A plain-language starter guide for new educators. Print it, laminate it for the staff room, and use it as your checklist until documentation feels automatic.
Carry a sticky note or your phone. Capture one thing you saw — an action, a word, a choice — with the child's name and the time.
Two minutes, three times a day.
Ask what the behaviour means. Is this persistence, negotiation, symbolic thinking, gross motor control? Name it in one sentence.
Same day, before you go home.
Decide your next move: add a material, ask a question, pair two children, take it outdoors, or simply give more time.
Write it as your plan for tomorrow.
Did it work? What did the children do with what you offered? One honest line here is worth more than a page of theory.
End of the week, with your team.
Instead of
Jai was aggressive at the sandpit.
Try this
Jai took the shovel from Mia and shouted 'mine' twice. Mia cried and moved away.
Instead of
Ruby is a good artist.
Try this
Ruby held the pencil with a tripod grip, drew a closed circle and added dots inside, saying 'it's a pizza'.
Instead of
The children loved the mud kitchen.
Try this
Six children returned to the mud kitchen for three sessions this week, staying 15–20 minutes each time.
Instead of
Liam needs to work on sharing.
Try this
When both children wanted the truck, Liam held it and said 'my turn'. With an adult nearby he offered the bucket instead.
Write what you saw and heard. Save the interpretation for the "what it means" section — that separation is what makes documentation professional.
"This demonstrates [framework outcome or area] because [one sentence of why]."
Example: "This demonstrates MTOP Outcome 4 — children are confident and involved learners — because Ava chose her own investigation, sustained it for nine minutes and invited others in."
One code with a reason beats five codes with none. If you can't explain the link in a sentence, it isn't the right code.
Your service sets the exact expectation. Ask your educational leader for the house rule in week one and write it down here: ______________________________
Use the child's words or a playful image. "The snail that wouldn't hurry up" beats "Week 3: Snails".
What happened, in order, with what the child said and did. Short paragraphs, no jargon, one photo.
The learning, named. Link one to three framework codes and explain each in a sentence.
What you will add, ask or arrange — and a question that invites families in.
The snail that wouldn't hurry up
The moment: During outdoor play, Ava found a snail on the fence and called two friends over. She cupped her hands around it and said, "Don't move, I'm looking at your house." For nine minutes the three children watched the snail cross the bark, taking turns to hold the magnifier and counting the wiggles on its antennae.
What it means: Ava is building the dispositions that make her a confident learner — curiosity, patience and persistence (MTOP Outcome 4). She started and sustained a complex investigation with others, negotiating turns and explaining her thinking (QKLG: Active learning and Communicating). Documenting and displaying this shows our program is driven by children's ideas (NQS QA1, Standard 1.1).
Where to next: Set up a snail investigation station with leaves, bark, salt, sugar, vinegar and a journal. Ask families whether anyone has a snail at home, and invite a photo of a garden find for our board.
Check against the edition your service uses before you write it into a report.
Always check against the current edition of the frameworks your service uses and your own service policies. This guide is a starting point for your team, not a substitute for your educational leader.
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