Action Research Project 2016 2017 30 th November

Action Research Project 2016 -2017

30 th November 2016 • • • Initial meeting of interested schools. Focus agreed: outdoor learning. Meet Amanda Ince from UCL who will support the project. Brief introduction to the concept of school improvement via action research projects. The research will have an impact on improving your practise, on the children’s learning and will help to build closer working relationships within your Foundation team. The project provides an opportunity to address key focus areas within each school’s development plan and to raise standards. To explore, exchange ideas and develop practice through peer to peer support. To work collaboratively with colleagues from other schools and settings. Be part of a local Early Years Action Research Hub and an opportunity to work with the UCL.

12 th January 2017 • Practitioners meet with Amanda. • Amanda briefs the group about Action Research. • Practitioners begin to think about action research questions that would be specific and useful to their own school. • Consideration given to range of assessment possibilities.

7 th February 2017 • Input from Amanda around outdoor learning. • A chance for practitioners to finalise their research question. • Opportunity for school teams to work together and begin to form an action plan for their project.

Northfleet Nursery School research question… • “How can we develop children’s observational skills and their ability to talk about the features of their environment? ” • Baseline assessment carried out with 15 children all asked the same questions.

Baseline assessment was carried out to children’s existing skills in observation and communication. Child Gen Baseline data for Outdoor Learning Action Research Question AM Observations Word count Phrase Words in phrase PM Sentence A M AM 2 2 0 0 0 B F AM 2 1 0 0 0 C M AM 1 3 1 2 0 D M AM 9 9 0 0 0 E M AM 2 4 1 3 0 F M AM 6 8 1 3 0 G M AM 3 2 0 0 0 H M PM 3 3 0 0 0 I F PM 2 4 2 2 0 J F PM 5 8 2 2, 3 0 K M PM 2 0 0 L M PM 1 0 0 M F PM 2 5 2 2, 2 0 N M PM 2 3 1 2 0 O F PM 2 2 0 0 0 Totals 44 54 10 21 0 NB: children were taken to the same area: the secret garden. They were asked the same question. “What can you see? ” The observer noted what the children were looking at and this was counted as an observation by the child even if they could not express it verbally.

At the start of the project the secret garden outside area was not used frequently or organised for children’s use. Our initial actions involved improving this area.

Action plan devised Date Feb 2017 Feb 2017 Activity Sharing the space Organise a space for Cavan’s tools & equipment Cost/ resource £ 0, Time Personnel Impact/ outcome Sue & Sheba 1. 2. More walk round space achieved Cavan’s storage is now in his area of the S G. Sharing the space Make a sign so area is that children know where Cavan’s Using the equipment Organise storage for aluminium containers Use the existing shelving swapped from Cavan’s area Label the shelving for easy access and use Using the equipment Organise storage for watering cans Small spades, string spades Forks, string forks Buckets, need to purchase new buckets Add some hooks for hanging items Label the storage Time Roz 1. 2. Children understanding signs Cavan’s area respected £ 0 10 mins Time Sue & Sheba Roz Sue & Sheba Susan & Louise Amy & Beverley Keeping the space clean Hooks in place String and hand brooms String and hang dustpans and brushes 10 mins Time £ 30 £ 5 Time 1. 2. 3. 4. Shelves re-positioned Containers arranged in size order Children able to access the containers Children able to tidy –up containers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. Trellis in place already Watering cans re-positioned Broken items discarded Space available for spades Space available forks Space available for buckets Space for storage available Equipment accessible

The children had a chance to say what they would like in the secret garden area

Our initial work on the garden area resulted in these changes. Before After

2 nd action plan Date 6 th March 2017 Activity Is the space right Questionnaire for children Children’s ideas Personnel Impact/ outcome This week’s Outdoor Team & Leanne 1. Children’s ideas included This week’s Outdoor Team 1. 2. 3. Children aware of growing potatoes Children aware of language for digging and planting Children aware of planting and growth vocabulary This week’s Outdoor Team Using the equipment Water and mud Pig in the Pond, yoga moves £ 0 Outside This week’s Outdoor Team Time Outside tap. Containers Observing and exploring Cutting vegetables Using magnifiers Giant Stew, acting out story, cooking vegetables. Observing & recording Drawing plants and trees I-pads to record observations Exit data, repeat baseline Leaf Man, yoga moves £ 5. 00 Outside Time This week’s Outdoor Team £ 0 Outside time. Pens, paper, clipboards i-pads This week’s Outdoor Team Leanne 6 th March 2017 Using the space Digging and planting Titch Yoga moves, sequence of rise , stretch and fall Using the equipment 13 th March Observing and magnifiers 2017 Jack and the Beanstalk, yoga moves/ act out the story physically 20 th March 2017 27 th March 2017 18 th April Cost/ resource £ 0 Outside Time Potatoes (already bought) £ 0 Outside Time 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. Children observing closely flowers & plants Children noticing details Children using equipment Children using range of vocabulary to describe their observations Details of plants noticed and named. Watering cans used Children aware of changes Vocabulary introduced to describe changes, texture etc. Vocabulary to describe vegetables, colour, texture, skin etc Encouraging comparisons Children explore representational drawing to record Adults can annotate drawings, showing children’s use of vocabulary Children can observe and record electronically. Adults can record vocabulary.

Working outside • How changes to provision and planning resulted in children’s high level engagement in outdoor learning.

Suddenly… • It’s working • Children are observing and talking about what they can see “The leaves, the roots drink up the water, stem, ” said Jack as he looked closely at the plant Maria compared two plants and noted “ This one’s not growing, it’s very short. This one’s growing it’s very, very big!”

Children are now… • Looking at the signs and symbols closely.

Children are observing plants and animals they find and talking about them. I found a ladybug! said Maria. Bawer remarked “I found a daffodil, it’s broken!”

“How can we develop children’s observational skills and their ability to talk about the features of their environment? ” At the end of April the baseline activity was repeated and the results are in the table below. Child G e n A M B F C M D M E M F M G M H M I F J F K M L M M F N M O F totals Exit data for Outdoor Learning Action Research Question AM PM Observations Word count Phrase Words in phrase Sentence AM AM PM PM 8 5 11 14 8 6 8 11 8 12 7 5 12 7 10 116 28 8 35 32 12 12 14 8 10 33 3 2 20 20 14 251 1 5 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 23 4 4 3 1, 2, 2 2, 4 2, 5 2, 6 2, 4 2, 3 0 0 0 5 2 6 65 3 1 5 1 2 1 1 0 1 4 0 0 2 4 1 26

Have we made a difference for our children? The Research project started at the end of February 2017. We wanted our children to notice and talk about the outdoors more. The baseline data revealed that the sample group of children could say very little about the outdoors, particularly the secret garden area. The exit data, gathered at the end of April, shows a very different story. The same group of children made 72 more observations, used 197 more words, 13 more phrases and went from not using any sentences to 26 sentences! Simple changes to the organisation of the secret garden had taken place and staff planned to use the revamped area more frequently as it was easier for the children to explore and use. This was all that was needed for the children to make such progress.

“Look leaves, mud, flowers. ” “It’s growing leaves, it’s Mr Potato. ” “Wow! It’s so big this plant and so muddy. ”