Steve

Hi all -

I posted a news item on the Baseline Assessment situation here. We did send this out with the last Tapestry newsletter, but for anyone who missed it...

Posted a news item on the BA/EYFSP situation, including its implications for Tapestry. Getting ready for the FSF newsletter! :1b

Hi again Marylandteam -

I've asked my colleague Lauren to give you a call this morning to see if she can help you resolve your problems. It seems better to let you know via this discussion as you're using three different email addresses to contact us and evidently not receiving our replies, so we're not clear on which emails are authentic.

Hi Marylandteam,

I'm sorry you're having difficulties at the moment. Although I've found your account, set up yesterday, I can't find any support tickets associated with it. Can you let me know which email address you've been using to contact us as we can't find any non-Tapestry support tickets with your email address either, so I'm not sure which replies you've had?

You can only add children with the full browser version of Tapestry, as the app is for viewing, adding or editing observations, but not for admin functions. If this is the problem you're having please try to access Tapestry initially using Tapestry via a browser.

I'm sorry for your issues, but if you'd like to give more information I'm sure you will find you get the support you need to get kicked off.

Good evening mrsbat -

Currently there's no way to use different fonts unfortunately. The notes field was originally simply a way to enter a few paragraphs describing an observation. However, we hope to be improving this soon. Also, we hope soon to being work on developing a better way for you to send out newsletters, which will have much better controls and appearance features. :1b

Hi Mrs Duff, and welcome to the Forum! :1b

No, you certainly don't have to do your own. There's a baseline assessment function in Tapestry, and this tutorial should help you begin using it.

Please note that this isn't an equivalent to the baseline assessment experiment run by the DfES last year. As reported widely, the government came to the conclusion that the various approved baseline assessments weren't fit for purpose, and that the EYFSP would remain the first mandatory assessment point in the EYFS. Our baseline assessment is simply a record that gives you your own snapshot against which you can make formative assessments over the following months and years using the DM agebands and (if you wish) refinements.

Hi Cheryl -

Thanks for your lovely comments, and great you're enjoying the new look Tapestry!

Just to follow up on Helen's reply, possibly previously you used the PDF parent guides and that's what you're looking for? If so, you make a very good point! We haven't actually updated those yet (at the moment it's only the browser version that will need updating as the apps are still identical in appearance). Thanks for jogging my memory - I'll arrange to get those updated early next week. :1b

Hi Mark -

Thanks for this, and welcome to the Forum!

Yes, we've had this functionality on our wishlist for some time now, and when we've finished migrating to the new version of Tapestry Tom's eyes will be swivelling in that direction! :1b

Hi Lesley -

Which app/device are you using? Or are you using the browser to add observations?

If using an iOS device with the app, you can download a little tutorial in PDF format from here. Otherwise, if using a browser (eg on a PC) you can follow this tutorial (item 6 shows where to upload a photo).

Hi Tigger -

Yes, it's a very good idea for your staff to all have their own unique logins. I don't know if you've noticed but it's likely that you will have found yourself logged out if you're using it simultaneously with other staff?

All you need to do is to visit the 'Manage Staff' area in the control panel, and add new staff/manager accounts as needed (you can make them all managers if that's how you've been working until now). This tutorial will show you how to add new staff. :1b

Congratulations Alice, and thanks for keeping people updated! If you'd like to celebrate by having your setting on the front page when the result is official, just get in touch via PM! :1b

Hi Tigger -

I'm not sure what you mean here? They can only log into your account once they've entered a correct PIN or password, which presumably only you know?

Hi nacho36mk -

With queries like the one in your title you're more likely to get a response if you give more detail. It's not clear, for example, if you or your staff share the parent's view, or if it's one child or more being accused, or the attitude of the parent (helpful, worried, aggressive). Some story around the fact would be useful. :1b

Hi Amina -

As Lois says it's somewhere around £35 a year and is a very straightforward procedure. You need it if you hold any personal information electronically, so probably applies to most organisations these days. :1b

Sorry mundia - just spotted this. Popped in at 9:45 and found it clean but empty! xx

Although, as you know, we don't allow advertising at the FSF, we wanted to celebrate publication of the first novel by Cait Faulkner, a long-term and very active member of the FSF. She has many friends here, and if you post regularly you are very likely to have been helped by her. Great to see the book in print and for Kindle - if you read and enjoy it I'm sure she'd love to hear from you! It's intended for readers of age ten and over. I'm 57 and fully intend to read it...

Here's an Amazon link

Hi Zenstedman, and welcome to the Forum -

What you see is what you get with Tapestry. Choose the size of package and that's your annual subscription cost. The only other cost would be if you were not a member of the FSF (cost £20 plus VAT for individual members. But I see you're a LA member so they already pay that for you.

We will need to put the price up over the next few weeks, but it won't be revolutionary. Costs are rising due to the slightly scary rate at which weavers are uploading videos and photos, so we need to cover ourselves for that. :1b

The resource library is here. It's organised by Every Child Matters categories which people may or may not find useful these days. There's all sorts of stuff in there although it's not as regularly contributed to as it used to be. If it became a handy tool again I'd be very pleased to see it being used! :1b

Crikey - well done for surviving the first. But so how did you find your way back in?

PM all of us admins if you find yourself in that predicament again.

Ah - of course you need to be logged in to do that...

Thanks for the reminder Catma - Hope your (and everyone else's) Christmas brings you peace and happiness! xx

Oops. Sorry mouseketeer, I've added you now so you should see your LA forum. Nothing much going on there yet, but perhaps you can kick things off? :1b

No problem Mouseketeer - I need to check with Sue on Monday to make sure they're ready to invite people in, and then we'll do it here. You don't need another account, your current one will work fine. You'll then find your local forum area at the top of the list of forums. :1b

Excellent, that's good to hear Mouseketeer!

Hi all -

Don't know if I'm behind the times on this one, but there's a petition on the parliament petitions website to

You can find it here.

Hi Lee -

If you want a simple tool for recording EYFS DMs then it's quite possible that PRAMS would do the job. Tapestry does pretty much all that PRAMS does in terms of analysis, plus it offers a complete learning journal solution that is very good at facilitating communication with parents - PRAMS does not provide this. Tapestry also offers other assessment frameworks for you to record against (eg Leuven, CoEL, ECAT).

The other main difference is that we host the data for Tapestry, whereas PRAMS is a downloadable program and you are responsible for looking after your own data.

Finally, we won't be developing PRAMS further, as we're concentrating our efforts on Tapestry now. So if the EYFS/DM changes or is replaced, PRAMS will become obsolete very quickly.

Hope that all helps. :1b