Understanding children’s development and learning depends on our observations, how we make sense of what we have seen and how we use everything we know to make professionally informed decisions about their progress. The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework (2021) states that practitioners and teachers must ‘respond to day-to-day observations about children’s progress’ as ‘an integral part of the learning and development process’ and ‘know about children’s level of achievement and interests to shape teaching and learning’ through ‘drawing on their knowledge of the child – using own expert professional judgement’.
The Birth To 5 Matters guidance (2021) helps practitioners to make these important ‘professional judgements’ about children’s learning and progress by using the 6 Ranges and the overlapping age spans as a continuum of development. This Developmental Continuum (see diagram) becomes a guide or map to show a child’s unique learning journey from birth.
WHAT IS A DEVELOPMENTAL CONTINUUM?
Children’s development, outside the womb, starts from the minute they are born. All children have a natural, innate developmental momentum, primed and ready to play and explore and be active learners, to make progress in the best ways that they can. If we think of this development as a continuum, we can more easily identify their unique starting points, and see the progress they make from one position to another in all areas and aspects of their learning.
Birth To 5 Matters (pages 55-117) includes, under the heading A Unique Child: what a child might be doing, a broad outline for each area of learning, which describes ‘typical progression in development and learning’ that children may follow – for example, in physical development. None of this is intended to be a checklist or a tick-list to be highlighted; children’s development is far more complex than this. It is a guide and a point of reference to support practitioners’ knowledge and understanding of children’s development, learning and progress.
The 6 Ranges help practitioners to identify a range that most closely describes the child’s development and learning, and then consider the suggestions for adults within that range (or earlier ranges) to plan to support continued progress. The typical age spans help us to refine children’s progress and see if they are roughly where we would expect them to be or if they are progressing more slowly or quickly.
So how does the Developmental Continuum work in practice? Imagine you are about to make a summative assessment of one of your key children; in this example, it is Riley, who attends The Meadows Nursery in Sheffield (see Case study). Georgina, his key person, has taken a step back to gather her thoughts about Riley’s development and make a progress summary. Where was he a few weeks/months ago? Where is he now? What progress has Riley made in that time?
To help find the answers to these questions, Georgina gathers everything she knows about Riley and what he has been doing; for example, her observations – some of which are documented along with others that will be in her head. She will know about how he is learning (the Characteristics of Effective Learning) as well as what he is learning (the areas of learning).
NEXT STEPS
Georgina then follows these steps using the Developmental Continuum:
Step 1: She thinks through Riley’s progress in each of the areas of learning, starting with Personal, Social and Emotional Development, the Prime Areas and then the Specific Areas.
Step 2: She looks at the Developmental Continuum and asks about each aspect of learning. For example, which Range best describes Riley’s development and learning in making relationships? This means that she is not directly thinking of the age of the child, as his development may be ahead for his age or slower.
Step 3: Now Georgina makes a professionally informed evaluation of everything she knows about Riley to help make her decision. This involves remembering everything she knows, including her relationship with him, observations, talk, play and teaching. Also:
- She draws on her observation ‘tool kit’, particularly related to child development, the Characteristics of Effective Learning and speech, and language development, as they all contribute to Riley’s development.
- Riley’s development and progress are discussed with a colleague. This helps deepen Georgina’s own knowledge and understanding, extending her ‘tool kit’ skills and strengthening her confidence.
- Once she decides on the Range, she uses the overlapping age strands to refine Riley’s progress and see if he is where expected, or if he is progressing more slowly or quickly.
- Georgina remembers Riley’s development and learning is not just about the areas of learning but also his emotional wellbeing, self-regulation, the development of attitudes and dispositions for learning (Characteristics of Effective Learning).
- Where there is any uncertainty, Georgina can refer to the areas of the learning tables at the back of theBirth To 5 Mattersguidance.
- Step 4: She now reflects on Riley’s development in the other areas and aspects of learning and builds the whole picture of his progress. This recognises the professionalism of practitioners to make informed decisions about their children.
- Step 5: Having used the Developmental Continuum to map Riley’s progress, it is important to see an overall holistic picture of his development and the relationship between the areas and aspects of learning. Georgina has done exactly this with Riley’s Development Map, having made three progress summaries – on entry at 27 months old; at 29 months after he settled in; and a review for parents at 30 months.
Here is Georgina’s review for his communication and language:
‘Riley has made fantastic progress. His listening and attention has moved from Range 3 into 4; he responds to his name and pays attention to environmental sounds such as an ambulance or aeroplane. He enjoys simple stories and rhymes, bringing his favourite books and car magazines to discuss. His speech has become clearer since giving up his dummy; he uses some single words which are important to him and repeats back simple phrases, “All gone”, etc. His speech has made the biggest jump – from Range 2 when he first started to Range 4, which is appropriate for his age. We will be using simple narratives with Riley alongside his play to extend his vocabulary.’
CASE STUDY: The Meadows Nursery
The Meadows Community Nursery’s Development Map project connects the EYFS Statutory Framework and Birth To 5 Matters to support the gradual move away from using tick lists. The aims are to:
- build professional knowledge, experience and confidence in observing, assessing and planning for young children’s development, progress and learning
- use creative and contemporary ways to involve children and families in meaningful partnerships between home and nursery.
Using the Observation Tool Kit self-evaluation to further practitioners’ knowledge of child development, observation and Learning Stories to document children’s play, interests and language, and professional dialogue to deepen thinking and build confidence, Leanna Clark, nursery manager, has seen how her team has grown in confidence in just five months.
She says, ‘Practitioners speak more confidently and have a breadth of knowledge about the children, seeing the whole child and capturing their voices, especially those with SEND. They also feel more professionally respected by parents and others because of the decisions they are making about their children’s development, learning and progress.’
She adds, ‘If others are worried about moving away from using tick lists, I would advise them to trust themselves as professionals, be confident, be brave to question themselves and others. It is important to challenge and support each other as professionals because you know your children.’
Meadows Community Nursery is partnered with the Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) Early Years Research Centre. It is involved in research including ‘Supporting two-year-olds and their families’ (Save the Children); ‘Children’s early language development’ (SHU Linguistics Team); ‘Relationship Mapping’ (SHU’s Dr Sally Pearse); and ‘Using the Development Map to see children’s progress’ (Di Chilvers).
FURTHER INFORMATION
- Go to the online version of this article for a full list of references: www.nurseryworld.co.uk
- For the All about… Observing Progress by Di Chilvers, which complements this article: https://bit.ly/3Hq3pSU
