Learning journeys can be hugely beneficial for early years practitioners when it comes to tracking progress, benchmarking and planning. That’s why it’s important to invest time and effort into school and nursery learning journeys.
What us a school or nursery learning journey?
A learning journey is a collection of pieces of information that, when connected together, creates a picture of a particular child. It’s a valuable tool for:
- Assessing a child’s development.
- Providing a record of a child’s time with you.
- Helping you plan activities.
You should be able to see at a glance the child’s stage of development and what they need to cover next. Learning journeys enable you to keep track of a child’s development, link it to areas of the EYFS and use your knowledge, as well as information from parents and other relevant professionals to plan activities.
Learning journeys tell a story
Make the learning journey the story of a child’s time and development with you.
- Start at the beginning with the “all about me” information you gathered during the child’s settling-in period.
- Ask about the child’s likes, dislikes, routines, comforters, what they like to play with, and any special people or pets in their lives.
- Give the child the same activity at the beginning and at the end of their time with you to see their progress, for example, draw a self-portrait.
Discover what works for you
Some early years professionals enjoy creating beautiful scrapbooks and journals that can then be kept by parents, but if this isn’t for you and you find it time consuming, find ways to speed up the process. Look at the online tools and apps that are available. Find one that you can take photos with, tag children, and make comments on a mobile device then sync with your computer.
Learning journeys create an up-to-the minute picture of a child’s development, making planning, reporting and benchmarking easy.
How can LearningBook help?
LearningBook transforms how staff capture and analyse progress, and enhances how parents interact and engage with their child’s early years education. Our digitial learning journeys save you time and money, and above all ensure your children and their data is safeguarded and secure.
Find out more or book a free demonstration and trial.