VNET EDUCATION CIC

Making Learning Visible in Early Years Series 22/23

This series is designed to support what we can do to effectively observe and document children's learning in the light of the revisions to the EYFS and clear messages about reducing paperwork, evidence collecting and tracking.

Training objectives

  • Teachers are equipped with strategies to support observational assessment of children and document learning effectively.
  • To further develop classroom environments and routines to provide the best conditions for observing and assessing young children

Outcomes 

  1. To reduce ‘paperwork’ / evidence gathering and increase interaction with children and parents, documenting the impact this has on children’s learning.
  2. To incorporate observation of children’s wellbeing and involvement using the Leuven Scales into their daily practice and use the ten action points (Leuven) to inform their planning.
  3. To conduct an informal moderation of some of the new early learning goals using teacher knowledge and quality documentation developed during the course.

Methodology

  • The series consists of 8 sessions
  • The sessions will be delivered monthly via Zoom across the year.
  • Access to a bank of useful supporting resources will be available for each unit to allow personal learning to turn instantly into professional practice.
  • Practical and experiential gap tasks will be set and reviewed with the programme tutor and peers, creating a learning network.

Session 1

Starting Points

  • Establishing starting points
  • Revisiting the changes to the EYFS in terms of assessment and documentation and the new early learning goals
  • Discussing what is currently being done in their school
  • Principles of EYFS assessment – discuss some key principles
  • Create a preliminary action plan
  • Member of SLT welcome to attend.

Session 2

Creating best conditions – inside

  • Creating the best conditions for observational assessment – developing your classroom environment inside so that it provides the best opportunities for children’s learning
  • Understanding the importance of Play as a context for learning
  • Review daily routines to ensure that adults have the time to spend observing and interacting with children.

Session 3

Creating best conditions – outside

  • Creating the best conditions for observational assessment – developing your classroom environment outside so that it provides the best opportunities for children’s learning
  • Understanding the importance of Play as a context for learning
  • Review daily routines to ensure that adults have the time to spend observing and interacting with children.

Session 4

Observing young children

  • Why we observe
  • What we observe
  • How we observe
  • Focus on the characteristics of effective learning.

Session 5

The Leuven Scales

  • Exploring the Leuven scales
  • What does wellbeing and involvement look like?
  • Video footage and photographs
  • Introduce the Ten Action Points 

Session 6

Pedagogical documentation

Exploring different approaches to documentation:

  • Displays,
  • Floor books
  • Learning journals.

Session 7

Learning stories

  • Learning Stories – based on the work of Margaret Carr in Australia
  • Learning stories are described as “structured narratives that are ‘written vignettes of individual children’”
  • Teachers will bring along a series of photos of a learning episode and these will be used to create meaningful learning narratives.

Session 8

Evaluation

  • Presentations by delegates demonstrating what has been achieved and the impact
  • Review of key messages from the training sessions
  • Member of SLT welcome to attend.

Join the EYFS Series!

Sign up here!

CPD to transform practice

Engage

Prior knowledge of delegates will be captured in advance of each session to ensure that each session meets the needs of all participating schools.

Explore

In every session, opportunities will be provided for guided practice under the support of a skilled practitioner. Gap tasks will be set at the end of each session, which require participants to practice the modelled techniques in their own settings.

Explain & Elaborate

In every session, opportunities will be provided for participants to draw upon their observations and reflections following the gap task.

Evaluate

Opportunities will be built into every session for participants to evaluate the success of the
modelled strategies on learners.

How do I take part?

Dates

Jude Twani

Jude is a passionate advocate for Early Years settings and has extensive experience of teaching and leading in different settings across the county and the world. She is a qualified childcare assessor and tutor (NVQ Level 3 & 4), and early years Ofsted Inspector. She spent five years with Early Excellence as a Regional Development Manager, delivering training and designing classrooms and spaces for young children. Currently an Assistant Head with responsibility for Early Years and Key Stage 1 in a Norwich Primary school, she also continues to work as an independent consultant and trainer. She is a regular speaker at the Nursery World Show and is co-author of the book “Let’s Talk about Maths”.

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