lots of people suggesting the same! :lol:

[FSFRebecca]

Hi Wendy,

I agree that it would be helpful to heat what is already happening in your baby room to enable us to help you a bit more!

Also, I am a bit confused by the arrangements for your room - You say that you are not massively experienced working with babies and your other two staff are unqualified - the Statutory framework says:

 

3.31. For children aged under two:

• there must be at least one member of staff for every three children;

• at least one member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification, and must be suitably experienced in working with children under two;

• at least half of all other staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification;

• at least half of all staff must have received training that specifically addresses the care of babies; and

• where there is an under two-year-olds’ room, the member of staff in charge of that room must, in the judgement of the provider, have suitable experience of working with under twos.

Remember that you must make sure that your are meeting the requirements of the statutory framework at all times - from what you have said in your post it doesn't sound as though the staffing that your provider has put in place for you will meet the statutory requirements - I might has misinterpreted what you have said, but - in case I have understood you correctly, make sure your are working within the requirements!

I have also removed the duplicate post so that people can give you answers in just one place! :1b

[theoldschoolnursery]

Hi Rebecca,

 

Sorry i don't think my post was very clear! I am Level 5 qualified and by inexperienced I meant that while working in a nursery i have spent more time with the preschool group than the other ages since i passed my qualifications.

 

The planning currently in place is very similar to our younger toddler room (obviously both rooms work very closely together) but after a supervisor's meeting both rooms decided to put our heads together and look at a different way of managing the current short term planning. We found that the children were changing their interests and likes on such a daily basis that the current format didn't work for us.

 

Does everybody else use Topics to enhance their short term planning? And in what format do you record the child led activities that take place?

 

Thanks!

[Guest]

Hi Wendy

 

I hope you have found a method of planning that suits both the children and staff....the less paperwork the better, right?

 

I am currently looking at adapting my setting's baby room planning....not only to provide consistency throughout the setting, but more importantly cater to and enhance learning experiences etc.

 

As I am new to my post of Head of Curriculum, I am currently researching what is best...however, in my opinion what's important is to be very flexible and allow the babies/ children to inform/ guide your planning as they will have their own 'themes'.

I currently Lead the 1.5-2.5 year old room and find that a loose theme can be good...based on a favourite book or song. We start off with the adult led activities and allow the children to lead us, so to speak.....their interests and needs adapt what we are doing, if that makes sense?

 

For the baby room, I am thinking about using the same format, with a few activities to offer new experiences for the children (messy, heurisitic, water)...these will be regular. what is important is to focus on the Prime Areas, but not so much as to exclude the Specific ones...this will be covered by the continuous provision in the room. I am also adding a section to enable a transition time to be planned for....to ease children into their new room, as well as still having taster sessions.

 

Well, those are my ideas....sorry if I waffled on a bit....