The Importance of the professional Early Years Practitioner in implementing the EYFS and monitoring progress of children within their setting and against the Early Learning Goals
Understanding a child’s individual needs is achieved by using the observation, assessment and planning cycle from the EYFS principle. Early Years Settings use this cycle to ensure the individual needs of children are met. Early Years Practitioners work alongside the EYFS to observe, assess and plan for the learning of the children in the setting. Daily observations and evidence photos of a child are taken enabling the practitioner to gain a better understanding of the child’s individuality. Many theorists have stated the importance in observing children.
The role of the professional Early Years Practitioner is vital in ensuring all children are meeting their personal developmental goals, and achieving the highest standard of learning available. Another role of the practitioner is the “key person”. It is the key persons responsibility to ensure each child is observed, assessed and planned for, alongside upholding a positive relationship with both child and parent. The key person will do this by supporting the child and parent during “settling in sessions” and in their time at the setting. All about me sheets alongside registration forms will be filled in with the parent to ensure the practitioner has a good understanding of what the child requires.
Observations play a vital part in the development of the child, and they can be used in a variety of ways. Learning Journeys are kept for each child and contain that child’s biggest achievements; these are personal to the child and provide a picture of the child’s development.
Learning journeys are completed on a monthly basis and continue through the setting as the child moves room. In addition to observations and photos, the learning journeys also contain an “all about me” sheet. This is initially completed by parents to aid practitioners to learn about the child, and then completed by the key worker each time the child moves room. This way of sharing information helps practitioners to understand the child better.. Learning Journeys are linked to EYFS, and each observation or photo is provided with a quote from an EYFS.
Assessing children’s development is an important part of the practitioner’s professional role. There are several ways to assess the children in the setting; Tracking sheets and progress summaries are similar tools and both reflect the EYFS. These types of assessments are broken down into the seven areas of development, then into more specific areas. The practitioner then uses these areas to summarise where the child is developmental. Tracking sheets indicate if a child is emerging, consolidating or secure within each age bracket, whereas a progress summary is a written piece giving information on what goals the child is currently achieving in each area of the EYFS.
Once the Early Years Practitioner has information on the child’s current development through observing and assessing their learning, they are able to plan appropriate activities and opportunities to further the child’s learning. The children’s interests play a huge part on planning the right experiences and practitioners must ensure that children play a centre role in their own development by giving children a voice and the opportunity to express their interests and opinions. According to The National Strategies (2009);
This is achieved by using the “voice of the child” on planning sheets, and using the observations taken to create next steps for that child. The weekly planning is divided into the 7 areas of learning according to the EYFS; allowing each activity or learning experience to correspond to an area of development. Each month the children will learn about a topic such as transport or the community, and the practitioner will plan a range of experiences to meet this topic. When doing this the practitioner will ensure that the experiences meet all areas of the EYFS and touch upon the development matters. This is to ensure that every child is involved, and supported in each area of their development. The learning environment is taken into consideration when planning for a child’s individual needs and the practitioner ensures that each child is given the opportunity to take part; this may require the activity to be adapted to meet the individual needs of a child.
It is also important to have a balance of child led and adult initiated activities to allow children to grow and develop healthily. Having this balance allows children to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas while being supported in developing their learning further and achieving their personal milestones. The practitioner should take this into account when planning learning experiences, allowing children to make choices to participate or enjoy free play.
The Professional Early Years Practitioner plays a vital part in the child’s learning and development while working alongside the EYFS. It is practitioners responsibility to use their skills and knowledge to enhance the learning environment, creating further learning opportunities for children. Looking at children’s development holistically allows practitioners to identify areas for further support, meaning the child’s individual needs are being supported.