Tapestry
We use a software package called TAPESTRY which allows us to generate a secure online record of your child’s Learning Journey. This includes observations, notes, photographs, assessments and celebrations, sharing what we are working towards with your child too. Each time additions are made to the Learning Journey, they are sent by email to parents for a live update. Parents can expect a weekly update and 4 in depth long observations as well as special observations such as a child’s first lunch or birthday. Parents and carers can view their child’s records online and in real time as well as contribute to it, making sharing information easier and more holistic. When a child leaves Whytebeams parents are sent a link to download the journey and keep. It will also be forwarded to the next setting or school if they use TAPESTRY.
Tapestry Journals can only be accessed by staff and parents who have given us permission to create an account using their email. All information collected via Tapestry will be confidential in the workplace and may be shared with your consent with other professionals in the child’s life or their next school or setting for the purpose of best supporting their development and learning. Any information given to the setting by parents or outside agencies will be shared with other staff members on a need – to - know basis.
Within Tapestry there are other reports and documents stored such as a termly general welfare log, comments from parents, carers and other professionals and an attendance log, if this is of concern. Safeguarding and medical records will be stored on paper in a locked filing cabinet and not via Tapestry. They are kept securely in accordance with our privacy policy and GDPR regulations. Parents may ask to see their child’s record at any time. It is our statutory duty of the EYFS to pass a child’s record on to the next setting.
Tapestry Security
The data is saved in a Cloud server to keep the information safe. No information gathered is stored on the iPad or laptops we use. All our iPads and laptops are password protected and have an auto lock activated. iPads and laptops are kept in a locked cupboard when the setting is closed. The system is only accessible only to staff members via a secure login and password. Parents create their own secure login and password via TAPESTRY which is for their sole use and must not be shared with anyone else. Learning Journeys are confidential within the staff group and are always available for the parent or child. We ask that photos parents receive via TAPESTRY are not saved to parent’s phones or tablets and must never be put on any social media sites for the safeguarding of all children.