A guide to EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning

A guide to EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning An explanation of the EYFS Assessment Requirements - Plus a walk-though guide to how you could complete observation, assessment & planning in your Childminding business The Childminding Café, a registered trademark of The Resource Reserve ltd The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 1

Contents A GUIDE TO EYFS OBSERVATION, ASSESSMENT & PLANNING... 3 WHO IS THIS GUIDE FOR?... 3 WHAT IS IN THIS GUIDE?... 3 HOW DOES THIS GUIDE WORK?... 3 THE EYFS ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS... 4 AGE SPECIFIC ASSESSMENTS... 5 PROGRESS CHECK AT AGE TWO... 5 ASSESSMENT AT THE END OF THE EYFS THE EYFS PROFILE... 5 OUR PROGRESS CHECK AT AGE TWO WRITTEN SUMMARY TEMPLATE... 6 ON GOING ASSESSMENTS WITH OBSERVATIONS AND PLANNING... 9 A NOTE ON WHAT THE REGULATIONS SAY ABOUT EYFS ASSESSMENT PAPERWORK AND PARTNERSHIP:... 9 A SUGGESTED PLAN FOR UNDERTAKING OBSERVATION, ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING IN YOUR SETTING EYFS CIRCLE... 10 THE EYFS CIRCLE... 11 EYFS OBSERVATION, ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING PROCEDURE... 13 EYFS LEARNING JOURNEY TEMPLATE... 15 EYFS OBSERVATION, ASSESSMENT & PLANNING RECORD... 24 EYFS CHILD S PERSONAL PLAN... 34 WEEKLY ACTIVITY PLAN... 36 EYFS WEEKLY ACTIVITY PLAN... 37 COMPLETING THE EYFS CIRCLE... 38 EXTRA INFO, COMPLETED EXAMPLES AND SOURCES... 39 COMPLETED PROGRESS CHECK AT AGE TWO WRITTEN SUMMARY... 40 COMPLETED OBSERVATION, ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING RECORD... 43 COMPLETED EYFS CHILD S PERSONAL PLAN... 52 COMPLETED EYFS WEEKLY ACTIVITY PLAN... 54 SOURCES... 55 The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 2

A guide to EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning Who is this guide for? Maybe you are a new Childminder, or perhaps an established one, and would like to gain an insight into how you could effectively carry out EYFS assessments in your setting. This guide is for all registered childminders in England who are wondering how to practically implement the EYFS Assessment requirements into the day to day running of their childminding business. It is not intended as a substitute for all the information provided in either The Statutory Framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage, or the Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage documents produced by the Department for Education DfE), but rather a tool to help you understand the information and how best to implement the practices into your setting. What is in this guide? This guide first summarises the EYFS regulations regarding assessment. It looks at both on going (formative) and agespecific (summative) assessments. Next an overview of how you could complete the Progress Check at age two required assessment is given and the Assessment at the end of the EYFS (the EYFS Profile) is briefly discussed. The guide then moves to look at on going assessment with a suggested framework in which to carry out observation, assessment and planning for each child in your care. This framework includes four key documents, these are each detailed before completed examples are given. How does this guide work? This guide uses plain English but where necessary uses the words from regulatory documents to ensure the exact requirement is specified. Don t worry, as you work through the guide everything should become clear. You will get the most out of it if you consider a child in your care and carry out each of the steps as suggested. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 3

The EYFS Assessment regulations The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory requirements are a set of regulation that all Early Years childcare providers are required to adhere to. These regulations include assessments that you may need to undertake for each EYFS aged child in your care. There are two sets of assessments: age specific assessments and on going assessments. Assessments are connected of the wider topic of learning and development. Assessments should be made through your observations of a child across 7 areas of learning & development 1 and lead into your future planning. The assessment requirements cover three pages (10 12) of the EYFS document. Here we highlight what we think are the most important sections concerning assessment, however it is worth reading the entire EYFS document when you have a spare thirty minutes. The document can be found within our Ofsted & DfE Resources page. The Department for Education has also published a supporting, non statutory document called Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This document provides more specific information on observation, assessment and planning, such as ensuring you include all three characteristics of effective learning in your planning. It also contains a comprehensive table highlighting what you may observe and how you could plan activities for EYFS age children across a variety of age bands. The Development Matters document should help with your assessments and is used by many childminders. 1 Just the three prime areas for children under two years old. 2 If the child attends more than one setting, the Progress check at age two should be The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 4

Age specific assessments Progress check at age two If you have a child in your care between the age of two and three it is likely that you will need to review their progress, and provide parents and/or carers with a short written summary of their child s development in the prime areas of learning & development 2. The EYFS states that: This progress check must identify the child s strengths, and any areas where the child s progress is less than expected Clause 2.3 There is no prescribed format for completing the written summary of the progress check, but the actual progress check needs to include the following for at least the three prime areas of learning & development: areas in which the child is progressing well; areas in which some additional support might be needed; any areas where there is a concern that a child may have a developmental delay; and the activities and strategies you intend to adopt to address any issues or concerns. This formal assessment can be a daunting prospect. To help we have created a Progress check at age two written summary template, shown on the following three pages. This template can be downloaded from our EYFS 2012 Resources page. You can amend it to your liking before using your existing observation, assessment and plan records (discussed later in this ebook) to complete the written summary for each of the three prime areas of learning & development. Assessment at the end of the EYFS the EYFS Profile In addition to a summative assessment between the ages of 2 3 years, practitioners must undertake a further assessment when the child reaches the end of the EYFS. In almost every case, the child will be at school by this time and so this assessment should be carried out by the child s school. If you do find that this assessment is relevant to you, please read clauses 2.6 2.10 of the EYFS framework document. 2 If the child attends more than one setting, the Progress check at age two should be undertaken by the setting where the child has spend most time. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 5

Our Progress check at age two written summary template Progress check at age two written summary Childs name: Date: Date of birth of child: Age of child in months: Completed by: It is a statutory requirement for me to complete a Progress check at age two and to provide parents with a written summary of this progress check for each child in my care aged between 24 36 months (unless completed by another childcare provider with whom the child spends more time). The progress check needs to consider the child s development against the three prime areas of learning and development and in particular highlight any specific areas of concern. It is also a requirement that the written summary must include activities and strategies that I plan to put into action to help promote the child s development in each of the three areas. Here is a written summary of the Progress check at age two that I have completed for your child. Please share it as you see fit with your health visitor. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss anything in this written summary with you. Thanks. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 6

Prime Area of Learning & Development: Personal, social and emotional development Aspect Progress observed Activities and strategies to promote development Making relationships Development stage (month range) 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Self confidence and selfawareness 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Managing feelings and behaviour 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Prime Area of Learning & Development: Physical Development Aspect Progress observed Activities and strategies to promote development Moving and handling 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Health and Self care 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 7

Prime Area of Learning & Development: Communication & Language Aspect Progress observed Activities and strategies to promote development Listening and attention 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Understanding 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Speaking 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Summary comments and next steps Parent s comments A completed example of our Progress check at age two written summary is provided in the Extra info, completed examples and sources section. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 8

On going assessments with observations and planning On going assessment is at the heart of effective early learning practice. An assessment of what a child can and can t do will help a childminder to plan relevant activities that will support a child s learning and development. An effective assessment is impossible however unless that childminder has both taken the time to observe the child and understands what can be generally expected within broad age bands. We therefore suggest that you incorporate observation, assessment and planning into your practice. We have created a plan for this, which we call the EYFS Circle as well as four key documents. We will go through each step in the EFYS circle and each document in the next section. A note on what the regulations say about EYFS assessment paperwork and partnership: Assessment should not entail prolonged breaks from interaction with children, nor require excessive paperwork. Paperwork should be limited to that which is absolutely necessary to promote children s successful learning and development. Parents and/or carers should be kept up to date with their child s progress and development. Practitioners should address any learning and development needs in partnership with parents and/or carers, and any relevant professionals EYFS Clause 2.2 The intention of inserting this new clause into the EYFS 2012 regulations may be to limit the amount of paperwork childminders have to do. However in reality it can create uncertainty over what could be considered too little paperwork and what may be seen as too much in an inspection. Our EYFS Circle is a tried and tested method and we have received great feedback about its appropriateness for EYFS 2012. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 9

A suggested plan for undertaking Observation, Assessment and Planning in your setting EYFS Circle Our EYFS Circle is a method that we have created and comprises of four key documents. Our EYFS Cirlce may go over and above the basic requirements however it has been effective in helping children develop and has contributed to childminders achieving outstanding Ofsted inspection grades. First we look at the EYFS circle so that you can visualise how each element fits together. Next we look at our written Observation, Assessment and Planning procedure. Having understood the framework, we will then work through each of the observation, assessment and planning documents. To do this please consider one of the children in your setting, or if you are yet to care for a child, maybe a young child of your own. This process is for one child, if you are caring for more you will need to do this for each child in your care (but for now just focus on one). The Observation, Assessment & Planning documents which we will go through The EYFS Learning Journey The EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning (OA&P) record The EYFS Child s Personal Plan The EYFS Weekly Planner A type of individual diary for each child includes observation sheets. Use at any time. A record for each child includes formal observations, assessments and plans to help the child develop in each area. Completed approximately every 3 months depending on age. A summary for each child of the main development areas. Completed after each OA&P record. A weekly plan for the setting outlining the week s activities and how these cover the 6 areas of learning & development. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 10

The EYFS Circle The EYFS circle shows how each of the observation, assessment & planning documents detailed in the guide fit together. In addition it highlights how each of these documents need to be used together with policies, procedures, records etc to fulfil the other welfare and learning & development requirements. The EYFS circle shows how you should run your childcare setting on a daily basis with regulations in mind. This means that the wellbeing of children is at the centre of your setting through your actions, the policies and procedures that you adhere to, and the paperwork that supports your setting (such as accident and injury records and risk assessments). In addition to the daily running of your setting the EYFS Circle highlights four documents that should be completed. First, each child should have their own Learning Journey which is completed on an ad hoc basis, maybe by picking an activity each week and by noting observations as they appear. The observations and results of the activities should then feed into the child s Observation, Assessment & Planning record. This is then translated into key development plans for the child for the medium term in the Child s Personal Plan. Finally a The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 11

Weekly Activity Plan is developed for your setting which incorporates activities that support aspects of the highlighted development plans of each child. Remember that this is a circle and not a one off activity, so the activities in the Weekly Plan will link into the Learning Journey and your observations, and so the process will continue. The challenging part can be that each child has his/her own unique plan but it is likely that you will only have one Weekly Activity Plan in your setting. Therefore you may want to create activities that can be carried out by children at a variety of development levels. For example sowing plant seeds into small pots. Older babies could play a stacking game with the pots, younger children could put soil in the pots and older children could count out the seeds. It may be necessary though at times to develop an activity that is targeted at a specific developmental area for a child. Remember that the Weekly Activity Plan is a guide and to allow children to chose and lead activities frequently. A note about timings: Unless your local development officer or Ofsted tells you otherwise, there is no set rule for how often the circle needs to be completed. In practice the observation and activity sheets in the Learning Journeys will be added to quite often whilst the more formal Observation, Assessment and Planning records and Child s Personal Plans will be completed less often, depending on the speed of development in each child but as a guide maybe every 3 months. As the name suggests, the Weekly Activity Plan should be completed for each following week and is based on the priorities highlighted in each child s personal plan. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 12

EYFS Observation, Assessment and Planning procedure Below is an example Observation, Assessment and Planning procedure which mirrors what is shown in the EYFS Circle. However, for completeness, the procedure also includes what to do if you are required to carry out a Final EYFS assessment. It is very unlikely that you will need to complete a Final EYFS assessment but if you do I would suggest you contact your local authority for guidance. EYFS Observation, Assessment and Planning procedure The EYFS is from birth to the end of the academic year following a child s 5 th birthday. Regular assessments are to be completed during a child s time in the EYFS and an EYFS Profile assessment is to be completed as the child finishes their EYFS if not already at school. Assessment during the EYFS Ongoing assessment is an integral part of the learning and development process. I will ensure that I am observing children and responding appropriately to help them make progress towards the early learning goals. I will carry out an assessment soon after my childminding relationship starts with a child. This way I will have a record of their developmental starting points. Assessments will be based on my observations of children s achievements, interests and learning styles in their day to day activities, gathered from a wide range of learning and teaching contexts. I will use my Observations record sheets within the child s Learning Journey folder to note down observations as I come across them. I will record my formal observations and assessments in an Observation, Assessment and Planning record. The recording of the observations and the basis of the assessment will be based on the Learning & Development table within the Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage document from the Department for Education and Skills. Observations will be sought from parents and noted in the observation sheets with the child s Learning Journey folder or within the Observation, Assessment and Planning record if more appropriate. I will use the information gathered from the Observation, Assessment and Planning record to form the child s personal plan. The child s personal plan will set out the learning priorities and proposed methods of play to achieve these priorities. The child s personal plan will be used to compile the weekly planner for all children, to ensure that group activities help towards the child achieving their learning priorities. Examples of these activities will be included in the child s Learning Journey folder. Continued on next page The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 13

EYFS Observation, Assessment and Planning procedure continued I will develop a child s Learning Journey folder for each EYFS age child in my care, regardless of whether or not they also attend another childcare setting (excluding school). The information on the Observation, Assessment and Planning record as well as the child s personal plan will be available for parents to see on request. Assessment at the end of the EYFS Childcare providers must make arrangements for each child within the final year of the EYFS to be assessed throughout the year. All childcare providers must use the 13 scales and have regard to the scale points as set out in EYFS Profile and assessment scales. However if a child experiences a range of settings during the final year of the EYFS the EYFS profile must be completed by the provider where the child spends the majority of the time between 8 am and 6 pm. Therefore it is highly unlikely that I will be required to complete an EYFS Profile as cared for children in this age bracket will be attending school and therefore the school will complete the EYFS Profile for the child. I will be available to provide input to the school to assist with an EYFS Profile as required Please remember This procedure works with the EYFS circle but might need amending or adding to for your own setting. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 14

EYFS Learning Journey template Our EYFS learning journey template can be used for the first stage of the EYFS Circle. It feeds into our child s Observation, assessment & planning record used in stage two. The Learning Journey contains two sections: All about me section This contains four pages, All about me, My family, What I like to eat and drink and Things I like to do. You can either ask the child s parents/carers to complete this section, or you can fill it in with the child when you first start caring for them. As some of the information is likely to change over a period of time, if a child is old enough, a good activity could be to update these pages with the child taking the lead. Learning stories section The second section contains Learning Story sheets; these are sheets for recording information about specific activities that you undertake with the children. You can add a photo of the activity, the outcome of the activity, ideas for follow on activities and how the story links with the EYFS seven Areas of learning & development and three Characteristics of effective learning. There is also space for the child and parents/carers to comment on the story. Filling out a story sheet for each activity would create too much paperwork, just focus on activities that are relevant. Observations section Here there is space for you to write observations as and when you see them or are told about them happening away from your setting. Make the observation more relevant by highlighting which of the seven areas of learning and development it relates to. These observations are used to feed into the observation boxes in the child s Observation, assessment & planning record. Fun stuff section Finally there is a section for you to add any fun stuff the child has been doing. The Learning journey template is follows on the next pages, we have added comments to help your understanding. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 15

My EYFS Learning Journey My EYFS Learning Journey In your setting you should put a picture here. Here is a picture of me: The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 16

All about me! My EYFS Learning Journey My name is My date of birth is My home language is You can complete this with the child, or ask their parents to complete it. Other childminders / playgroups / nurseries or schools I attend What I like to do with my family My special friends are Special times I celebrate Answered by: With a little help from: The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 17

My family This is a picture of my family My EYFS Learning Journey In your setting you should put a picture here. Stick a picture of my family here please Here is a bit of information about my family (and my pets if I have any): Answered by: With a little help from: The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 18

My EYFS Learning Journey What I like to eat and drink There are lots of things that I like to eat and drink and a few things I am not so keen on Food and drink I really enjoy Food and drink I am not so keen on or that my body doesn t like Answered by: With a little help from: The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 19

What I like to do My EYFS Learning Journey There are lots of activities that I like to do and things that make me happy but there are also a few things I am not so keen on Interests and activities that I enjoy (and things that make me happy if I am sad) Interests and activities that I am not so keen on Answered by: With a little help from: The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 20

Learning Story My EYFS Learning Journey Overview of activity: Age: Date: There are lots of these sheets in the Learning Journey. Complete for activities that are relevant to the child s learning & development. Not too many as it will take too much time, perhaps one a week (or fortnight if you have lots of children). What was noticed Ideas for next story Parent s /Carer s voice Child s voice Areas of Learning & Development covered (circled): Characteristics of effective learning covered (circled) Playing & exploring Active learning Creating & thinking critically The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 21

Observations Here are some observations that my childminder, other children, my family or I have made. My childminder can reflect on these in her observation, assessment and planning. Observation: Date: There are lots of these sheets in the Learning Journey. Complete an observation box when you see something that you think is relevant to their learning & development. EYFS areas of L&D this covers: Literacy P.S&E dev. Mathematics Com & Language U. the world Physical dev. E. Arts & Design Characteristics of effective learning covered: Playing & exploring Active learning Creating & thinking critically Observation: Date: EYFS areas of L&D this covers: Literacy Mathematics P.S&E dev. Com & Language U. the world Physical dev. E. Arts & Design Characteristics of effective learning covered: Playing & exploring Active learning Creating & thinking critically Black ink = my childminders observations Blue ink = my observations Red ink = my parents observations Green = other children s observations The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 22

Fun stuff My EYFS Learning Journey Here are some pictures, paintings, stories that I have written, and other fun things that I have done with my childminder There are lots of these sheets in the Learning Journey. Complete with photos, or paste in drawings that The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 23

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record This Observation, Assessment & Planning record assists the second stage of the EYFS Circle and draws from learning stories and observations from stage one the child s learning journey. The planning outcomes from this record feeds into stage three of the EYFS circle the child s personal plan. Use the tables in the Development Matters document from page 8. These tables go through each of the 7 areas of learning and development, and each of the aspects (each leads to a learning goal) for each of those 7 areas. In the document each aspect has bullet points describing what you might observe (A unique child) in a child s development, what you could do (Positive relationships) as well as what you could provide (Enabling environments) to aid that development for overlapping age brackets. Using your observations as a guide write, for each aspect, what you have observed. Now gently assess whether, broadly, the child s development is in line with the development statements (remembering that babies and young children develop at their own rates and their own ways). Circle the age band the child s development best fits. Finally note planning ideas that will help the child to develop in that aspect. This column will feed into the Child s personal plan document. For younger children, focus on the three prime areas of learning & development The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 24

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record EYFS 2012 Observation, Assessment & Planning Record Child s name: Date: Date of birth of child: Age of child in months: The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 25

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record Prime Area of Learning & Development: Personal, social and emotional development Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Making relationships Early learning goal: Children play co-operatively, taking turns with others. They take account of one another s ideas about how to organise their activity. They show sensitivity to others needs and feelings, and form positive relationships with adults and other children. Self confidence and selfawareness ELG: Children are confident to try new activities, and say why they like some activities more than others. They are confident to speak in a familiar group, will talk about their ideas, and will choose the resources they need for their chosen activities. They say when they do or don t need help. Managing feelings and behaviour ELG: Children talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their own and others behaviour, and its consequences, and know that some behaviour is unacceptable. They work as part of a group or class, and understand and follow the rules. They adjust their behaviour to different situations, and take changes of routine in their stride Early learning goals detail the level of progress children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS (EYFS Statutory Framework) The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 26

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record Prime Area of Learning & Development: Communication & Language Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Listening and attention ELG: Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity. Understanding ELG: Children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer how and why questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events. Speaking ELG: Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events Early learning goals detail the level of progress children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS (EYFS Statutory Framework) The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 27

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record Prime Area of Learning & Development: Physical Development Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Moving and handling ELG: Children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They handle equipment and tools effectively, including pencils for writing. Health and Self care ELG: Children know the importance for good health of physical exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy and safe. They manage their own basic hygiene and personal needs successfully, including dressing and going to the toilet independently. Early learning goals detail the level of progress children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS (EYFS Statutory Framework) The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 28

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record Specific Area of Learning & Development: Literacy Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Reading ELG: Children read and understand simple sentences. They use phonic knowledge to decode regular words and read them aloud accurately. They also read some common irregular words. They demonstrate understanding when talking with others about what they have read. Writing ELG: children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly and others are phonetically plausible. ( Early learning goals detail the level of progress children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS (EYFS Statutory Framework) The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 29

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record Specific Area of Learning & Development: Mathematics Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Numbers ELG: Children count reliably with numbers from 1 to 20, place them in order and say which number is one more or one less than a given number. Using quantities and objects, they add and subtract two single-digit numbers and count on or back to find the answer. They solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing. Shape, space and measure ELG: Children use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems. They recognise, create and describe patterns. They explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to Early learning goals detail the level of progress children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS (EYFS Statutory Framework) describe them. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 30

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record Specific Area of Learning & Development: Understanding the world Aspect Observation Assessment Planning People and communities ELG: Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and in the lives of family members. They know that other children don t always enjoy the same things, and are sensitive to this. They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions. The world ELG: Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things. They talk about the features of their own immediate environment and how environments might vary from one another. They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes. Technology ELG: children recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. They select and use technology for particular purposes. Early learning goals detail the level of progress children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS (EYFS Statutory Framework) The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 31

EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record Specific Area of Learning & Development: Expressive arts and design Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Exploring and using media and materials ELG: Children sing songs, make music and dance, and experiment with ways of changing them. They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function. Being imaginative ELG: Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories. Early learning goals detail the level of progress children should be expected to have attained by the end of the EYFS (EYFS Statutory Framework) EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record Child s voice: The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 32

Parent s / Carers voice: End of EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning record The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 33

EYFS Child s Personal Plan This Child s personal plan makes up the third stage of the EYFS Circle and draws from the child s Observation, assessment & planning record developed in stage two. The detailed planning outcomes from this record feed into stage four of the EYFS circle your Weekly activity plan. Complete this record by reviewing the plans that you have written in the child s Observation, assessment & planning record. Pick out the learning priorities that you want to give priority to over the next few months and add them to the Learning Priorities column. Next spend a bit of time coming up with ideas of what you could do, or what you could provide, that would help the child to develop in the priority areas. You can gain ideas from the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) document. Look at the Positive Relationships and Enabling Environment columns within each area of learning & development (page 8 onwards) for the rows appropriate for the age of the child. Try to develop activities that promote effective learning through both adult and child led activities (page 5 of Development Matters): 1. Playing and exploring engagement 2. Active learning motivation 3. Creating and thinking critically thinking For younger children, focus on the three prime areas of learning & development. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 34

Child s Personal Plan for: Date: Age of child in months: Areas of L&D Learning priorities Ideas of effective learning activities to develop child in this area: Personal, social and emotional development Prime Communication and language Prime Physical development Prime Literacy Specific Mathematics Specific Understanding the world Specific Expressive arts and design Specific For younger children, the focus should be on the 3 prime areas of learning & development. Childs voice: Parents / carers voice: The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 35

Weekly activity plan This is the fourth stage of the EYFS Circle and draws from the information in each Child's Personal Plan. Drawing from the individual Child's Personal Plans, you can add activities for the week. The coloured coins are added to each cell to show which of the 7 areas of learning & development the activity promotes. The challenging part can be that each child has his/her own unique plan but it is likely that you will only want one Weekly Activity Plan in your setting. Therefore you may want to create activities that can be carried out by children at a variety of development levels. For example sowing plant seeds into small pots. Older babies could play a stacking game with the pots, younger children could put soil in the pots and older children could count out the seeds. It may be necessary though at times to develop an activity that is targeted at a specific developmental area for a child. Remember that the Weekly Activity Plan is a guide and to allow children to chose and lead activities frequently. The outcomes of these activities feed into each child's learning journey, thereby continuing the EYFS circle. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 36

EYFS Weekly Activity Plan Morning Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Lunch Afternoon Tea The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 37

Completing the EYFS Circle Completing the circle is easy: Once you have completed the activities that you developed in the EYFS Weekly Plan, make notes of any observations and detail the results of the activity in the Learning Diary. Don t make notes of every activity (this would take up too much time!) just ones that you think are particularly relevant to the child s development. The circle then rolls on as you move from the Learning Diary to the EYFS Observation, Assessment & Planning document. Remember to include parents in all elements of the circle. Ask them to let you know of any developmental changes or any activity ideas (after all they know the child the best). Make sure they can see and comment on the EYFS Circle documents at any time. Perhaps even give them a copy of the Weekly Activity Plan at the start of each week. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 38

Extra info, completed examples and sources Completed Progress check at age two written summary Completed Observation, Assessment and Planning record Completed Child s Personal Plan Completed EYFS Weekly Activity Plan Sources The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 39

Completed Progress check at age two written summary Progress check at age two written summary Childs name: Olivia Date of birth of child: ***** Date: ***** Age of child in months: 25 months Completed by: ******* (Childminder) It is a statutory requirement for me to complete a Progress check at age two and to provide parents with a written summary of this progress check for each child in my care aged between 24 36 months (unless completed by another childcare provider with whom the child spends more time). The progress check needs to consider the child s development against the three prime areas of learning and development and in particular highlight any specific areas of concern. It is also a requirement that the written summary must include activities and strategies that I plan to put into action to help promote the child s development in each of the three areas. Here is a written summary of the Progress check at age two that I have completed for your child. Please share it as you see fit with your health visitor. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss anything in this written summary with you. Thanks. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 40

Prime Area of Learning & Development: Personal, social and emotional development Aspect Progress observed Activities and strategies to promote development Making relationships Development stage (month range) 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Self confidence and selfawareness 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Managing feelings and behaviour 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Olivia is usually happy to play alongside other children and is starting to be interested in others play, however she rarely joins in unless I am with her. Olivia demonstrates sense of self as an individual and has her own preferences and interests. She hasn t yet got the confidence to carry out her preferences without me close-by. Olivia is beginning to understand sharing, although her growing sense of will and determination can result in feelings of frustration. The next steps are to develop strategies to build Olivia s confidence, to compliment her natural curiosity, These may include: Ask other children in my care to gently encourage Olivia to participate in their game. Praise Olivia when she plays nicely with others. Choose books and stories in which characters help and support each other. Talk about how I am sharing a toy with her, then ask her to share the toy with another child. Prime Area of Learning & Development: Physical Development Aspect Progress observed Activities and strategies to promote development Moving and handling 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Health and Self care 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Olivia is a great little mover. She can walk up stairs (two feet at a time) run and jump. She also has great handling and can easily turn pages of a book and make marks using a pencil and paintbrush. Olivia can almost dress and undress herself and can feed herself with a Physical development is clearly an area that Olivia is very strong and I will carry on supporting her with her development through: Giving her opportunities to play outdoors. Play games and attend activity groups which help her to explore new ways of moving. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 41

spoon. She knows when she needs to make a bowel movement and takes interest in others using the potty. When the parents feel it appropriate, I will work with them on toilet training. Prime Area of Learning & Development: Communication & Language Aspect Progress observed Activities and strategies to promote development Listening and attention 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Understanding 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Speaking 0 11 8 20 16 26 22 36 30 50 40 60+ Olivia listens to and enjoys rhythmic patterns in rhymes and stories. She also looks towards the door when hearing the doorbell. Olivia is starting to understand more complex sentences and simple concepts (e.g. big/little). Olivia can say very simple sentences of up to 3 words. She is also starting to get the idea of asking questions. Olivia has a solid grasp of communication and language and is developing well. I will help this to continue by: Using puppets in active learning and encourage her to talk for a puppet. Follow Olivia s lead to talk about what she is interested in. Give Olivia thinking time to think about what she wants to say and make sure neither I nor other children jump in with the words. Summary comments and next steps Olivia is developing across all three of the prime areas of learning and development and is particularly strong in physical development. Olivia is naturally shy and can lack confidence in social situations. My priority will be to help her to feel more confident so that she is happy to play with other children. Parent s comments Thank you for this progress check. Olivia can be shy however she is more adventurous now at home and we hope this will be the case at your setting soon. The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 42

Completed Observation, Assessment and Planning record The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 43

Prime Area of Learning & Development: Personal, social and emotional development Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Making relationships Early learning goal: Children play co-operatively, taking turns with others. They take account of one another s ideas about how to organise their activity. They show sensitivity to others needs and feelings, and form positive relationships with adults and other children. Self confidence and self awareness ELG: Children are confident to try new activities, and say why they like some activities more than others. They are confident to speak in a familiar group, will talk about their ideas, and will choose the resources they need for their chosen activities. They say when they do or don t need help. Managing feelings and behaviour ELG: Children talk about how they and others show feelings, talk about their Josh now plays with other children, rather than along side them. He can initiate conversations and asks lots of questions. Josh understands when someone is upset and makes attempts at making him or her feel better. Josh is a very confident child. He is happy to ask adults and children questions and talk about what interests him. Josh is usually happy in a new situation and with new activities as long as he knows there is an adult in the background to look after him. Josh can express his own feelings and understands that his actions can affect other people. He Developing well. Developing well. Developing well. The next step are: 1. Give Josh more opportunities to interact with more children of his own age and from a variety of backgrounds. 2. Create activities that require collaboration and teamwork. 3. Generally ensure that Josh is provided with experiences and activities that are challenging but achievable. 4. Read stories about characters that follow or break rules, and the effects of their behaviour on others. Discuss these stories with Josh to build a better awareness of acceptable behaviour and The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 44

own and others behaviour, and its consequences, and know that some behaviour is unacceptable. They work as part of a group or class, and understand and follow the rules. They adjust their behaviour to different situations, and take changes of routine in their stride points out when another child is not behaving. He mostly understands and adapts his behaviour to the situation. the effects of bad behaviour. Prime Area of Learning & Development: Communication & Language Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Listening and attention ELG: Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions. They give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity. Understanding ELG: Children follow instructions involving several ideas or actions. They answer how and why questions about their experiences and in response Josh can listen to others one to one or in small groups when the conversation interests him for short periods of time. He can recall stories and conversations well. In the same way as many children his age, Josh can sometimes be distracted and find it difficult to give attention to others whilst engaged in his own activity. Josh has a good understanding of what objects are for and can follow multiple instructions (if not distracted). He asks why and can explain why he needs to do Developing quite well. Developing well. The next step are: 1. Give Josh opportunities to develop his concentration through games such as Simon Says. Ask Josh to suggest things that Simon says. 2. Before activities ask Josh to describe what he thinks might happen. For example, if we are going to play in the garden, ask him whether it is hot or cold, The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 45

to stories or events. Speaking ELG: Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners needs. They use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events something. Josh has a great sense of humour and makes up jokes. Josh has a good vocabulary and is able to use complex sentences. He sometimes struggles with his diction and also keeping focus to complete his sentence in one attempt. Developing quite well. whether we need a coat and what might happen if it rains. 3. Give Josh time to initiate discussions from shared experiences and have conversations with each other. 4. Encourage Josh to bring and talk about something that interests him, either something from home or within my setting/out and about with me. Prime Area of Learning & Development: Physical Development Aspect Observation Assessment Planning Moving and handling ELG: Children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space. They handle equipment and tools Josh is confident with whole body movements such as jumping and running and can skilfully negotiate space successfully. Josh struggles at times with small movements and still holds pens with a whole hand grip. Even so he can still write out his name and draw simple Josh s development ranges between the 22 36 month band and the 30 50 month band. The next step are: 1. To support Josh in holding a pen and drawing simple pictures through pen and pencil based activities. 2. Help Josh to begin The Childminding Café, a trading name of The Resource Reserve ltd 2010 13 46