Key person expectaions

[AnonyMouse_2821]

Hi All

I have been mulling over the role of the key person as staff at my setting have varying ideas of what they should not be doing. I feel I need to pull together to ensure we all have the same expectations of their role. I.e. learning journeys, monitoring where their children are within the EYFS. We all have the children at heart and want positive relationships with the child and their family its more the paperwork side. Therefore is there anyone willing to share what they expect their staff to do i would be grateful.

 

Skippy :huh:

Edited February 5, 2013 by skippy

[Guest]

i'm nursery and each of the three of us are responsible for our key children. we do their learning journeys and monitor progress, planning in activities to move them on. as teacher i ask who is emerging/consolidating/secure within whichever age band on entry, mid-year and end of year, then i put on tracker and print resuts for them. we plan together but i expect them to bring information to show what needs planning in. and we are all responsible for checking even coverage of all 7 areas. and each speak to own parents and note anything medical/important, passing it on to everyone. i have one brilliant staff member who takes it all on and more, and the other is much older and old-fashioned and finds it all too much to cope with and continually moans about paperwork. we wouldn't have as much paperwork if she wasn't there, i have had to put it in place to force her to take responsibility!!! she hates talking to parents about any problems e.g. speech issues that we want to refer so i end up doing them. oh dear i appear to have been on a rant. but i do feel good for it!! x

[AnonyMouse_19920]

as a key person i would expect them to have a good relationship with both the parent and child - they would speak to the parent about their child, finding out all about them.

as a keyworker i would expect them to track / observe and work out where the child was, then plan for their learning, next steps in their learning and how they are going to support / extend the child in this. i would expect them to make notes as evidence of this..i would expect them to be able to talk knowledgeably about their child, where they were in their learning- how they learn.

it is a quite extensive list i think and i probably have only just put forward a little of the role but am sure someone else will add to it x

[AnonyMouse_38881]

Sooty99 - are you a school nursery?

[Guest]

The role of a 'key person' in my setting (day nursery) they have a bond with their children and parents, complete learning journeys/information sharing books with parents, observe, assess and plan for their children. They also have parents meetings every term and/or when necessary, i.e. to discuss concerns, progress, next steps, changes in circumstances etc, and write up progress reports. The staff who work with 18month - 30month group, also complete the 2 year progress check. They basically do EVERYTHING for their children, including, serving meals, preparing snacks, nappy changes etc.

[AnonyMouse_31752]

Hi

 

we are in a setting which is open plan and free flow so really all the children and staff mix together all the time so I guess key person and key children maybe harder to spot on a day-to-day basis (although the list is on the wall) however as a key persons I would expect staff to talk to parents and fill in the initial information about their children, be a point of contact for parents at beginning and end of every session (although to be fair parents talk to all of us really but there is that point of contact for anyone who needs it) observe children's interests, requirements, make assessments about their development and complete end of term summary in all 7 areas or two year check which ever is appropriate, plan next steps, log any concerns about development and where needed make extra observations for multi agency approach, chat to parents on open days, create and maintain learn journeys and provide me with all the information I need for the cohort tracking and transfer up to school reports. Then there would be provide the security needed for children to settle in to pre-school (although again in some cases the children take to other members of staff over the key person and that is fine) sure I have forgotten something

[Guest]

Sooty99 - are you a school nursery?

yes!! i think you are too? x

[Guest]

we each do progress summaries and parents meetings termly, i do iep's as teacher, but they speak to outside agencies and write up/pass on info. it's a lot of work isn't it?

[AnonyMouse_38881]

Sooty 99 - yes I am TA in a school nursery and am also an EYPS and HLTA.There's just me and the teacher.

I am key person to half the children but get no 'none- contact ' time to update records and LJs or do report summaries etc. The workload for the teacher is massive, but it's hard to get the argument for paying a TA for record keeping etc. My Job description says it's one of my roles, but some things can't be done surrounded by children!!

[Guest]

Sooty 99 - yes I am TA in a school nursery and am also an EYPS and HLTA.There's just me and the teacher.

I am key person to half the children but get no 'none- contact ' time to update records and LJs or do report summaries etc. The workload for the teacher is massive, but it's hard to get the argument for paying a TA for record keeping etc. My Job description says it's one of my roles, but some things can't be done surrounded by children!!

 

i think all staff should get ppa/release time. have managed to get half an hour a week for my 2 nursery nurses. but this is a token really and had to be quite forceful to get it. i feel we all get taken for granted as it's our vocation............... i don't take my full 1 1/2 a week as i don't feel it would be fair on staff or children to be left with unqualified person who is put in. usually get half an hour max x

[AnonyMouse_38881]

We are lucky this year to have a qualified member of staff who comes in with me for PPA time for 1 session a week.

 

I do feel incredibly lucky in that the teacher I work with is fab and we get on amazingly well. We both know the children inside out and have different strengths which we fully utilise!! We both find working with other people can be quite hard as we just get on with it - we know what needs doing and by when, and it all gets done without anyone asking for anything!

[AnonyMouse_2821]

Thanks for all your replies. I think I need to have a think about the expectations- re records/paperwork. There is always a moan but don't think I will ever do right!

[Guest]

Thanks for all your replies. I think I need to have a think about the expectations- re records/paperwork. There is always a moan but don't think I will ever do right!

 

it's hard skippy as soooo much is expected and not anywhere near enough time is given. and where school get assembly times and times when whole class on carpet, we don't. i'm happy doing the extra but not everyone feels like that!! x

[Guest]

At the moment I am doing all 35 childrens files, I have allocated staff to children however having checked their folders most are empty.

 

 

Can some one share their easy formats to use so I do not have to use all my half term