How to add a new EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) Observation
Launch an EYFS Observation
Step 1 – From the Homepage select the child/children you want to record the observation/activity on. They will go blue in the selection, and it will show how many children you have chosen
Step 2 – Select the L&D icon in ‘New Activity’
Once you have selected your children and start your EYFS Observation, you will need to fill out 4 pages. The first is the observation page;
Step 1 – Give the observation a name in the ‘Title’
Step 2 – Update the Date & Time
Step 3 – Update Author if necessary (Admin Only)
Step 4 – Enter the observation description to include details about what the children have been learning about
Step 5 – Upload a photo and/or video of what you have observed, any work the child has done, or any other item that is relevant.
Step 6 – Select ‘Next’ to advance to the next section
Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL)
Step 1 – You can see the child selected below via the blue highlighted box. Development Matters ‘**DM2021**’ is selected as the default guidance material. Review each area by selecting each one individually. The guidance material updates as you navigate through the areas.
Step 2 – Select an observation to tick it off. The total number of ticks are displayed in the form of a small number identified next to the child’s name and each associated area. Guidance material on display is defined by what you have selected in your Settings
Step 3 – Select ‘Next’ to advance to the next section.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Step 1 – When you are in the observation your selected guidance material will be available. In this example you are able to refer to ‘**DM2021**’ or ‘**B25M**’ as a reference point, below I have selected:
‘B25M’ > ‘PSED’> ‘Making relationships’
Guidance material on display is defined by what you have selected in your Settings
Step 2 – To monitor the areas of development you would hit the Area and the Monitoring Title that links to it. as a reference point, below I have selected
‘PSED’ > ‘Area to support’
‘EAD’ > ‘On Track’
The total number of links to the areas of learning are displayed in the form of a small number identified next to the child’s name and each associated area.
In addition- There is also the opportunity to refer to ‘Observation Checkpoints’ these are not to be used as a tick box exercise, but simply to monitor against your provision and you could use these to identify if there are any areas where you may need to change your provision to support your children further.
Step 3 – Select ‘Next’ to advance to the next section.
Next Steps
Step 1 – Considering this will be sent to the parent, think about this being something they could also adopt a little to do at home. The ‘Next Steps’ page comes up for you to write on immediately.
Step 2 – Guidance material is available for your reference while deciding on your ‘Next Steps’
In the below example we have used:
‘EYFS’ > ‘DM2021’> ‘Personal, Social and Emotional Development’
Guidance material on display is defined by what you have selected in your Settings
Step 3 – Once you are happy you have completed each stage, determine if you would like to ‘Share with parents’ or not, then select ‘**Publish**’.
Short on time? Save a draft and come back to it later…
Step 1 – You can ‘Save’ the observation in the top right this means you can come back to it at a more convenient time.
Step 2 – Select the Activity tab on the left-hand navigation bar and the saved incident will be found in ‘**Drafts**’.
Below is a reference point. To go back to it you would press ‘Continue Editing’.
This would bring up the original Incident to amend.