Unit 069

Auriol Shepley
Unit 069





Observation, Assessment and
Planning
Young children are individuals, each with their own unique
talents and abilities. Within our settings I seek
to ensure that learning experiences, routines and activities build on
information provided by parents and start with children’s needs and
interests.Planning begins with skilful and purposeful observation of
children, and this enables myself to draw conclusions and plan next steps.
Assessing children in terms of their progress and needs is an ongoing
process and is integral to planning, observation and implementation.
By using this information effectively, staff, parents and children, where
appropriate, can create and maintain plans which help to provide a
focused and individualised approach.

Making Observations
Making meaningful observations enables staff to get to know individual children well,
ensuring that they are well placed to plan and provide for children’s individual needs
and interests. Observing children is a fundamental aspect of day-to-day practice and is
the cornerstone of high quality provision. Adults, including staff and parents,
should have a shared understanding of, and commitment to, the need for ongoing
observations in supporting and promoting children’s learning and development.
Observations take place naturally during everyday activities and interactions. Whilst some
observations may relate to a need to find out about children, resources or spaces in a
general way, other observations may be specifically targeted for particular reasons.
When making observations, staff can avoid being judgemental or biased in their
interpretations by constantly checking that they are documenting an accurate picture
of what they actually see. This record therefore should reflect, for example, the child’s
actual behaviour or responses rather than one which is influenced by staff assumptions
or preconceived ideas.
Knowing when and how to share...