Thank you for deciding to use the Development Map to document your children’s progress and record their learning journey.
The Development Map will probably be very familiar to you as it follows the cycle of good practice starting with OBSERVATION then moving into ASSESSMENT then into PLANNING as outlined on page 4 of Development Matters (this is a really helpful summary of the process). 2.1 in the EYFS Statutory Framework (2014) is a much 'wordier' version of this process but very important as it makes the whole cycle a Statutory Duty which means we have to observe children in order to assess their progress.
I like the way that Development Matters says START HERE at observation. It seems an obvious place to start but pressures to assess children often take you away from the very thing you need to do...observe. Not only that if you really want to find out what children know and can do observe them in their child-led play and activities!
The philosophy and processes of the Development Map support you to do just this...observe as part of your role as a practitioner/teacher; then analyse your observations in order to make an assessment; then think about and plan possibilities for next steps which support children's learning and development.
I am hoping that the Development Map will bring back the joy of working with young children, observing how they develop, grow, think and learn and at the same time nurture and support your own professional development as you become informed experts in child development.
There are many aspects to the Development Map it is not just an assessment tool. Let us know how you are getting on and tell us how we can improve. This is just Phase 1 in Phase 2 we will be including the following;
All the best
Di Chilvers
