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At Woodlands we do not spend unnecessary amounts of time writing observations or gathering evidence of children’s learning.  We believe that if we are capturing the moment we cannot be part of that moment.  We spend time with the children – observing their play, enhancing it and using our knowledge of child development to enable us to plan activities and our environment to move the children on – with the overall aim during their time with us to be ‘school ready’.

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Each child has a key person who will work closely with them and plan activities, or Next Steps, to enhance their learning.  When starting at Woodlands parents are asked to complete an All About Me and an Initial Assessment.  The key person will then spend time getting to know the child and use these documents to help them.  Once the child has settled (within the first 6 weeks of starting with us) staff will message parents to inform them of how their child has settled, what they’ve enjoyed doing at sessions and what their Next Steps are.  Photos will be sent to parents of their child during sessions (no comments unless a WOW moment) and they can comment or send photos back of their child at home or out and about. Staff will also complete a tracker sheet using Birth to 5 Matters guidance.  These will be paper copies only.  If staff have any concerns over any of their key children they will speak to the SENCOs.

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Trackers will be updated again at Easter – or before if staff think necessary (ie if there has been a concern over some part of their development.) Updates on the child’s progress will be sent to parents at Feb half term, May half term and the end of the school year.  At May half term Transition Sheets will be completed for those children starting school the following September.

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We hold Parents Meetings termly for different cohorts at each one.  Parents will get at least one chance a year to meet their child’s key person.  They can of course request additional meetings if the need arises.

 

 

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