Guest Posted March 9, 2007 Posted March 9, 2007 Hi there, We are in the process of developing our FSU and have been running with a timetable for the last few weeks, we need to adapt and change the timetable but I can't seem to see the wood for the trees at the moment!! Would anybody mind sharing any timetables they have so I can see where I'm going wrong!! We are a 60 place reception and 60 place nursery 30 am and 30 pm. Any help would be very much appreciated, thank u!!
Magenta Posted March 10, 2007 Posted March 10, 2007 What sort of problems have you been having? What sort of accommodation and staffing do you have? We run a slightly smaller Unit than you (our Reception classes are smaller, around 22 each), we have found that CI Play is very difficult with such large numbers of children in a large space! We are planning to use one room as a quieter work room which will mean that there will be fewer chn. having CI Play at anyone time and they will have a smaller space to work in. It works in my head, but have yet to try it out!!
Guest Posted March 11, 2007 Posted March 11, 2007 We have two rooms that are more like one large open plan room and then a separate room (previously nursery), the rooms are split into the six areas of learning and then the ch are split into three groups ducks/ducklings, sheep/lambs and cats/kittens these groups then work in one of the rooms and rotate around but i can't get my head around organising some time for focus groups for cll and md. We then have 6 staff one with each group and a floating member of staff to complete observations. Our other problem is then access to the outdoor area but i'm worrying about that after Easter.
Magenta Posted March 11, 2007 Posted March 11, 2007 Hi Sallyb, I think whatever you do its going to be very difficult with those numbers of children and only 6 staff! As I've said we have smaller Reception groups at the moment, we had 7 members of staff when our numbers were higher and have been working with 6 staff recently, but have stressed to the Head that we can only work efficiently with 7. He has agreed to this, so when I return to work full time (been on long term sick) we will maintain extra member of staff. We are not a true Unit as we don't mix all of the time, we currently have small groups in Nursery and cll or maths for Reception at the same time of day (beginning) so that all groups are working quietly for a short time, some chn. with adult and some on planned independent activities(rotated through the week. This only works because we have 3 staff in Nursery and 2 in each Reception classes. We then mix for CI Play and have mixed stories, music etc. During the winter less chn. go outside so only 1 member of staff out (rotated), in the spring, summer we close 1 or 2 of the rooms and have 2 or more staff out depending on how many chn. go out, when it is pleasant all chn. go out so do all staff! We have a very large outdoor area! Initially we did try rotating groups around rooms, but found the logistics quite difficult, also found that some of the younger chn. needed things we didn't necessarily have in each area (don't think we planned the areas very well). Now we have totally free flow CI Play which is causing different problems - noise levels very high, lots of running round, chn. not on task, chn. staying in their register rooms and so not experiencing all areas. How long do your chn. spend in each room? We've only been doing this for 3 years! Its not easy finding something that works! Not sure whether I've been any help. Will post timetable if any use, but not sure that it would work in your situation - changing it now too!
Guest Posted March 13, 2007 Posted March 13, 2007 Hi Magenta Thank you for your ideas and thoughts they have been very useful I am just trying to absorb as much information as I can at the moment so all contributions are gratefully received! At the moment we are also having some time for nursery and reception on their own rather than all integrated as we are taking it step by step.
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