Blackpool today. Heads in the morning, EYFS practitioners in the afternoon! With heads we were looking at how to recognise attainment in FS and with practitioners, how to show challenge in the environment and continuous provision. I really enjoyed the day but a really weird thing happened at the end of the day. First my left ear went bright red and then my right one. They are still a bit hot and luminescent. What does that mean? Have I got red ear disease? I hope not! For all of you who were there today – thanks for a great day and here are the documents we looked at (all in one place) Came home to the first ' real ' … Read More
Recording Attainment in Continuous Provision and other stuff
Training heads and EYFS coordinators today – looking at what excellent FS might look like and how you would know, especially if you were not an EYFS expert. I think the only word for the day would be organic. When the delegates had \outlined their ideal expectations of the day they were not the outline of the the course that had been advertised. But, in the spirit of all I talk about with EYFS teaching, you have to respond to the identified assessment need and change your plan. So that is what I did. It just meant a good bit of copying from one laptop to another before flashing it on the screen. My pen drive was ' smokin '!! … Read More
Transition Policy
Hello to everyone who came to the Network Meeting tonight – and thanks to Paula for providing sandwiches and biscuits – I know, how civilized! I think I will be eating the leftovers until next Wednesday! As the blog title suggests the meeting was about transition from FS2 to Year One. I have been working with Blackpool La for the past 18 months looking at just that, focusing on 4 very different schools and their transition. The remit of the project was to look at children's emotional welfare before during and after the transition and then look at ways of implementing systems and practice to maximise the potential for a smooth transition. As we all know, it does not matter … Read More
Back from the mountain!
Had a great birthday and holiday in Snowdonia – even managed to find a sheep's skull and some random bones that are bound to come in handy in a 'talk box' somewhere along the line! I mentioned in a previous post that I had discovered some ace books by Tracy Gallup who is a doll maker who poses her sculptures in, on and around natural products. I have used the images a great deal in training with both practitioners and children and absolutely love them. My gorgeous wife commissioned one for my birthday as a surprise, so I now have my very own Gallup original! It is fab. The heart shaped stone is a piece of genius but I especially … Read More