K2P57 – The professional structure of the sector and the opportunities for career progression.

Professional Structure of your Workplace.

What role does each person have in the workplace?

Head Teacher

• School’s financial management including all essential duties and financial controls are undertaken.  Managing and administering the School’s budget.
• Manages and provides leadership and direction including aims and targets established by the Governing body.
• Philosophy and curriculum of the school.
• Leading and managing of the School’s development plan.
• Formulates and implements School’s policies.
• Management of resources organisation and control of the school.
• Respond and implement promptly recommendations from audit/inspections.
• Responsible for maintenance of premises.
• Manage, monitor and review the range, quality, quantity and usage of all available resources within the school.
• Overall line management of all the staff including appraisals of staff, monitoring quality and standards of education.
• Responsible for links to outside agencies, other schools and the wider community.

Deputy Head

• Assist Head teacher with the leadership, philosophy and curriculum of the school.
• Deputise for Head teacher.
• Leading learning and teaching.
• Providing support and development of staff.

K2P54 – Your own learning style.

• Research information via various books or websites.
• Discuss information with colleagues or people with previous knowledge.
• Ask for feedback from colleagues.
• Don’t enjoy taking notes.
• Very practical learns from activities and experiences within the setting.
• Like to expand on the notes from the board.
• Observe colleagues within the setting to expand on my own knowledge.
• Discuss notes and evidence within the class.

Aspect of Children’s Development

K2D40 K2D41 K2D42

Observations:-

Who do you need to have permission from?

• Early Years Co-ordinator (Teacher).
• Key Worker.
• Parents / Guardian.

The importance of checking your findings with other staff.

• Monitor and identify child’s development gains and needs.
• Share and past on information.
• Confirm findings.
• Idea’s for new activities.

Who do you share your findings with?

• Early Years Co-ordinator (Teacher).
• Key Worker.
• Parents / Guardian.

Where to refer concerns you may have about children’s development.

• Early Years Co-ordinator (Teacher).
• Parents / Guardian.
• Special Education needs Co-ordinator (if required).

Policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and data protection.

• All information stays within the setting.
• Early Years Co-ordinator (Teacher).
• Key Worker.
• Head teacher.

Aspects of children’s development

K2D43 - The Importance Of Play

Why is the role of play important in development?

• Improves language and communication skills extending vocabulary.
• Produces outcomes such as sharing, taking turns and cooperation.
• Improves hand to eye co-ordination.
• Improves eye to foot co-ordination in physical play.
• Develops self confidence and self esteem.
• Reinforces early reading skills.
• Develops interaction and socialising skills.
• Learning through new experiences.
• Extends creative and imaginative development.
• Children become more independent.

What types of play do you provide for the children in your setting?

• Role play (home corner).
• Dressing up.
• Cooking.
• Painting, drawing, modelling and sticking.
• Outdoor physical play, climbing, stepping stones, crates, barrels, Wendy house, hoops, sand pit, gardening, balls and bikes.
• Water play.
• Puzzles.
• Dancing, singing and rhyming.
• Bricks, mobilo construction cubes and lego.
• Trains and tracks, cars and garages.
• Animals and logs.
• Dolls house.
• Play loft.
• Story books and audio books.
• Simple computer programmes.

How do you ensure that your setting provides the different types of play?

• By ensuring that the correct supervision is in place.
• Creating different activities for children to free play that would involve minimal adult intervention.
• Having structured play by controlling the resources available and participating in the play.

What may you have to take into consideration?

• Ensuring they have age related games.
• Any special needs.
• Safety of the children.
• Abilities of the children.
• Individual child’s needs.
• Expectation of the activities.

How do you do this?

• Planning daily activities.
• Planning themed topics.
• Safety and supervision of children.

K2T1112 Support children through transitions in their lives.

Transitions in children’s lives for each of the following are ranges:

Birth to 3 years

• Being born and entering the outside world.
• Learning and developing new skills.
• Eating solid food and learning to feed them selves.
• Learning to sit up.
• Learning to crawl and walk.
• Learning to communicate.
• Learning toilet training.
• Attending Day care.
• Going to a child minder.
• Leaving Parents.
• Starting Pre-school.
• Arrival of a new sibling.
• Introduction to different family members.
• Family structure change.

Transition from supported sitting to sitting up unaided is around the age of 8 months.  The changes start from the age of 6 months when the child will sit held with their head firmly erect and back straight they may also sit alone momentarily and by the age of 9 months the child will be able to sit alone for 10-15 minutes on the floor giving them a whole new view point on their surroundings.  They can lean forward to pick up an object without losing their balance.

Transition from Rolling over to being mobile and crawling starts around 9 months of age.  The child will be able to lift themselves onto their hands and knees and push back on their knees and rock they will practice this movement over and over again.  This movement will help develop strong hand and leg muscles most children learn to crawl on their own and naturally understand how to move opposite limbs at the same time.

3 – 7 years

• Learning and developing new skills
• Attending School Nursery or Pre-school.
• Changing between different settings i.e. new school, new classroom and teacher.
• Leaving Parents.
• Going to a child minder.
• Joining after school clubs.
• Leaving friends.
• Moving house or relocating.
• Family structure change.
• Arrival of a new sibling.
• Starting new activities such as sports.
• Completing homework.

Starting Nursery or pre-school children may shows sign of separation anxiety as this may be first time they have been left by their parents / carer.  This could also be the first time for some children when they have had to interact with other children of the same age.   At this age most children have limited socialising skills and are still learning and adapting to new experiences.

The arrival of a new sibling will impact the child / children in several different ways, having to share their parent’s attention, love and time.  The child / children may feel left out and excluded. This may even result in negative behaviour to seek attention.

7 – 12 years

• Changing to different settings.
• Starting new school.
• Leaving friends
• Arrival of a new sibling.
• Moving house or relocating
• Family structure change.
• Meeting new friends.
• Completing homework.
• Onset of hormones / puberty.

Some children may face very particular and personal transitions when either a close family member has a serious illness or the death of a close relative which will impact and change the whole family structure.  Most children will experience delayed grieving until they feel that their parents are moving on and it is their turn to express their feelings.  Children can also regress back in their development for a while because of sadness, anxiety and a new awareness of death and loss.

When starting a new school most children will feel nervous and anxious with mixing with older children and being in a larger environment.  They will have greater expectations and responsibilities and may be entering a more structured curriculum.  The child / children may find it hard returning back to being the youngest year group within the new school.

12 – 16 years.

• Moving on to college, university or starting a job.
• Leaving friends.
• Leaving home to start at university.
• Family structure change.
• Completing homework.
• Choosing options / career.
• Examinations.
• Hormones / puberty.
• Moving house or relocating.

The onset of puberty will affect all children with hormonal changes.

• In boys these include the production of the sex hormone testosterone which will result in the rapid growth of their forehead, jaw line and facial hair.  This also triggers the voice to break, sweat glands to produce a different type of sweat.  The boy’s testicles and penis will start to enlarge and pubic hair will grow.
• In girls these include the production of two sex hormones oestrogen which initiates puberty and progesterone which prepares the body for pregnancy.  This also triggers sweat glands to produce a different type of sweat, the enlargement of the breast, areola and milk ducts, pubic hair will grow and the pelvic bone and hips will widen with the onset of the menstrual cycle.

All children at the age of 14 will have to choose main options or subjects to study.  These choices may influence secondary education, higher education or their future career.  As these choices will affect the child into adulthood there is a great responsibility on the child to study the right subject and not to just follow their peers.  This may involve the realisation and acceptance that the child may enjoy a subject but not have the academic ability to succeed.

K2D39 – The purpose of careful observation and noting what children do and how they behave.

The main purposes of observations are to find out the child / children’s needs what they are interested in and what they can do.  Recording information noting child / children’s responses to different situations highlighting their achievements or particular development needs. This should be ongoing assessment process involving the child / children’s parents or carer.

Different types of observation can be used.

Naturalistic - Is a way of observing a child or children doing what they would naturally do within the settings environment, looking at how they behave, interact and respond in different situations also gauging their language and socialising skills.

Structured - Is a way of observing a child or children within a small group performing a planned activity which can provide useful information and starting points for further stimulates and development.  This can also be a useful tool in comparing a child or children with their peers and identifying any delayed development.

Snapshot - Is a way of observing a child or children in that moment of time, capturing a small picture of their physical development, socialising or language skills.

Longitudinal - Is a way of observing a child or children over a period of time, building a bigger picture of their development.  This can be a useful tool for seeing the effects of the child or children maturing and overall picture of their development and behaviour progress.

Methods of observations:

Time Sampling

Observations of child or children are recorded at a fixed time.  For example over one hour every ten minutes record what activity the child or children are performing for one minute. Time Sampling can be a useful tool in focusing on particular skills or areas of development. This will give you an overview of what they enjoy, how they interact with each other and can also highlight any concerns in their development.  This can build precise data to gauge development over a longer period of time.

Event Sampling

Observations are focused on a child or children at a particular activity recording their behaviour patterns.  This can be a useful tool in detecting any unwanted behaviour and how often the behaviour is repeated.  This method can also build a picture of how the child or children play co-operatively with others, how they interact and communicate.

Tracking

Observations method can track what activity a child or children enjoy performing, how long they stay focused at an activity, builds a pattern of what they play with or who they interact with highlighting their language and socialising skills.

In observations there can be advantages and disadvantages to the practitioner participating or the non participation:-

K2D46 – That children develop at widely different rates, but in broadly the same sequence.

K2D47 – A basic outline of the expected pattern of children’s development.  The pattern of development includes the order or sequence in which development takes place and the rate of development:

Pattern’s of children’s development

K2D45 – Children’s development is holistic and each area is interconnected.

K2D46 – That children develop at widely different rates, but in broadly the same sequence.

Nature V Nurture

Are we born genetically programmed or because of our experiences?

I feel that it is both nature and nurture that play an important role, but however I also believe that the environment, influences and care can be a deciding factor.

We are all made up from our parent’s genes inheriting:

• Physical traits.
• Personality traits.
• Inherited illnesses.
• Characteristic.

We are all made up from our nurturing:

• Influences.
• Cultural influences.
• Environment.
• Social factors.
• Care.
• Experiences.

In conclusion I feel that they have an effect on the child in equal amounts.  Whilst inherited traits give a grounding in personality and ability, social factors such as extreme poverty will have a major effect on how the children will grow up.

K2S1118 The legislation, guidelines and policies which form the basis for action to safeguard children.

Children’s Rights:-

Every child and young person has rights, no matter who they are or where they live.  These are enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, based on the world’s first declaration on children’s rights.

• Every child has an inherent right to life.
• Right to a name.
• A Nationality.
• The right to preserve their own identify.
• Every child has the freedom to think.
• Every child has the freedom of speech.
• Every child has the right to freely express their view.
• Every child has the right to be heard in all decision making that affect them.
• Full and harmonious development of his or her personality.
• Every child should have the right to know and be cared for by their parents.
• Grow up within a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding.
• Every child has the right to a safe and secure environment.
• Every child has the freedom of equality and solidarity.
• Clean water.
• Food.
• Clothing.
• Shelter.
• Warmth.
• Every child has the right to an Education.
• Access to Health care services / medical treatment.
• State support for the child’s family.
• Protection from exploitation.
• Protection from violence.
• Protection from neglect.
• Protection from abuse.
• Protection from discrimination.
• Social and cultural rights.
• Legal protection, before as well as after birth.
• Mentally or physically disabled child has the right to enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate active participation in the community.
• Disabled child has the right to special care.
• Every child has the right to benefit from social security.
• Freedom to recreational activities appropriate to age range.
• No child should be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, neither capital punishment or life imprisonment without possibility of release. (below eighteen years of age).
• No child should be deprived of their liberty.

CCLD 202 Keep Children Safe

K2S34 – Ways to encourage children to be aware of their own bodies and understand their right not to be abused, according to their age, needs and abilities.