1. Unit 3.8 Understand how to plan to meet the needs of the developing child

2. Learning Outcomes
LO2 Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children.
AC 2.4 Devise a plan to meet the needs of an individual child.
AC 2.5 Explain why the early years practitioner involves others in planning for the next steps of children’s development.
AC 2.6 Describe reasons for tracking children’s progress.

3. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.4)
Time: 15 mins
Think of a skill you would like to develop or improve. Who could help you with this?
Consider:
Playing a musical instrument
First Aid
Driving
Speaking another language
Dancing
Do you like other people to help you, or do you prefer to try to do it by yourself?

4. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.4, 2.5)
Planning to meet individual needs
Practitioners will create plans that will support children to move on to their next stage of development.
For example, practitioners may observe that a child can recognise the numbers 1 to 3, so they plan activities that will begin to introduce the number 4.

5. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.4, 2.5)
Planning to meet individual needs
Practitioners will discuss ‘next steps’ with parents/carers so that they can continue with supporting the child’s development at home.
Practitioners will discuss children’s progress with any professional involved in their care.
It may be that a practitioner observes a child doing something new in the outdoor area, and they report this to the child’s key person.
This will enable the key person to further develop this new skill.

6. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.4, 2.5)
Planning to meet individual needs
Practitioners may need to discuss the progress of a child with other professionals outside of the setting in order to plan effectively for them.
It may be that they are working with a child who has English as an additional language and so the practitioner requires the support of an interpreter to help plan suitable activities for the child.

7. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.4, 2.5)
Time: 15 mins Lucy is 19 months old and will soon be moving from the baby room to the toddler room. She moves happily around the room, but likes to be holding on to something while she does this. You are her key person in the baby room and you need to work with the key person from the toddler room to support Lucy to develop this skill when she moves up.

8. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.4, 2.5)
Time: 15 mins (continued)
Consider:
What makes Lucy happy?
Why is this important?
A clear explanation of Lucy’s stage of walking
How you can plan for both the transition ahead and developing Lucy’s walking skills
Why is it important to work together on this matter?
What might happen to Lucy’s walking if you did not work together?

9. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.4, 2.5)
Involving others in planning
Share ideas
Different views
Continuity
Meets needs
Holistic view
Supports development

10. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.6)
Tracking progress
When we track a child’s progress we keep a record of their development.
Observations will inform a child’s tracking, as this will show when a child was able to do certain tasks.
Practitioners will review the tracking at regular intervals to check progress.

11. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.6)
Time: 15 mins
Ask for a copy of a tracking sheet from your setting.
Look at the layout and content of the sheet and consider:
Is it easy to use?
What does it track?
Is it for one child or all children?
Is the tracking information clear to understand?
Is there anything you would change about the tracking sheet if you were asked to re-design it?
If learners cannot access a copy of a tracking sheet, then a selection can be printed from the internet, or learners can review those from other settings.

12. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.6)
Time: 15 mins
You have been asked to plan an outdoor obstacle course and have been shown the tracking sheet for the children’s physical development.
Consider:
What information from the tracking sheet would help you to plan the activity?
How would this information help you to move children onto their next stage of development?
Information that would help:
Age and stage of the children
Current abilities
Any areas of difficulty, such as ladder climbing or using a balance beam
Areas of physical development already covered, such as hoping, running, jumping, climbing
Discussions should be had as to how this information will help to move children on to their next stage of development.

13. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.6)
Tracking progress
The EYFS tracks children’s progress at specific stages.
Children’s progress is checked at the age of 2, if they are in an early years setting and at the end of the EYFS.
This checking of progress will allow practitioners to assess a child’s development and plan to meet their needs.
Tracking progress will enable early intervention if there appears to be a delay in a child’s expected pattern of development.

14. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.6)
Time: 15 mins
Discuss how your setting tracks progress.
Consider:
Team meetings
Informal discussions
Observations
Charts on the wall
Post-it notes
Learning journeys, books or journals.
Learners should discuss both formal and informal tracking methods.
Learners should consider the tracking of individuals, as well as groups of children.

15. 2. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of children (2.6)
Time: 15 mins
You have been asked to create a brief information leaflet to explain to new parents/carers how and why you track children’s progress.
Consider:
Layout
Content
The benefits of tracking
What a tracking sheet tells practitioners about a child’s development.
This activity will enable learners to show why we track children’s progress.

16. Summary
Plans for individual children will support them to move on to their next stage of development.
Everyone involved in a child’s care and education should be included in planning.
Tracking a child’s progress will support practitioners to effectively plan for the next steps of their development.

17. Plenary
Give three reasons for involving others in planning for children.
Describe two ways to track a child’s progress.
Why do we track progress?