No report from pre-school - is this normal?

[fatfloosie]

DD has just finished pre-school attached to state primary.

I had a parent meeting with her group leader (TA) a few weeks ago at which I was shown her lack of progress folder. Progress folder contains: 1 fantastic self-portrait she did in her first week there plus two indifferent ones from subsequent terms; three examples of cutting - one for each term - which all look exactly the same; name card from first term (spring term one apparently got ruined and summer term one was still being used at the time but hasn't subsequently been put in).

I commented that I had expected to be shown more and the TA said that she had another folder that she had to keep for evidence and I think she said that it would go to DD's primary school. (DD just missed out on a place at the attached primary.) I expressed surprise that I did not get to see this and she said it was similar things to the 'writing' and pictures that DD brings home.

On the last day of term I was given DD's progress folder to take home. I presumed it was mine to keep until I discovered only those not going to the attached primary had been given them and the rest had been kept to send over to the attached primary.

I am now a bit baffled. Am I supposed to give DD's folder to her new school? (It is really so rubbish I cannot see the point and I desperately want to keep the first self-portrait.) Is there another more complete folder that will have gone to her new school already or did I completely misunderstand what the TA said?

Also I was expecting to get some indication of how she was doing against EYFS targets in some kind of report or other but have had nothing. Might I get something in the post or is this quite normal?

It's a couple of years since mine left pre-school but things were done very differently there.

All children had a full record of their progress, including observations of what they had been doing and how those things fitted in with the EYFS targets. There were also photographs of the children and their work.

All parents were invited in to look at their child's folder and write their own comments about their child's progress. The folders were then sent straight to the new schools. Parents were given them back to keep at the end of Reception.

We kept our folders but had to pass the eyfs report sheet (bout 4 pages) on to the school in sept.

Thanks for replies coppertop and sunnyday. The EYFS reports aren't always top secret then! I guess I'll have to decide whether it's worth making the wrong impression on her reception teacher by asking to see it . . .

I was given a massive pile of stuff when DD finished at preschool but the school never asked for it so I just kept it.

No reports here either but we can look at the 'learning journey'/evidence stuff anytime we want to, they should let you see it if you ask.

The EYFS profile is intended for the end of reception but some nurseries wrongly use them.

From September every child in preschool will have to be assessed between their 2nd and 3rd birthday. This assessment must be shared with parents and will contain information about where on the EYFS development profile the child is.

The EYFS profile begins from birth and is supposed to follow the child through each setting until the end of Reception when the child will be assessed again.

In the setting where I work we have shared the information in the profiles twice this year but parents can ask to see them whenever they want. They are given the child's learning journey when they leave the setting and the profile is sent to nursery/reception. We have also done a practice end of year assessment to get us ready for next year.

Sorry you havent been kept fully informed about your childs progress that is not what preschool is supposed to be about.

Hope your LO gets on ok at school

Thanks for replies. I shall presume I've got the 'learning journey' and it doesn't really matter if that makes it to her next school or not as they should have some kind of profile.

Ineedaflippinmedal - was there supposed to be a 'but' after 'progress' in your next to last sentence? I have definitely been guilty of forgetting that it's pre-school and about play not progress!

The EYFS profile is only for the end of reception and should not be used in nursery or preschool.
Development Matters from the EYFS guidance document should be used to "assess" yoounger children

"All early years providers must complete an EYFS profile for each child during the academic year they reach the age of five (for most children this is the reception year in primary school).

The profile describes the child's level of attainment at the end of the EYFS and identifies their learning needs for the next stage of school, helping year 1 teachers plan an effective and appropriate curriculum for the child."

www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/delivery/education/b00197227/about-the-early-years-foundation-stage-eyfs-profile

From September 2012
The New Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requires that parents and carers must be supplied with a short written summary of their child‟s development in the three prime learning and development areas of the EYFS: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development; and Communication and Language; when the child is aged between 24-36 months.

you might find www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/EYFS_Parents_Guide.doc helpful as it describes the new curriculum and assessment

I got a report for ds2 at the end of term and a meeting with his key worker...he has only been there since April and it sounds like he had more in his folder than your dd!

No there wasnt supposed to be a "but", preschool is all about learning through play but parents are supposed to be involved in the assessment process and certainly kept informed about their child's development.

We are taught that we should be observing children while they are playing and using the observations to inform our assessments when we are filling in the child's individual development profile.

mrz, I am wondering if the LA I work for are using the incorrect terminolgy because we have definitely been told that they are "EYFS development profiles."

Mind you nothing would surprise me TBH, at least we are informing the parents of something anyway

A developmental profile (not compulsory) is different to the statutory EYFS profile but I can see using both terms will be confusing to practitioners and parents.

The nursery our first son went to told us everything about the EYFSP and we could ask anytime about his progress. In the end they gave a report, the EYFSP and also his student profile as he was going to a different school. They also said that we had to give it to his new school.

Our other son's nursery never said anything about it although I thought that they were also using the EYFSP.

Reports were always given.

They aren't supposed to use the EYFSP ninsni it isn't meant for nursery children ... they are meant to give you a report (even if it is only verbal feedback)