Setting Up...Making Sense!

No matter how many times I started a new academic year, I always managed to forget just how 'new' my new children were. In lots of ways their 'newness' was an exciting prospect - so much for us to learn! In others it was a frustration because undoubtedly I had planned some spectacular activity (probably based around a display!!) that the majority of the children just were not ready for or motivated by.

When you are setting up any new environment, whatever the time of year, you have to ask yourself 'what is the point and who is it for?' If I had been honest, my answers to those questions back then would have been 'it looks nice (and bright)' and 'me'.

Who was that fresh faced NQT way back in 1993, with ethnic guitar strap and everything?  

I was a Reception teacher at the time with 2 intakes. One in September and then, when you had just got them settled and sorted...another fresh batch in January! Deep joy!

When I was setting up my room a great deal of my time was devoted to backing boards. Within a couple of years I had become the master of the 'bright board with clashing border'. Even progressing to backing boards in foil wrapping paper with a coloured tinsel boarder!

This is coming from a man who regularly attended school in a matching tartan waistcoat and trousers - Hmmmm! Well, it was the 90's. I had taken my inspiration from Vivienne Westwood but on reflection I think I might have turned out as more of a Bay City Roller!

 
For me, my environment (and my fashion sense) was really all about the end result and very little to do with the process - although I didn't see or think that at the time.

So , my thoughts on setting up an environment now? Well I have loads but, I will just try and cover the main pointers.

1. Who is for and how do you know ?

2 Does it tell a story of development? 

3 Is it clearly linked to assessment?

4 Does it showcase your knowledge and their achievements?

5 Is it fun?

It can be hard to quantify quality learning in an EYFS environment, especially for someone who is not quite sure what they are looking for. For this reason I STRONGLY suggest that when you have created your brilliant plan for your environment (that is linked to assessment and children's development) that you write it down. Then if anyone asks (or even if they don't) you will be able to show them how ...

a quality environment can have a direct impact on achievement and attainment.

There is an example of just such an Environment Plan/Audit on the resources section of the blog. It comes with full instructions!

Who is it for and how do you know?

Start by asking yourself one question: 'What is the main inhibitor of learning for the majority of children in this cohort?'

It is the answer to this question that is going to be the focus for the majority of your set up. In most settings it is usually a mixture of PSE and Talk.

If theses things hinder learning most, then they MUST be your main priority and they MUST be very evident in how you have structured your environment.

I would recommend 80% indoors and out is geared around the fundamental issue you have identified.

How do you know? Is it linked to assessment?

You need to base this decision on mostly accurate assessment with a bit of professional judgement and gut reaction thrown in for good measure.

• Use any assessments that have been passed to you by previous settings/practitioners
• Make sure you have a good Point of Entry Assessment in place that tells you what you need to know. (Remember: assessment of activities NOT activities for assessment!).
• If you have no prior knowledge of these children then base your set up loosely on what you know have been the issues in previous year groups in this catchment area. You can adjust these judgements once the children are in and assessed.

Can you make the statement -

 'Assessment of this cohort has shown that their main areas of development are ..... and ..... Here is the evidence and here is where I am explicitly working on those issues in my indoor and outdoor environment....'

Does it tell a story of development?

I usually use mark making as example for this one because it is usually a target area in most settings.

Where does mark making start? What do children have to develop to make them into successful mark makers?

There are lots of elements of development that contribute to being amark maker, muscle development, hand/eye coordination, balance, proprioception (knowing where all your body parts are and what they are doing in the space that you have got), low load control (your shoulder's ability to support your arm and elbow as you write) and a reason to want to mark make in the first place!

So, in brief (and it is brief) if we want chidlren to develop their upper body muscles as part of the early mark making process how can we do that indoors/outdoors?

Large scale dough work is one really good example of this. I do a programme called 'Dough Gym' for just this sort of development.

 
find more posts about Dough Gym from the categories section in the side bar

If we want to develop low load control and give children who pivot from the shoulder LARGE spaces to mark make how can we do that indoors/outdoors.

Indoors HUGE mark making space is essential - a piece of A3 paper isn't big enough for a really emergent mark maker. I made this in a setting out of a curtain pole. It was a huge hit.

Have you got easels that allow for vertical work indoors and outdoors on LARGE sheets of paper?

 
  

 Make sure you have plenty of equipment that will impact on the skill that you want to develop. Here we were using paint rollers.

Then there is the fine motor aspect of mark making the...

Buttoning
Lacing
Tying
Fastening 
Zipping
Carrying
Using a screwdriver
Locking and unlocking a door
Winding a clock
Opening and closing jars

and more....

Have you got provision for that?

MOST IMPORTANTLY... Are they all in the same area/space so that children who work in that area have easy access to all of the things that you have planned to impact on that area of their development?

If I walked around your setting with you and asked why you had specifically chosen any of the resources that you had put out, would you be able to tell me that most of them were there to encourage the specific development of specific children in a specific area based on assessment?

Is it FUN?

Engagement, engagement, engagement is becoming my EYFS mantra! It is no good assessing a child's development in a key skill. Identifying current skill level and then next steps. Putting out a resource specifically chosen to develop that skill if...the child has no interest in it whatsoever!

When you are doing your initial set up keep the walls plain and non-intrusive. I often go for beige!

Be confident that within a very short space of time those walls will be 'dripping' with childrens' self initiated masterpieces.

Oh no, I feel another mantra coming on....

Always display what children produce. DON'T give them activities to produce a display!

In those early days of settling and assessment put out things that are interesting and that have a familiar theme - don't put everything out or you will have your  'Bob the Builder tidy up music' on repeat play for an hour and a half!

Once your assessments are well under way and you are really starting to get to know these children as real personalities, then marry your assessment of need with their interests.

' Assessment has shown me that ....... is a gross motor mark maker who is still pivoting from the shoulder. In the mark making area and the outdoor den I have put .......... These resources have been specifically chosen to encourage the next stage of his development. To encourage him to use them when at play I have dressed them in the theme of.....(usually Ben 'flaming' 10)'

So to summerise. Have you...

Identified the key needs of the cohort you are setting up for?

Set up an environment that clearly shows a focus on these needs? (Don't forget to record this info)

Planned the environment to show a focus on the development of other key skills?

Put differentiated activities that have a key impact on skill development in the same area/zone? (With something like mark making you need opportunities to practise and engage everywhere, all of the time, but key development could be focused in one area)

Ensured that the activities you have chosen to put out directly impact in the 'next steps development'  for the key children that you identified in your assessment. (Don't forget to identify these children, state their need and show your understanding of their next steps)

You need to be able to show that the way you have structured your environment looks isfor a purpose. That purpose is linked to child development and in particular the key development of these specific children. Not last years or the year before - these children. 

As time goes on and children's skills develop so will your environment. A quality learning environment should not look the same at the end of the year as it did at the beginning. Children's needs should have changed and so will your environment to accommodate them.

Happy board backing (IN BEIGE)!

Alistair

 

 

Comments

[s.sims@tesco.net]

can I ask where you get the BIG rolls of paper from?! I love that idea so much.. thankyou!

[abc does]

You certainly can! I have now done this with a number of settings across the country and we have always managed to get lots of these rolls.
They are called 'paper waste' or 'end of roll' and can usually be picked up from any business/factory that creates print (pamphlets, labels, paper bags that sort of thing). You can find such a place in Yellow Pages.

Last time I visited my local they filled the car with as many as I would take!

Good luck

Alistair

[Julie]

I've ordered some art paper on a role and was hoping to do the same thing but am worried the weight will be too much (it was from one of the popular staffroom catalogues). In the past I've bought wallpaper lining paper and those rolls aren't too big so they would work like that as well I think.
In one of my Folen's books there's the idea to tape a large piece of paper to the underside of tables with a blanket on the floor so children can experiment while lying on their backs and mark making. I expect this would be fantastic for developing low load control.
Thanks for the continued inspiration!

[abc does]

Hi Julie

A curtain pole should hold the weight no problem. Putting paper under the table is a good one. I always called it 'slide in writing'. You are right that children mark making on their backs are developing their upper bodies. I used to Blu Tack pens, pencils etc to the underside of the table, only to find that the Blu Tack always went missing! Then I discovered Velcro dots. Stick one on the underside of the table and one on the pencil/pen and Bob's your Uncle! I also find that children like it even better if you cover the the table with a cloth. If you use a really heavy cloth you can put torches etc underneath for a bit of secret writing. If you try it, send me some pictures and I will share them.

Alistair

[Rachel Chilcott]

This is so useful; thank you! I'm an NQT starting in a Foundation Unit in September and your blog is an amazing field of information. I'm just looking through it at the moment and making lots of notes for ideas.

Thanks again.

[abc does]

Good Luck Rachel. I am sure you will LOVE it.
Glad the blog was helpful!
Alistair