Looking to the future – the child's story

Portfolios that tell the story of nursery children

Skarðshlíðar Nursery School received a grant from the Hafnarfjörður Education Fund for the project. Looking to the future – the child's story, which is about strengthening and standardising the creation of children's portfolios in the nursery school. Berglind Kristjánsdóttir, head teacher of Skarðshlíðarleikskóli, says the aim is to create a high-quality, professional and standardised procedure that follows the child throughout their time at the nursery school. Skarðshlíðar Nursery School has been operating since August 2019 and has a capacity for 80 children. The staff are 26 in total and have, from the outset, worked with the children's portfolios. However, it is now intended to develop this work further, standardise procedures between departments and better utilise the staff's strengths in collaborative work. „We wanted to create high-quality portfolios for all our children that show professional nursery practice and a child's learning journey throughout their time at the nursery.“ says Berglind Kristjánsdóttir, head teacher of Skarðshlíður Nursery School.

An important tool in nursery work

Portfolios are not just a collection of pictures or memories from nursery school. Berglind says they are an important professional tool that can give a good picture of the child's progress in play and work. The portfolios will include, among other things, educational records about the child's interests, learning and development. This information helps teachers to reflect on the learning that has taken place and to consider how they can better support the child going forward. „As the folder accompanies the child between departments, it helps the teachers who take over from the child to see where the child is at any given time.“ says Berglind. She emphasises that the project is about looking at the bigger picture; that the portfolio will become a living document of the child's story at the nursery, but at the same time a tool for staff to foster professional discussion and targeted recording.

Standardised procedure between departments

Skarðshlíðar Nursery School has worked with portfolio-based assessments from the outset, but Berglind says that until now there has been a lack of greater cohesion between the departments. With the new arrangement, the aim is to address this. „The purpose is to standardise procedures, so that the foundation and contents of the portfolio are always the same, regardless of the department or which member of staff has worked on it over the years.“ she says. The idea for the revised arrangement arose following a consultation meeting where several staff members had previously worked on similar projects at other workplaces in the capital region. That experience showed, according to Berglind, that well-produced portfolios can be well-received both inside and outside the nursery. She says such portfolios can also clearly demonstrate the professional work that takes place within the nursery. Well-made portfolios are a valuable way to make the work of the nursery visible.

Better use of staff strengths

The innovation in the project lies not only in the standardisation of data and procedures, but also in how the staff collaborate on the case files. „We are going to use the strengths of each individual employee to work on the portfolios together.“ says Berglind. „We are going to be proactive in exchanging ideas and utilising interdisciplinary work between departments.“ The aim is for the portfolios to be created collaboratively and for staff to learn from one another in the process. In this way, the project can become part of professional development, increase confidence in working practices and strengthen professional collaboration within the nursery. Berglind says the expectation is that the project will benefit both the staff and the children. For the staff, it can increase professionalism, collaboration, job security and well-being at work. For the children, it creates a better overview of their learning and development, as well as giving them a beautiful and well-made record of their time at nursery school.

Folders that the children may look at

The grant from the Hafnarfjörður Education Fund will primarily be used for purchasing materials. It will be invested in durable, high-quality folders that can hold a large amount of records and data and withstand daily use. In addition, emphasis will be placed on preserving the contents well, including using plastic sleeves and lamination, as the folders are intended to be accessible to the children themselves.. „We want the children to look at their folders regularly.“ says Berglind. In this way, the portfolio will not just be an archive for teachers and parents, but a part of the child's own experience. It will become their story, told through play, learning, interests, relationships and development.

In recent weeks and in the coming weeks, interviews with grantee from the Hafnarfjörður Education Fund be published on the media channels of the City of Hafnarfjörður. This gives residents and other interested parties the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the excellent projects and creative school and leisure activities.