JLK AcademyEYFS Masterclass · Module 9 of 12

🔍 EYFS Masterclass · Module 9 of 12 · ~22 min

Observation, Assessment and Next Steps

Meaningful observation, not tick-boxes. What to notice, what to leave out, how to write it usefully, how to turn a note into a next step. This module includes multiple before/after observation rewrites and a submission task for manager sign-off.

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Section 1

What to observe — and what NOT to over-record

~5 min

The JLK approach to observation is less, but better. Two or three meaningful observations per key child per week are worth 20 shallow ones.

What's worth observing:

  • A moment of effort that wasn't there last week. New skill, new confidence, new willingness.
  • A new word, sign or sentence.
  • A bond between two children. Peer moments matter.
  • A child solving their own problem. Persistence, hypothesis, testing.
  • A surprising mastery. They did something they couldn't do a fortnight ago.
  • A return to something familiar, used differently. Deepening play.
  • An emotional moment handled well. Self-regulation is huge.

What's NOT worth over-recording:

  • Generic activity notes — “child played with sand”.
  • Snack served, nappy changed, nap had — parents know this from the daily update.
  • Anything that could be true of any child in the room.
  • Ticks against statements without any evidence of what was actually seen.
  • Photos with no note — a photo alone is not an observation.

💡 JLK principle: if you can't tell whether an observation is about a specific child or could apply to anyone, it's not an observation. It's a timetable.

Section 2

Before / after — rewriting observations

~7 min

Three before/after rewrites showing the difference.

❌ Poor observation: “Child played with blocks.”

✅ Strong observation:

“Amara (3y 5m) selected rectangular blocks to build a tall tower. When it fell after her second attempt, she paused, said ‘bigger ones at the bottom,' and rebuilt using the larger square blocks as base. Her second tower reached 8 blocks high before she said ‘I'm going to make it bigger tomorrow.'”

Possible statement links (from source PDF, 3&4-Year-Olds):

  • Maths: “Select shapes appropriately: flat surfaces for building, a triangular prism for a roof etc.”
  • C&L: “Use talk to organise themselves and their play”
  • Characteristics of Effective Learning: Creating and thinking critically.

Next step: Wednesday, add larger construction pieces and a set of images showing tall buildings. See whether she articulates the base principle to another child.

❌ Poor observation: “Yusuf enjoyed the water tray. Good persistence. Covered several EYFS areas.”

✅ Strong observation:

“Yusuf (2y 3m) spent 25 minutes at the water tray this morning attempting to pour water from a small jug into a narrow-necked bottle. He spilled 4 times, adjusted his hand position each time, then chose a wider-mouthed jug. When water finally went in cleanly he grinned, said 'more' and repeated 4 more times. Mild frustration during spills was managed without adult support.”

Possible statement link (Birth to Three, PD): “Use large and small motor skills to do things independently, for example manage buttons and zips, and pour drinks.”

Next step: tomorrow, add a funnel and varied container openings. Watch whether he transfers his “wider spout works better” principle to a new setup.

❌ Poor observation: “Nia and Eli had a lovely time in the mud kitchen.”

✅ Strong observation:

“Nia (2y 8m) and Eli (2y 11m) played collaboratively in the mud kitchen for 15 minutes. When Nia accidentally splashed Eli, Eli looked upset. Without any adult prompt, Nia said ‘sorry Eli' and offered him her spoon. Eli accepted, and they continued playing side by side.”

Statement link (Birth to Three, PSED): “Develop friendships with other children.”

Next step: extend the mud kitchen setup this week with more “kitchen” role play scaffolding — plates, chairs, dolls to feed. Watch whether the peer collaboration deepens.

What all three “strong” versions have in common:

  • Specific detail — you can picture the moment.
  • The child's own words, quoted directly if possible.
  • A specific timeframe.
  • ONE strongest statement link (word-for-word from Development Matters).
  • A concrete next step, not a vague “continue to support.”
Section 3

Turning observation into next step

~4 min

An observation without a next step is a snapshot. An observation WITH a next step is a plan.

The JLK next-step formula:

[Specific action] + [for this child] + [within a specific timeframe] + [what you'll look for].

Examples that meet the formula:

  • “Tomorrow at 10:00, offer Yusuf a funnel alongside the varied jugs. Watch whether he applies the wider-spout principle to the new setup.” ✅
  • “This week, introduce photos of tall buildings to Amara during construction. See whether she articulates her ‘bigger blocks at the bottom' principle to a peer.” ✅
  • “Add plates and a small doll to the mud kitchen setup on Wednesday. Note whether Nia and Eli extend their collaboration into role play.” ✅

Examples that DON'T meet the formula (avoid):

  • “Continue to support development.” ❌ — too vague, applies to any child, not actionable.
  • “Provide more resources.” ❌ — what, when, for whom, looking for what?
  • “Move on to next age band.” ❌ — misunderstands how Development Matters works.
  • “Assess again next week.” ❌ — that's not a next step, that's a diary entry.

The two-step rule for JLK Stories: every fortnightly JLK Story a key person writes should end with 1–2 specific, actionable next steps. If it doesn't, revise before sending.

Practice task

Submission for manager sign-off

~4 min

This module has a practical submission. Complete it and submit for manager review.

Task: over the next week, write one strong observation of a child in your key group. It should include:

  1. The observation itself — 3–5 sentences of specific, factual detail with the child's own words quoted directly where relevant.
  2. The strongest EYFS statement it links to — quoted word-for-word from Development Matters, with the age band named.
  3. 1–3 honest cross-links if genuinely present.
  4. The next step — following the JLK formula (action + child + timeframe + look-for).

How to submit: paste your observation into your room's shared planning system, or bring it to your next 1:1 with your manager. Your manager will sign it off as part of your Module 9 completion.

What your manager is checking:

  • Is it about a specific child?
  • Is the statement word-for-word from Development Matters (not paraphrased)?
  • Are the cross-links real, not padding?
  • Is the next step specific and actionable?
  • Does the observation tell a story that couldn't be about any other child?
Knowledge check

End-of-module quiz · 5 questions

Pass 80%

You need 4 out of 5 to pass.

  1. The JLK principle for volume of observations is:

  2. “Child played with blocks” is a POOR observation because:

  3. The JLK next-step formula includes:

  4. When linking to an EYFS statement in an observation, the statement should be:

  5. A photo of a child on its own is: