Recording Observations?

[Ruthierhyme]

How do you layout your planned and spontaneous observations on the children ?

Do you use post its to jot things onto or do you have an openly available sheet for everyone to write on ?

Have you found a particular format that staff, parents and OFSTED are happy with or are you struggling to find something that is suitable for everyone?

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If you have any document examples you'd like to share & have published on the forums .. please feel free to send them to me at Silky@silkysteps.com & I'll upload/link to them, thank you.

[watgem]

Hi guys hope you all had a fab Christmas! As a childminder I find obs quite difficult and worrying especially if I'm caring for 3 under 5 so at the moment I tend to use their daily diaries as the main source of obs combined with post-it notes and photos which I stick in the relevant aspect of learning/development in their celebration book. Ofsted really liked this and the parents do although they've [parents/carers]all said they'd prefer more photos to written obs and as a parent myself thats what I'd rather seex

[cabin]

I'm currently trying everything!!!!!!!! well that's what it seems like anyway.

We have post'its, we have short obs forms, we have an A4 book - to encourage all staff to contibute.... I'm trying to offer the staff various options - mainly to find out what works for them...what we can change/improve etc...... We haven't settled on a format yet- still a 'work in progress' - ohh plus photos - (my prefered method)
xxx

This is an idea I offered to settings


Name of child/age
date of observation
Key person
Type of observation - planned/focused/spontaneous


What was observed?
Katie was pouring her own water at lunchtime, she continueed to pour as the water overflowed and spilled onto the table. It ran off the table and onto her clothes. She looked down and said 'wet'

What development opportunities does the child need?
Katie needs opportunities to develop her pouring skills.

How can this be done?
what resources can we use?
Plan for Katie to have a focused support by Sarah (key person)
Water tray - pouring and filling
sand tray
Rice/spoons/bowls

Links to EYFS
Physical development
Enabling environments

Links to Every child matters
Enjoy and achieve


This can be set out on a simple pro forma and completed very quickly by the observer/key person
Observations don't need to be in great detail

Hole punch and add to the childs development file
Place the childs initials next to the relevant actitives on the weekly planner
and write on the observation the dates that the focused actitivy will take place

So here you have evidence of Observing and planning for the nexts steps for the child's development - Ofsted will love you!!!