KST

I am in Reception now but I did previously teach in year 2 which worked a foundation stage ethos It has since gone more formal, much to my disappointment as I thought it worked really well.

I ran literacy mornings one day and then maths mornings the other day. I did a maths and literacy input daily which would introduce a new challenge. Literally challenges all linked in with the adult led learning and children had all week to complete the challenges. I had math target cards with an individual target for each child which they had to work on each week. The first week after each half term when they were updated I spend time showing the children how they could work on it and it was so successful. Children would extend them once they had met them. Other challenges linked with the literacy and maths learning. On a literacy morning, each adult would work with a group while the other two groups did challenges. After break they swapped over. I loved it and children made good progress.

Have a school trip planned next week and we are walking as its local but will be a bit of long walk so we had the back up of the school mini bus if needed. But suddenly had a panic if we would need booster seats in the mini bus for reception ages children or if the three point swag belt is enough?

I know tracking progress across EYFS is not the intended purpose for the assessment but as we all know Ofsted are demanding such information...

So as EYFS leader I am presenting my data as the % of children working at, below and above age expected levels at each half term in a bid to show that we are making good progress, i.e. if the number working at expected levels increaases and the number working below expected levels decreases that would show good progress.

My question is what is the expected level for each half term?

We use 30-50 months embedded/ 40-60 months being on entry to Reception...

Would you then expect the level to be 40-60 months developing by christmas?

What you expect by feb half term? it would seem reasonable that 40-60 developing is appropriate for this stage in the year but then it shows no progress for that half term if they were developing 40-60 at christmas?? If children came into reception at 40-60 months beginning, they are likely to be developing by christmas but then by feb to say they are 40-60 embedded seems early in the year to be achieveing this?

Would you expect children to be 40-60 embedded by easter? Then beginning ELG by may half term and embedded ELG by end of the year for expected progress? This of course would then only be deemed satisfactory progress?

Hope I'm making sense and someone can help me. How else are people tracking progress for a cohort?

Thanks in advance,KST

I know tracking progress across EYFS is not the intended purpose for the assessment but as we all know Ofsted are demanding such information...

So as EYFS leader I am presenting my data as the % of children working at, below and above age expected levels at each half term in a bid to show that we are making good progress, i.e. if the number working at expected levels increaases and the number working below expected levels decreases that would show good progress.

My question is what is the expected level for each half term?

We use 30-50 months embedded/ 40-60 months being on entry to Reception...

Would you then expect the level to be 40-60 months developing by christmas?

What you expect by feb half term? it would seem reasonable that 40-60 developing is appropriate for this stage in the year but then it shows no progress for that half term if they were developing 40-60 at christmas?? If children came into reception at 40-60 months beginning, they are likely to be developing by christmas but then by feb to say they are 40-60 embedded seems early in the year to be achieveing this?

Would you expect children to be 40-60 embedded by easter? Then beginning ELG by may half term and embedded ELG by end of the year for expected progress? This of course would then only be deemed satisfactory progress?

Hope I'm making sense and someone can help me. How else are people tracking progress for a cohort?

Thanks in advance,KST

We call it choosing out learning.

I put a challenge in my maths area each week. This week, its actually outside, three numbered hoops with a numbered bucket inside. the children throw beanbags and record their scores and add them up. Next week I am doing capacity so will have contianers in water tray for the children to work out how many cups or ml each container holds. I tend to put in a challenge into the creative area too to help give them some purpose - this week they are making puppet emormous crocodiles based on our topic. I do sometimes struggle to make my roleplay areas good enough to manintain interest over the half term and to extend the children enough.

Thank you! Good to hear you are still doing them, I feel they are very valuable so don't feel too bad if i suggest they continue them. I would love to see a copy of yours to compare to my original one if you don't mind. Thank you

I love the phonics bug club books! Project X are great for boys too and Floppy phonics!x

We do 2 lit and 2 maths a week, one or two topic. Its takes a full morning or an afternoon for an adult led activity to get through all groups. Each group works for up to 20 mins x

I would love to see it Lucie - just wanting a way to show this on a tracker for the head too. x

When I taught in reception two years ago (now in year 2) I had a PLOD (possible lines for development) sheet at the front of each childs learning story. I would update this at least half termly with their key next steps on for each area of learning. I would plan activities based on groups of children sharing silimar next steps and support children in their play with these.

I have discovered that the reception teachers are no longer doing this and I feel we now have nothing in place which shows that we are planning to children next steps and interests. Are people in reception class using these? or how else to do record next steps?

I used to write next steps next to key obs or photos in learning stories (not all but key ones) - as there are changes to EYFS and teachers are new to EYFS I dont want to implement something that is unmanageable (I am EYFS coordinator) so was wondering if I asked them to write a key next step at the bottom of each learning story page - and record these on a PLOD ar beginning of learning story??

Has anyone got an updated PLOD which new areas of learning on before I make myself one?

I hope this is making sense - if anyone has any other ways they record next steps then I'd love to hear.

Thanks

KST

Mine classroom is set out as Lorna described and I am in year 2. I don't 'teach' literacy and numeracy in adult led groups everyday, just one or the other, but it doesn't mean the children aren't learning when not with an adult. They learn so much when choosing their own learning and completing challenges independently. The time the children get with an adult is really valuable because you can really model and guide them to learn and apply new skills. Its such a great way to work and my class have made the expected progress working this way (better than previous years) and children are so motivated to learn! Good luck!

www.phonicsplay.co.uk has some great interactive games taken from letters and sounds. There are a few free resources such as buried treasure availbale but it costs a small amount (about £20 maybe) for full access and its worth every penny! x

I do this in year 2 too! It is gradually more structured throughout the year though. In year 1 up until christmas it is just like reception. Then after christmas, we have challenges thatchildren are expected to complete in the continuous provision. Two groups work with 2 adults before playtime and the other two groups work with adults after playtime, those not working with adults choose their learning in the continuous provision and complete challenges. By year 2 the challenges increase. It works really well! progress has been good this for year 1 and 2. x

This is great thank you. Can I just ask, are you going to use this to cross reference observations against? Like we did with the profile previously?

In terms of on entry assessment, are you going to record it as working below, at or exceeding expectations (e.g. expected on entry being 30-50months)?

Thanks again x

We have floppy phonics which are great and follow letters and sound perfectly.

Also project X and Pearsons bug club are great as they are also set in the phases for letters and sounds. They are 100% phonetically decodable along with the tricky words appropriate to letters and sounds.

I don't really stick rigidly to the frameworks as we no longer have to use them so not 100% sure what the strategy suggests, I just use the overviews. I actually did 2 weeks of NCR in November where I did it in a very guided approach. We revisited it for two weeks again just before half term and the hildren were then much more independent this time round.

I would perhaps focus on one aspect of the seaside to do as a guided approach and then children can write further sections independently later on.

I actually did a group brainstorm with my class where children wrote their ideas on post its and stuck them all around the brainstorm. As a group we then went through all their ideas and grouped them under different sections and children suggested suitable sub-headings and wrote it up. I would spend the first week, exploring non-fiction texts and reports, write captions for pictures, get children to have a go at grouping ideas into paragraphs under subheadings and then you can see how they are before planning further.

Each child has an individual maths target card. It has their individual target on it in child speak. Children have to work on their target each week as one of their challenges. It takes a while to embed, I work with each child so they know what their target is and what they can use to help them work towards it. I update them every half term or more often if a particular child has shown they have met their target. Targets are usually things we have done in class before but things they need to practise more on. The HAPs can be seen as experts which can also help others.

I do sometimes find it difficult to think up challenges but as I plan my weekly maths or literacy plan, I think what really needs adult input and what could the children do more independently. So in the same way that when you work a more structured maths lesson, there will be some groups of children working independently so these type of activities can be made into challenges. Good examples are: place a bucket in a hoop, number the bucket 5 and hoop 2 and children throw three bean bags into the bucket and add up their scores, if they miss the bucket but get the hoop they get 2 points etc. Or have a list of items and children measure how long they are, set up a shop roleplay, ask them to buy items and work out prices and pay with money (in pairs),a set of maths problems to complete or number sentences to do. I have 3 colourful boxes and I tend to differentiate the challenges 3 ways for maths and children know which colour box to get their maths problems or number sentencs from.

For literacy, it might be to design a front cover for their story we are working on in class, or to complete their plan for their story, write a description for a character, act out the story we are learning that week etc. I introduce a challenge after a carpet session so they aren't bombarded with them all at once. Hope that makes sense.

No I don't have any issues with parents as we spent time informing parents of the benefits of child initiated learning in reception and parents could see its value so it has just been a gradual step they have moved up the school. The parents and head can see they are making good progress so they have no problems. And they are still accessing as much literacy and numeracy a week, just that some are presented to them as a challenge. x

Oh I think I may have done it! Its not perfect, still need to develop more child initiated learning but for a first attempt in KS1 after 3 years in reception I feel its been a good start. Hope it makes sense x

Year 2 Timetable.doc

Yes I have a timetable but its been ages since I've been on here and its all different and I can't work out how to attach the document?! Any advise on how I do this? If not I'll PM you x

I think working in this way would be impossible without TA support!

Really great to read how different people are managing to do this. i can't really help with the mixed age problem as I just have year 2. I have just posted in the year 2 section about how I organise my day but I just wanted to add that I am managing curriculum coverage for year 2 working on a more EYFS style (it is still more structured than when I did reception). I have challenges which I introduce throughout the week at the end of carpet sessions, its probbaly easier for me as year 2 are older and therefore able to work more independently. I have a chart which has the challenges written at the top and children's names down the side and they tick off as they have done them. The challenges are also colour coded so those who struggle to read can tick off the colour challenge if easier. I link the challenges to the learning we are doing in the adult led activities and my top ability children are seen as the experts in certain areas which children can seek support from, its amazing watching a child explain a maths activity to another child as they seem to be able to communicate in a way that an adult can't and they learn how to communcate their learning too which is great! It is difficult sometimes thinking of challenges but the more I do it the easier it comes.

It did take the whole first half term to really embed this way of working, but getting the children to understand that they need to do the challenges to be a good learner does eventually sink in. I do have to remind children all the time and on a friday, I go through the chart and ask children which challenge they still need to do and pair children up to support each other. Children know they can choose their own learning when they have completed their activities and they always can't wait to choose the computers, junk modelling, role-play area etc so it inspires most of them to get them done! They also get a little certificate if they complete their challenges.

I do find it hard to support the children in their child initiated and challenge time and definitely find it difficult to gather evidence of this learning but I know they are learning as their progress has been good but continuously seeking ways of improving this.

I can only sympathise with you having two year groups as I find the differentiation big enough with one class. But definiely believe that going with a eyfs approach is the best way. I also read Julie Fishers book and its amazing!

Good luck!

Late reponse to your thread but wasn't in year 2 when you posted this but am now and thought I'd add how I've gone about bringing some of the principles of the EYFS into year 2.

I basically have a literacy morning on a mon and wednesday, where I begin the day with phonics (15 mins) and then a literacy carpet session. Then two groups (half the class) work with me and the TA on a guided writing or adult led literacy activity. The other half of the class choose their own learning and work on challenges that need to be completed by the end of the week. After playtime I do a maths carpet session for 15 mins and then the other half of the class do the literacy adult led activity with me and TA. So by the end of the morning they have all completed an adult led activity and had an opportunity to do challenges or child initiated learning. On Tues and thurs morning, its the same but with a maths adult led activity. On Friday morning I do guided reading in groups throughout the morning.

There are 6 challenges a week, one is always to work on their individual maths target (takes time to implement but they love it once its embedded) and others are generally maths, literacy or topic related tasks to do which are linked to the adult led learning that week. It a change for children to develop their independent learning and most children are very good at it, some need more prompting! I am lucky I have a little boy with one to one support so the low ability children often get help from her with challenges.

The afternoons are made up of PE sessions, ICT, topic based learning. Again I usually have half the class work with an adult and half chooses their learning. I still need to develop my continuous provision, especially outside but this year has been a big change and I've had to realise that I can't do everything at once! That is next years challenge!

Our data is looking good, children are making expected progress (which is much better than our last few years in KS1).

I have a general TA every morning and a one-to-one TA in the mornings. In the afternoon I have a TA 3 afternoons a week.

I do find it hard to ensure all children are on task all the time when not working with an adult, but I think spending time fostering a love of learning and an excitement for completing challenges has meant most children are motiavted enough to stay on task.I feel like its been a good balance from what they get in Reception and both year 1 and 2 are working in this way.

Hope that makes sense - be interested to hear others views/thoughts on this and their structure.

Thanks Catma x