EarlyYears FoundationStage2012

A Child’s PersonalPathway

ObservationsforLearningandDevelopmentRecord

Version 3

Name:

DateofBirth:KeyWorker:

Providing asoundstartforchildrenthroughoutSomerset

AllAboutMe

Guidelinesfortheuseof

“AChild’sPersonalPathway”

ObservationsforLearningandDevelopment Record –Version3

Thisdocumentwillhelpyou to linkyourchild observationsand evidence to the “Development Matters”ofthe EarlyYearsFoundation Stage and sohelpbuild a picture ofthe child’sachievementsand plan appropriate nextstepsin theirlearningand development, based on the characteristicsofeffective learning,theirinterestsand developmentalneeds.

  • The documenttakestheformat andwording fromthe Revised EarlyYearsFoundation Stage DevelopmentMatters(2012)and isorganised into theCharacteristicsofEffective Learning,the sevenareasofLearning andDevelopmentand theirallocated AspectsofLearning
  • Atthe beginning ofthedocumentisan information gathering section. Thisconsistsofan “Allaboutme”page and a “parents’/carers'/keyworkers'discussion” page. Itisimportant thattheformerreflectsthe child’svoice and the lattercan be used to record positivediscussionsofthechild’sprogress,on a termlyorthreemonth basis. Forsome childrenwith additionalneedsyou should discusstheirprogressrelating to IndividualEducation PlansorUmbrella Targets,perhapsreferring to DevelopmentalJournalchecklistssuch asused for Portage,where appropriate.Sensitivitytoage related terminologyis key
  • Each AspectofLearning isbroken down into the age related stages.These identifyknowledge,skills,understanding and attitudes. It isimportanttonote thatchildrenwill notnecessarilyprogresssequentiallythrough thestages,since these do notrepresentage-related goals

Birth–11months 8-20months16-26months22-36months30-50months40-60+months

  • TheChild’sPersonalPathwayshould be approached in a holisticmanner.Childrendevelopattheirownrates, andintheirownways.The developmentstatementsandtheir ordershouldnot betakenasnecessarystepsforindividualchildren. Theyshouldnotbeusedaschecklists. Differentchildren willachieve different thingsatdifferent times, theage/stagebandsoverlapbecausetheseare not fixedageboundariesbutsuggestatypicalrangeofdevelopment
  • Children’s observationsand evidence should benumbered and dated inorder to showprogress. Use a differentcolourpen for numberingfor eachtermor 4month period and startnumbering again from“1”at the beginning ofeach period
  • Usingthe applicable colour,note the numbernextto the elementsthat the evidence covers. Thiswilldemonstrate achild’sprogressover time
  • Manyobservationswillcover a numberofelements.Crossreference to otherareasoflearning and developmentthat are appropriate
  • Observationsinformhowthe childlearns(referring totheCharacteristicsofEffectiveLearning)andthe next stepsinlearninganddevelopment(formativeassessment) andshouldbe thestartingpointonwhich to base planning forexperiencesandopportunities, the learningenvironment, resources, routinesandpractitionersrole. Matchobservations to elementson aweeklybasistoinformnext stepsinlearning
  • Observationsmaybe collected directlyonto postitnotesorstickylabels,allowing for ease oftransferand accuracyofobservation
  • Some notesmaybe longer,taken during planned observation times,otherobservationswilloccurspontaneously
  • Ensure children demonstrate consistentlyand independentlybefore relevantelementsare highlighted orticked to indicate best fitjudgements
  • Other than observations,evidence can be in theformofannotated photographs,parents’/carers'comments, drawingsorphotocopiesofpaintingsoremergentwriting. These can be inserted in between appropriate pages,oronto the reverseofthe page,which isblank for yourown use
  • A page atthe end ofeach area oflearning hasbeen provided toallowfornotesofplanned nextsteps, taking into accountthe characteristicsofeffectivelearning,the child’sinterests,learningstylesand abilities. A child’sachievementsshould be sharedwith themand theircomments couldbe noted here

AChild's Personal Pathway- Version 3

Parents/Carers Page

InitialDiscussion
Date: / Date:
Date: / Date:

CharacteristicsofEffectiveLearning

PlayingandExploring –Engagement
Findingout andexploring
  • Showingcuriosityabout objects,eventsandpeople
  • Usingsenses toexploretheworldaroundthem
  • Engaginginopen-endedactivity
  • Showingparticular interests

Playingwithwhat theyknow
  • Pretendingobjectsarethingsfromtheir experience
  • Representingtheir experiencesinplay
  • Takingonaroleintheir play
  • Actingoutexperienceswithother people

Beingwillingto‘haveago’
  • Initiatingactivities
  • Seekingchallenge
  • Showinga‘cando’attitude
  • Takingarisk,engaginginnewexperiences,andlearningbytrial anderror

ActiveLearning –Motivation
Beinginvolvedandconcentrating
  • Maintainingfocusontheir activityforaperiodof time
  • Showinghighlevels of energy,fascination
  • Noteasilydistracted
  • Payingattentiontodetails

CreatingandThinkingCritically–Thinking
Havingtheir ownideas
  • Thinkingofideas
  • Findingways tosolveproblems
  • Findingnewways todothings

Makinglinks
  • Makinglinks andnoticingpatternsintheir experience
  • Makingpredictions
  • Testingtheir ideas
  • Developingideasofgrouping,sequences,causeandeffect

Choosingwaystodothings
  • Planning,makingdecisionsabouthowtoapproachatask,solveaproblemandreachagoal
  • Checkinghowwell their activitiesaregoing
  • Changingstrategyas needed
  • Reviewinghow well theapproachworked