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CM Club: EYFS in Practice Evidence File - what are your thoughts? - trying to get my head round all this EYFS and need help getting a system in place! :-(

28 replies

looneytune · 03/12/2008 16:34

I've seen the link to this several times recently and I've seen mixed messages about whether or not it's worth buying.

I'll be totally honest, I love my job, do what is required with EYFS but never recorded formally before. I've just done written daily diaries and had chats at drop off/pick up time.

I had a baby in mid June and started back on 1st September when all this EYFS started. I'm now finding my whole life falling to pieces due to me constantly working (note, I'm not solidly working, just spent the WHOLE weekend trying to get to grips with things but not easy with 2 kids around, especially a 5 month old who keeps needing me!).

My big plan is to get everything clear in my head, work out a system and then sort my life out so I have a balance because atm, I just don't have time for my kids and it's making me very sad. One of the reasons for childminding was so I could also be there for my own kids, now they are getting less attention than if I went out to work and had a childminder myself!!!

I'm skint BUT if this Evidence File is worth getting then I'll pay it - I'll do anything to help get things clear in my head! At the moment it's all post it notes shoved in files.

I love my job, love the families I work with but this is starting to get me down so much that if I could afford to, I think I'd quit. I know part of my problem is lack of help to have time away from the kids to sort it. I've tried and tried to do it in the evenings but I'm so tired once I've tidied, cleaned and put the kids to bed (I have either 3 or 4 children under 2 yrs old each day!!), I'm no good for anything!

Please help me get a system in place. If you have this file or have seen it, can you please give me your thoughts?

Thanks (and sorry it turned into a bit of a sob story wasn't meant to - think I'm feeling worse today as caught sick bug from mindee and then my own baby was up all night)

HELP!!! Please xx

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
looneytune · 03/12/2008 19:31

No4 - I'm in Berkshire, under Wokingham District Council and yes, they did very good files for us with stuff like that but I'm struggling with how to actually put it all together/document it. Maybe I need to have another look through but to me, it didn't give me everything I needed to do the linking to etc (well, how to document that anyway). I did a 3 part EYFS course but it was around May time (had to get in before I had my baby) and I think the more recent courses sound better.

Will try and have another look tonight but still interested in hearing what people think of the other file

OP posts:
NumberFour · 03/12/2008 18:19

What council do you fall under? Surrey County council have devised Learning Journeys for us to use and it is probably (only a guess) much like the Evidence File you refer to you.

Some people do not like it, but I have decided to use it rather than reinvent the wheel. If you are in Surrey the Learning Journeys are freely available to you.

How about calling your Early Years and see what they have to offer if anything? And of course there is the Bromley CM Assoc website that might have this too - don't know if they do but they have SO much useful stuff it would not surprise me if they had this too.

ToysAreLikeDogs · 03/12/2008 18:10

Looney I haven't bought it

I am making it up as I go along

I would like to hear from someone who is using it