At Greenfield we ensure that children are taught according to their developmental stage. We use a cycle of Observation, Assessment and Planning to determine the next steps in each individual child’s learning. Your child will have a key worker who oversees your child’s learning and development.
Observation
Observation of children’s learning is a very important process. Each week the team chose a number of focus children. If a child is a focus child information is sent to parents/carers at home to ask for information about play and interests. The whole team will then gather observations that will be used to assess children’s learning. The observations can be recordings, photographs or written reflections. Some but not all observations are documented. Staff are extremely skilled in observing children and will use their professional experience to determine the progress of each child. It is important for us to stress that observation of children is a continuous process, and happens all the time. Our focus child system is the point where we formally record their progress.
Assessment
Assessment refers to how Greenfield ensures that all children make good developmental progress whilst at Greenfield. We use the OP&L system of observation and play to make our assessments of children’s progress. Observations are recorded using the online Learning Journal system. This is a very new initiative for Greenfield and we are slowly rolling out this system to encompass all children.
Planning
Children are playing and learning at the same time. We use the observations and assessments we have of children to plan children. Planning can happen in the following way:
“Planning and teaching in the moment” – this refers to situations where interactions and play is actually happening. In the moment planning refers to the fact that our skilled practitioners are able to teach right there when the play is happening.
Planning next steps for individual key children – the key worker will ensure that gaps in learning is addressed by planning next steps. This often happens when a child is a focus child or have an individual learning plan.
Provision planning – this involves overarching planning, depending on the groups of children in our school in a given year. It can include planning for additional group times, deciding additional resources or including specific events to meet the needs of more children.
Our aim (see Curriculum Aims) is for each child to achieve a number of skills that will enable them so succeed in their onwards journey to Primary School.
Our teaching and learning policy sets out more detail about out teaching methods and the activities (provision) we provide at Greenfield.