5 simple ways of evidencing the use of EYPP Funding
Evidencing how you use your EYPP funding is good practice. Ofsted are happy at the moment with managers being able to talk about how the money is spent and the impact it has had on the child’s learning and development. Things will change and settings will be expected to document where the money is being spent so why not start doing this now. Here are a few simple ways to help you document this evidence.
- Create a folder that contains a sheet that is filled out once the setting receives a funding payment. The names of children who are eligible for this funding are recorded on this sheet and the children’s area to develop is noted. It is then down to the manager and key person to look at what best will help the child and source the resources. It is important then after a period of time to evaluate the impact the funding has on the child and record this on the sheet.
- Creating a scrapbook to demonstrate what the funding has been spent on and how it is being used in the setting. Depending on what the funding has been used for will depend on how you put this scrapbook together you may need to add notes to explain parts of it.
- Organise regular meetings to discuss the impact the funding has had on individual children. Discussing this together will bring all ideas together which can then be documented on a sheet to be filled away in the EYPP funding folder or if works better in the child’s individual records.
- Using a simple sheet containing the child’s name, date of birth, EYPP number and the amount of funding. Information collected from the key person regarding the child’s needs is recorded and then suggestions for spending on funding are noted. Costs of staff training occurred if this is applicable is recorded on the sheet. Then after a period of time, the impact of the funding is recorded as to what was brought or training undertaken has had an impact on the child directly. If there are more than one child receiving this funding then using a table format may be better.
- Why not arrange a short meeting with parents to communicate and involve the parents in what the funding will be used for. This information can be noted on the child’s record on an additional sheet inserted into their records.
As well as managers being aware of what the EYPP funding has been used for, practitioners should also be kept up to date as they may be asked questions regarding this during an inspection. Therefore, it is important that managers regularly discuss this with the team or with the individual it affects.