EYFS - Learning Journey for temporary contract

[looneytune]

Hi all

I just wanted to get your thoughts. I have a 2 year old who started recently and is only going to be with me for 8 weeks. She's with me 6.75 hours twice a week during that time, 2 other days she's at a preschool.

I've set her file up but wondering how much work I should put into the file? Usually I make sure I put at least 1 observation a month (but usually ends up a lot more and always put things in that are relevant anyway) but I'm thinking it could look pretty empty with only 8 weeks of stuff in. I'll leave the 2 year progress check to the preschool to do as they will have them once I've finished and next year this will become 5 sessions (plus I know we're not supposed to do this until they've been with us at least 6-8 weeks).

Also, I've asked the mum to provide contact details for the pre-school so that I can share information with them but again I'm wondering how much information to share (usually I do an update on a form once a month).

Any thoughts would be much appreciated :)

As she is 2 years old you should start the 'progress check' for the 3 Prime Areas of learning for her no matter that she is with you only a short time
How long is she at preschool compared to the 13 hours she is with you?

When she leaves you can pass on the Summative assessment of her progress during your care to her parents who in turn should pass it on to the next provider
The EYFS 2012 page 10 should guide what you do and how you want to do it

Our early years team have produced a document making it very clear that it is very important that we do NOT complete this until they have been with us 6-8 weeks. The revised EYFS also states its to be done by the person who looks after them the longest. I have her for 15 mins longer each day, same number of days. I'm confused now.

I'll check page 10 as would do a summative assessment but was not expecting a 2 year check

Each LA has its own guidelines however the EYFS is the legal document and the 'progress check' a requirement
The summative assessment is the 'summary' of observations (formative assessment) that we need to have in place
The formative assessments starts the minute your child is in your care beginning with 'the starting point' of the developmentof any child....

maybe you could attend the Ofsted workshop I have organized in November and put this question to Ofsted yourself as the most important thing is to be ready for your inspection and ofsted's expectations as stated recently in their numerous publications

Look out for the post where I will be announcing the date of the workshop...free to all c/ms and on a Saturday

Thanks for your advice. I know about all the other stuff (I was more worried about the lack of single observations but I'll just do this file like I would anyone else). As for the 2 year progress check, I will speak to our LA as we have formal documents we've just been issued with including a full practitioners guide and they have made it very very clear about just 1 of these being completed (but with input from all parties, everyone has to agree with the final document before it's signed off) and that it should not be done until a MINIMUM of 6-8 weeks have passed. I must say I agree with this, not so I don't have to do as much work but what is the point in doing a document as important as this until you've got a really clear picture of everything. To me it makes sense what they are saying but I will query this with them. Some of my new starters are with me for 5 hours, once a week so I would most definitely want to make sure they've been with me a little while before I decide what they can and can't do. Sometimes they can appear to not know certain things when they first start (I know my children said less at school when they first started so they wouldn't know straight away what they did and didn't know i.e. numbers, colours etc.)

Anyway, my other question was about information sharing with the pre-school. Do you think this should be as I normally do, more regular or just the assessment given when I finish?

I would just introduce yourself to the pre school. You don't have to use the LA 2 yr check forms if everything is covered by your existing documents. I would have over my summative assessment, but it won't have great meaning after only 8 weeks. The 2 yr check doesn't have to be precisely on their birthday ...

Hand not have

HSMM - have you seen our LA's documentation? I'm going to do my own form but wanted to read their guidance docs etc. and that's what made me decide this particular child doesn't need a check done by me (if you've not seen, I can forward you what they sent me). Thanks, I'll just wait to hear from their mum as I still don't know what preschool they attend.

I have seen it and I'm almost certainly not going to use it. What will you do if the mum doesn't want to give you details of the pre school ... she doesn't have to.

Yeah, I don't want to use their form either, did find some of the guidelines useful but that's about it. And I thought the exact same things about the preschool and wasn't sure whether or not they HAD to give details. She's signed for sharing observations but that was just signing all the forms, she may not want to give the actual preschool contact details so we'll see.

Many questions here that could be answered at the free Ofsted workshop for c/ms on Sat 17 Nove

See other post for details

Thanks but this mindee will have left by then :)

True...mine too will have gone but best to get it sorted for the next one?