Help!!! Stressing about learning journeys

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I started childminding very recently (3 weeks!) and currently look after 2 lovely 2 year olds. I have an all about me sheet for them, and have taken photos/ noted a few learning experiences for both of them, but have no idea how to present it etc. Please point me in the right direction.

I use similar templates www.surreycc.gov.uk/learning/early-years-and-childcare-practitioners/working-with-the-under-fives/early-years-foundation-stage

www.surreycc.gov.uk/learning/early-years-and-childcare-practitioners/working-with-the-under-fives/early-years-foundation-stage click this one

I've started using orbit on my iPhone for day to day obs - take a photo on my iphone of whatever I'm observing then later that evening or on a day off go on my laptop & can write a line or two about the observation click on the relevant area of learning then save it. In addition I do a termly update then maybe 1 narrative obs per 3 months. I print everything off & put it in a folder for mum with a feedback form once a term.
HTH

wow, some interesting things here. We have just changed our CM for various reasons but the Learning Journey she has sent home is hopeless. In 2 years she has done maybe a dozen pages, one photo with brief description on each page with letters to match it to EYFS criteria. That' s it. I'm amazed that it would pass OFSTED. I asked to see it periodically, always giving her a couple of weeks notice to get it up to date (am a teacher so appreciate that the paperwork can get behind) but somehow I never did see it - I would suddenly however get a picture or plant or something. What is the bare minimum OFSTED require for a LJ?

Ofsted do not require learning journeys at all. Childminders need to have and demonstrate a good knowledge of the eyfs and a good knowledge of each of the children they care for. They do not need to produce any tracking paperwork other than a brief written report some time after a child's second birthday.

You don't need to do Learning Journeys. All you need to be able to do is to demonstrate how you are delivering the EYFS. Some find Learning Journeys a good way of doing this, but they're not compulsory - they never were - and there is some controversy over how useful they are.

I just collate all my notes and pictures into a termly assessment, which I email to the parents.

I have a slightly too long winded approach which I am trying to cut down but it works at the moment

I have a tracker book from qed publications which is a bound copy of development matters with spaces for written obs and dates. It also has a 2 year check and transition report in. I write obs in here then on a word doc paste the pics and say what page it links to in the tracker. I also l write next steps on this doc

I email pages to parents and send home tracker every term

I recently got into the childminder network (i.e. can now accept nursery funding) with very minimal paperwork. You need to know everything about where the children are and what you are planning to do with them next and why, but it is not necessary to write any of it down if you can demonstrate it in other ways.

I do have a daily diary which I have agreed to annotate with code from Development Matters to prove I know my stuff to Ofsted and the early years consultants, and indicate next steps. Each day there is a photo too.

I hope parents don't judge me on the lack of a learning journal, as both ofsted and the local network have made it clear they are not necessary.

Having said that, if you have a system that helps you to consolidate knowledge about the child development, age and stage etc, or think about next steps, then that is good and very helpful. I found it was not helpful to my overall practise to endlessly record things, so I stopped.

Very useful comments. Found the surrey website very helpful.

Do you have to do observations and learning js for a child 5 and in reception?

Yes you do have to learning journeys until the 31st August after they are 5 so basically until they are year 1.
I don't do very much though for this age child's lj as they are really not with you for very much time each day. Where possible I try to do activities which build on things they are doing at school.

you don't have to do LJ' you have to deliver the EYFS until 31 August after their 5th birthday.
This involves having a good knowledge of their progress etc. You do not have to write it down at all.
In fact, under the new EYFS, it is acknowledged that once mindees start school full time, you are providing wraparound care only and you basically don't have to show anything for them at all.
If you don't want to write a lj, then don't. I just writa a few lines in a progress book every few months.
Can't be arsed doing obs. etc. every week thast parents aren't interested in and which have absoloutely no bearing on my care of the children at all.

Yeah sorry I didn't mean you have to do a learning journey just meant that yes you have to show you do the Eyfs until then.

Thanks so much.

Just realised that I misunderstood the bit about 31 August after their 5th birthday. Just thought of the bit about when they are five.

Really grateful for this thread.