So all this Learning Journal/EYFS stuff Childminders in England do...

[LingDiLong]

It sounds like an absolute nightmare and I'm not convinced it's necessary. Here in Wales we don't have to do any of that, simply show an 'awareness' of the Foundation Stage.

What do those of you who have to do all this paperwork think of it? It looks overwhelming to me; the assessments and planning and following a curriculum then recording it all.

It also seems a hell of a lot to expect of Childminders when in many areas of the country they can't even expect to get close to minimum wage for each child.

Is it is hard as it looks? Do you think there is a real benefit to the under 3s you look after?

I don't mind doing the bits for the parents and children. But I object to the bits which are just for ofsted (so I don't do them).

So which bits do you do? And how do Ofsted react to you not doing the other bits?

Maybe I already did quite a bit for the parents before EYFS, but I haven't done much more since. I do daily diary notes, which I accompany with pictures and link to areas of learning. Monthly newsletters and termly assessments. I don't have pages and pages of plans, extra observations, etc.

Ofsted think I'm outstanding :)

Well I have to say HSMM, having looked at your website and read your posts on here I can totally see why you're outstanding!

I do a daily diary too. But I only have 2 customers at the moment, the children only come to me a couple of mornings a week so I don't do newsletters. I like the idea of linking to areas of learning and termly assessments though. How do you organise yourself with regards to these? I tend to plan my week ahead but I really just have a think about what I've noticed the children enjoy doing and find some activities online. I'd like to link it to learning and areas of development I've noticed the children might benefit from but I'm not sure where to start with it.

Why on earth would you expect to get minimum wage for each child? Should a teacher get minumum wage x 25?

The Department for Education have recently pointed out that many childminders appear to be spending more time and effort on paperwork than the EYFS was ever intended to require.

I personally think the regulation of childminders in Wales is more invasive than in England - for instance CSSIW are entitled to look at childminders accounts and make assessments of their financial competance.

I don't EXECT the minimum wage for each child, I never said I did. Good lord, I researched childminding well before I took it up and was under no illusions about how it worked financially! I was trying to illustrate the point that a number of childminders work for below the minimum wage.

I also never said that regulation in England is more invasive. I'm not really interested in debating that point in all honesty.

I was interested in the Ofsted requirements surrounding EYFS and what was expected of childminders and how they cope with it. Part of me thinks the idea of learning journals etc is excellent and the other part wonders how on earth childminders find time to do them.

Daily diary in a duplicate book. Write observations as they happen. Scribble notes on my copies about areas of learning and plans for that child.

Make notes of progress as I go along ie 1st steps, counting, colours, etc to include in term report.

Little note if they say or do something funny or clever for the newsletter. Newsletter format has each child's name and 1 or 2 sentences ie child a told us how his mum can only wake up if she has coffee. Also has a general section with anything else parents should know ie vacancies, change of policies, etc.

I do no more than I did pre-EYFS, I just do it differently. Many Childminders to well beyond what was ever envisaged, mainly due to lack of training & guidance over what the expectations were and the inconsistency of Ofsted inspectors.
I do daily diaries & newsletters which I've always done & learning Journals which I used to do as scrapbooks showing what the children were doing, where we'd been, samples of work etc. Now the LJ's still show that but I include a small section divided by area of learning identifying where a child has progressed in a particular area - mainly through photos and post-its. I plan according to each child's interests & development which I always did but now I call it 'next steps'.
I always had (& will continue to have) written policies but these were for my benefit and so the only really onerous bit of the EYFS for me was the focus on written risk assessments, so I will be pleased come September when they don't have to be in writing

Thanks HSMM and ChildrenatHeart, that's really helpful. I can see now how it doesn't need to be onerous at all. I think I'm going to start making some observations of my children over the next couple of weeks so when I do my planning I can target it a little more to their development. I also really like the idea of a scrapbook - I currently only do the daily diary.

I already had a written risk assessment so no change with EYFS

I had the written RA for my property & general outings - it was the additional ones for each type of outing I found a pain (repetitive). I will still write some stuff that I find helpful but not as much