Evaluations On Planning

[Guest]

I need some advice

 

I teach in a reception class of 44 with another teacher who is an NQT. We take responsibility for 3 areas f learning each. I have always included a box on my plans for evaluations and jot down and notes and comments about how the activity has gone.

We always discuss how things have gone in planning meetings and have talked about how important it is to write this on plans to remember for next time.

However our NQT does not do this on her planning. We have now talked about it a few times but she doesn't seem to be picking up on it - and i really don't want to sound like i am nagging at her!

I was always told that Ofsted would expect to see this does anyone know if this is still the case as obviously i don't it to be somethin Ofsted pick up on?

 

Lola

[Guest]

I'm in a school where we are not only expecting Ofsted, but are in serious weaknesses anyway (how fun!).

 

So, we've got a lot of work to do and one of the main things highlighted was that planning needs to have evidence of evaluations in order to show assessment for learning and planning taking into account the ongoing observations we make as we go along.

 

As an NQT this person should be taking on board your suggestions and developing them - not ignoring them. When you speak to them next, it may be beneficial to actually highlight the significance of evidencing - and that as a professional, she needs to take this on board. Have you actually explained that it is not a choice? Has she misunderstood your comments as 'if you would like' instead of 'complete!!'

 

Discuss it with her mentor in order for them to raise it at their termly review meeting and it could be something that she has as an area to develop - record keeping.

 

Hope that helps!

[Guest]

Your advice does help thank you Gater. I think i will hae another chat with her after the Easter break and like you say make it clear that writing evaluations are a must and not a choice.

Thnaks once again.

[Marion]

We were OFSTEDed at the end of January and were not asked for evidence on our planning. We usually use a class list or just post it notes to record how children have responded to activities and whether it needs consolidating or expanded upon. We share this infomation at the end of each session. The team of inspectors we had in said this was totally acceptable and suggested that the system could be adapted in the rest of the school.

[Elfy]

I am surprised as a student teacher that your NQT isn't used to doing it as a matter of course. As a students we are asked to evaluate anything that stops still long enough!!

 

Do you use the same sort of planning grids? Perhaps having a box clearly headed evaluations on all your planning would emphasise the point.

 

Elfy

[Guest]

Perhaps during your weekly meetings you could bring along your planning sheets and as you are talking about what went well, what didn't and why you could have a pro-forma sheet and ask everyone to just jot down short quick notes and attach it to the planning - it doesn't have to be a lengthy essay but sometimes by writing things like - needed additional resource of non fiction books to assist with visual learning - make note of books needed. You could even incorporate a short check list if you felt it would help her. Although I am not a great lover of check lists, sometimes it does focus us on what we need to be thinking about. I often find that even short quick notes jog my memory and I can remember what went wrong last time and what I need to do next time to make it bettter. But I am not a primary teacher and I don't know how much evidence you need - but this is how I do it in my preschool - it takes very little time and will provide some evidence of your reflection. Perhaps then she may take on board what you are saying and why it is important, maybe she doesn't know how to start. Evaluation is important but it is also important that it doesn't take up so much time that it detracts from all the other things that have to be done.

I evaluate my half termly planning with an overall pciture of what generally went wrong/right. Not too much detail but with those things that really stuck out as being good/bad.

Nikki