Statutory Requirements for Childminders
Making written learning journeys are not statutory requirements in themselves. But lots of childminders make them because they are an easy way to ensure that you are fulfilling the following statutory requirements:
- Make sure that you can demonstrate that you are providing educational experiences for the children in each of the seven areas
- Consider the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child in all areas of learning
- Discuss with the child’s parents and agree how best to support a child if a child’s progress in any of the prime areas gives cause for concern
- Demonstrate that your planned activities are in response to each child’s needs and interests
Learning Journeys are also a nice record to share with parents about their child’s growth and all the things they get up to you while in your setting. Used well, they can help you to promote your business and impress upon parents that you are a childcare professional. So it is worth putting some time into them and using a system that works for you and your setting.
Articles
Rediscovering the pure pleasure of paper for over-digitised childminders
An article in which I encourage you to reconsider the simple pleasure of paper – writing daily dairies out by hand and making printed learning journey albums – and why this might even be good for your business. [more]
How to write observations about “challenging behaviour”: shyness
Parents need to know how their children are behaving at your house and one way to open up a discussion about bad or worrying behaviour is to write about it in their learning journeys. [more]
How to write observations about “bad behaviour”: not sharing
Sometimes you have to record observations about negative behaviour: children aren’t eating or talking, are purposely wetting themselves, are running off and putting themselves in danger, and ignoring your instructions. [more]
5 simple ways to improve how you write your learning journeys
Keep parents at the heart of your learning journey because they will read it more than anybody else… [more]
How to write about the Characteristics of Effective Learning (COEL) in childminding learning journeys
Ever find yourself staring at that row of letters and boxes on your learning journey form that asks you to circle which Characteristic of Effective Learning (CEOL) you are seeing in your learning journey observation and feeling baffled? [more]
Planning Checklist for Childminders
Is your childminding planning system simple and structured? Do you feel your plans are actually useful to your setting, or just another Ofsted chore? Keep the following in mind when you write your 2017 childminding plans: [more]
Products that can help you
Learning Journey Plus
Put in place a complete observation, planning and assessment system. Includes 200 photos and example observations teaching you how to link observations to next steps. Based in Word, all documents can be edited and customised easily before you print them.
Supporting Documents
EYFS Statutory Framework – A full description of the exact written requirements that childminders must do for planning.
See also the following information pages: