Recording Children's Attainment

[Helen]

Hi,

I've been working on a possible record sheet for the new EYFS. I know a ticklist approach is not really recommended, but I don't see how else we can show that children are progressing through the levels of the new EYFS without something like this.

 

So, I've just looked at the Problem solving, Reasoning, and Numeracy area of learning. I've altered the wording sometimes, eg in the first development matters box in calculating, it says "Are logical thinkers from birth", and I've put in my record "shows evidence of logical thinking". I thought it would make it more user-friendly. I've also put in "he" and "his", (obviously I'd do a different one for the girls!)

 

I also wanted the different stages to be colour-coded, so I've done that, too.

 

What do you think? It would be great if we came up with something so that members don't all have to do their own one, which is what happened the first time round!

 

When the real EYFS comes out, I may well have to finetune the wording. I just thought I'd make a start.

 

Just to explain how I'll be using it in my setting; when observations are either written up or stuck into the child's records (with the date), we will put a ring round the bullet point next to the statement in the record that relates to the obs, and then date it in the coloured column. That way, the records and the evidence will have the same date and will be easily matched up for moderation purposes.

Child_record_Problem_solving.doc

[AnonyMouse_1027]

wow looks good Helen, we do a simlar thing now each child has thier own play plan with all stepping stones listed and then space for obsevation notes and dated when achieved will be doing a similar one for the new EYFS

[AnonyMouse_1469]

Hali, I'd be interested in seeing yours too if possible??Helen's looks great and I'm always on the lookout for easier ways to do things!

[AnonyMouse_7317]

Hi

that looks really good been nieve I was hoping that the EYFS would contain a sample development record (we can all dream) would love to see any more examples if people are willing to share

[Guest Wolfie]

I think we're all just desperate to get our hands on the finalised version of the EYFS now - does anyone know how long it will be after publication that we can all order one? I know that it's meant to be out on March 13th? I've got to co-ordinate planning for 2-3s and 3-5s and I just think it's going to be so much easier with that document to refer to!

[AnonyMouse_1027]

this is from what we do now under cirriculum guidence for the foundation stage:

Individual_Play_Plan_jan_07.doc

[Guest]

Our training starts in September, and knowing our Advisory teachers I expect they will come up with a children's record system. we use their one at the moment and it's usable.

so will wait and see what they do before we start changing

[Guest Wolfie]

Hali, what sorts of things do you write in the second column?

[Guest]

Hi Helen

Your record sheet is brilliant and just the sort of thing I have been hoping someone would come up with. I don't hold out much hope that our local education advisers will come up with something like this for Devon although I am going on a training course in June so may find out more then!

Keep up the good work.

Michelle B

[AnonyMouse_4495]

If you look at the CD contents, which you can download from the teachernet website, there are sample 'learning journey' forms, planning forms and observation records.

 

I've downloaded them all to my computer so I don't keep having to go on the internet, but it took some time, even with a broadband connection.

 

Here you go:

 

planning_from_birth.pdf

nursery_planning._planning_for_2_year_olds.pdf

nursery_planning._planning_for_3__to_4_year_olds.pdf

nursery_planning._explanation_of_planning_for_3__to_4_year_olds.pdf

learning_journeys_template.doc

 

I'll reiterate what I've said on other EYFS threads - the Local Authorities are going to receive training materials with the packs and are going to train every provider in their area. I would sincerely hope that it is not going to be up to each LA to create a format for planning and assessment as this is where we will run into trouble. Please don't try and think too much about forms and how to implement it at this stage as there is still a long way to go before September next year...

[AnonyMouse_534]

Thats really good Helen. Very clear and easy to read. As you say tick lists are not ideal but as long as they are backed with observations.

[Guest Wolfie]

Helen, you're a star, thanks for saving us all so much time!

[AnonyMouse_1208]

Running Bunny, I know you said don't worry too much about these forms yet, but I have had a peek, and am getting worried already!

 

http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...ost&id=3278

 

Looking at these proformas a I can't imagine how long it will take to plan in this way, it seems like every child will have an individual play plan that will be changed fortnightly. I know you will be able to group some children, but will this be do-able e.g. in a Nursery with 13:1 ratios a.m. and p.m. i.e. 26 plans for each adult? Am I getting it all wrong? Is this just for day nurseries with ratios of 1:8?

[Guest]

I have only looked at the planning for 3-4 year olds and have to say that it looks very involved. As Magenta says are we to make individual plans for each child? And if so where on earth do they think we are going to find the time?

I know we have until September next year to get our heads round all of this but we already have a delay with the packs not going out to LEA's on time. I know they have had access to it all on the internet but it's not the same as having hard copy in front of you. I can't believe that we are half way through April already-September 2008 will be here a lot quicker than people realise.I can feel early retirement coming on rapidly!!!!

Linda

[Guest]

Helen, you have been busy, thanks

Personally I think your sheets would be useful if they were in little booklets, one for each colour band covering all the development areas for each colour band ( if you see what I mean). I say this because not all settings have the whole age range. I would use them to indicate a childs progress but more so, I would put all childrens attainment on one form taken from each childs 'booklet' to indicate whole group achievements / gaps within the curriculum.

 

RB. Thanks for the downloads, What I want to know is when did they get access to my planning sheets ???? The 2 yr old ones are more or less identical to the system I use now

( although I use mine for the 2 yr olds AND 3- 4 yr olds, plus some activity plans for individual needs)

 

As with any change I think we will all initially feel the AAAHHHH FACTOR, especially as it seems there is a different system for 2's and 3-4yrs ( why working from continuous provision and observed childrens interests have to have a different format depending on age I don't know . Possibly something to do with the fact that 2 yr olds aren't funded yet??

 

As for the observations working on the premise that you have 1:8 ratio, one keyperson per 8 children then within a 2 week timescale, in my setting with 10 sessions per week ( not 5), 2 staff would between them write 6 long observations and 80 short obs. With my system we currently write at least 2 short obs per child per week ( =46) and do long obs when we feel we need specific detailed information on any given child, about two long obs per child per half term.

 

Our short obs do feed straight into the next days or weeks planning, depending on it's content and whether its recorded at the beginning or nearer the end of the week.

 

Peggy

[Helen]

Thanks for your comments.

I've put it aside for a while, but I'm ready to get cracking again! Thanks for all the downloads; I'm about to plough my way through those now!

[AnonyMouse_4495]

I haven't made my mind up on the planning sheets yet either... I can see how they work in theory but it does look an awful lot. Don't even try and read the explanation - proforma 1 for this, proforma 2 for the next bit - my brain is aching already!!

 

I think that they have got the thinking right - focus on the child/value of the key person, but seem to have still felt that paperwork is the only way to justify how you do things (which I can see their point, but don't necessarily agree with it!)

 

There is also some stuff on continuous provision, but it isn't as I would have presented it. The planning seems to change every day! The idea of continuous provision is to keep it stable but enhance it with the interests of the children, not plan for a change every day (at least, that's what I thought!)

[Helen]

Yes, I thought that too! There seems to be a discrepancy between continuous provision (which I think goes alongside children choosing from all or most of your stuff) and planning to put out the trains on Monday, farm on Tuesday, etc. I can't see how they match up. I'll keep on reading

[AnonyMouse_1027]

what ive noticed and only had a quick look but in the new eyfs the colour coding isnt distint as in the guidence we have now its just all diferent stages of orange

[Guest Wolfie]

Yes, I've also clocked that the colour coding means that it will be more difficult to identify the different stages just in terms of colour!

[AnonyMouse_3307]

Thats exactly why they've done that!!

[Guest]

Thanks for all the info and insight - Ive not caught up with this yet - got the book, the poster, the cd but not the t-shirt! I will watch eagerly what comes up - havent been to any training yet but clearly you lot have lots of thoughts on how it might be implemented and the possible problems and it has given me an insight into it all. I will get on board with this soon hopefully but keep posting it makes really interesting reading.

Nikki

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I know I am a bit slow but how do you know how many observations to do and have info on th expected planning.

 

 

 

maximoomoo

[Guest]

Helen - your sheet looks soooooooo good, thanks. I keep hearing we are not to use checklists in the new EYFS. How can we possibly track chidren's development without them? This is the first thing I want to raise at our training - and I bet there is no real answer - if there was I'm sure we would have some indication how to do it. My real concern is that we will have local authorities and the govt. saying NO CHECKLISTS, but Ofsted using the 'development matters' as a form of checklist to Inspect us on. Looking forward to any further sheets you produce. Well done!

 

Oh ps Helen - I like the idea of circling the bullet point and dating - would you date in the coloured box at each bullet point achieved, or date it when a certain number of bullet points were achieved?

[AnonyMouse_6541]

My interpretation of the no ticklists thing is that this is because it is sometimes abused and results in the only records kept. I dont see the problem in my setting as we only use it to keep a summary of the other observations, and this is not the evaluation( which focuses on the achievements not the gaps)

As with everything, its how you use it that counts.

[Guest toddleo]

that is a very good point well made there alis2son - so we keep the ticklist booklet as our observation summary record. Out of interest, how do you keep a record of the child's achievements (not the gaps) in your setting?

[Guest Wolfie]

If you build up a portfolio/file for each child in your setting, adding observations, photos, appropriate samples of work, etc., I see that as a very positive record of each child's continuing development and progress, with no hint of any "gaps". The problem with ticklists on their own is that you only see a tick or a gap and that doesn't give you any information on how near that child is to achieving that tick - do you see what I mean? So the record looks far more negative - and you also don't have any evidence to back up those judgements.

 

I'm planning to use the milestones outlined in the EYFS in the same way that I use the stepping stones and BTTM framework now - we collect all the evidence of learning and then relate it to the appropriate statements, aspects, components, etc. and cross reference. When we feel that we have enough evidence of a particular statement then we note and date that it has been achieved.

[Guest]

I would be interested to know what the training will include - whether recording of attainment will be high on the agenda? At the moment we keep a copy of the stepping stones for each child and highlight and date as back up for our post it observations - do you think we could do the same for the EYFS? It's just knowing where to start really? as we only take children from 2.5yrs old would we still need to have all the stages of develoment eg 0-11mths etc? My first thought is no, but what about children who have additional needs which have not been identified - they may possibly be at that younger stage? It just seems a bit wasteful having to print off pages which are not in our age range? Could we do this?

[AnonyMouse_6541]

As Wolfie has said, we are building "profiles" or learning stories (sorry but as an avid crime thriller watcher the word profile doesnt sit right in my head). Pictures with captions and what the child has achieved, enjoyed or been a part of.

[Guest toddleo]

It always seems to come back to using photos as evidence of a child's attainments, that seems to be the done thing now- a -days, which is all well and good BUT...It is just too expensive for us to do that, we have 60 children on roll, we are a charity pre school with barely enough funds to get by on as it is (no wage increases for us this year)..I just don't think we can go down that photo route?

Edited June 23, 2007 by toddleo