Guest Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 I am completely new to EYFS and now have to implement it quickly. (Ofsted) We didn't even have a copy in school! My pack has now arrived but, oh my goodness, where do I start??? I am completely overwhelmed... I need an action plan for idiots. Please can anyone point me in the right direction? Thank you
Guest Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 I am a tad confused. The EYFS was a statutory requirement that had to be implemented in Sept 2008, I dont understand why your school is just thinking about implementing now-what have they been using to plan for the children and how have they adhered to the welfare requirements. I would seriously think about contacting your Early Years Advisor for immediate assistance. Claire x
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 Yes I think a phone call to your Advisor is the first thing you need to do so that s/he can come out straight away and help you assess what you need to do in your setting. Your advisor should be able to give you ongoing support and offer training. Are you in nursery or reception? If in Nursery then what goes on in reception, as they will have been competing the Early Years Profile for some years, so presumably have some EYFS knowledge to be able to do this, and all the guidance documentation. Does your TA have any training and what is going on with the children at present?
Guest Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 (edited) We are a PRU rather than a school and have, so far, been exempt from statutory EYFS, but they have decided that we now have to follow it. Our children are only with us for an average of 6 weeks but I can't decide if that will help us or hinder us! As you mentioned I am sure an adviser will be in touch pretty soon but I would like to make some start this week whilst not in school. Thanks Just to add -- we have R Y1 and Y2 in the class. Edited February 15, 2010 by Guest
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 Sorry cant help as I have no idea what a PRU is, wanted to say hello though How come you only have children for 6 weeks?
AnonyMouse_15046 Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 It's a pupil referral unit. For children who are not attending school due to exclusion or other reasons.
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 Ah that makes things a bit different and I think this will turn into an interesting discussion I don't know if we have anyone else on here working in a PRU. It would be good to know a liitle more about how you work. If you have 6 children do you have TA support? Are all the children the same age in your group? 6 weeks is quite a short time for these young children. Are they children with behaviour problems or are they there for other reasons? I assume they wish you to work planning for the 6 areas of learning for the FS, and for such a short time Personal and Social development would be a priority. In FS children learn through play and initiate their own learning, accessing resources which are their for them to choose. There will be lots of stories, role-play, construction, sand and water and playing outside etc. and not formal learning at all. I'm not sure exactly how you plan for individuals in a PRU, but hopefully someone will come along who can give you more focused advice. Welcome to the Forum, I'm sorry I forgot to say it before.
Guest Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 Yes, Pupil Referral Unit. They go into mainstraem after 6 weeks, although some do stay for longer. Thnaks for the welcome btw
Guest Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 We have 20-30 children with TA support. Are all the children the same age in your group? No Y1 and Y2 as well. Are they children with behaviour problems or are they there for other reasons? They are all INAs (International New Arrivals) so all EAL "I assume they wish you to work planning for the 6 areas of learning for the FS, and for such a short time Personal and Social development would be a priority." Yes, P&S is what we have been focussing on. We do provide all the activities you mentioned plus lots more. But we don't follow the 'formalities' of EYFS; that is the area we need to tackle.
Guest Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 Well, the "formalities" are really the welfare requirements. Get your pack out highlight in green all the things you already do. Then make an action plan for the rest. Then look through the cards to see what the ethos/ philosophy is - you may well find that you are doing lots of it already. Then look at the learning and development book for learning activities. Lots of the ideas are very suitable for slightly older children who have EAL, and it is play-based, so ideal for little ones with not much English, and who may not have been to school before.
AnonyMouse_73 Posted February 15, 2010 Posted February 15, 2010 Hi Kathryn. I wold agree with lolo, have a look at the welfare requirements (the thinner of the two books), you will probably find that you are covered in most of them via what you provide as a PRU. Come back and ask here if there are any you are not sure about. Yo will probably find that yo cover a lot of the EYFS without knowing that you do, and I would certainly focus on the PSED and CLL to begin with. I would imagine that considering transition would be quite big one for you too, building relationships with the schools the children will attend, and having some useful basic information to pass on. You will also be thinking about relationships with the parents, especially if they are new to the country and have limited or no knowledge of our system. There will be a limit to what you will have as the children are with you for such a short time. It might help to give us an idea of how your days work, what would a typical day look like?
Guest Posted February 16, 2010 Posted February 16, 2010 Hello and welcome!! There is a publication you can order free re EAL and the foundation stage, but for the life of me I cannot remember what it is called!!!!!! Sorry.
Guest Posted February 16, 2010 Posted February 16, 2010 (edited) Thank you for your help. I have found and downloaded the document; http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.g...stage/eal_eyfs/ You are right that many things are alreday in place. We have good relationships with the schools they transfer to, which could be any school in the LA. The staff dealing with EYFS children have no contact with parents - parents leave their children with the head and office staff at the main door and children come to our room alone. At hometime they are picked up from the main entrance and staff stay in rooms! We have been trying to run the room on an EYFS basis, loosely. Although the day is formally structured. 9-9.30 - almost all CL 9.30-10.30 - a mix of CL and AL focussed activity 10.30-10.45 - breaktime out on the main yard with all pupils up to aged 16. 10.45-11.10 Circle time with the children split into 2 groups according to EAL stage 11.10-12 - a mix of CL and AL focussed activity 12-1 lunch break 1-3 a mix of CL and AL focussed activity We don't have easy access to outdoor play area. Our room is carpeted except from a small metre square under the water dispenser. I will begin to tackle the booklet today ... hmmm.... half term holiday! Pah Edited February 16, 2010 by Guest
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