Estelle Clarke

Last updated: 09/01/2024

Chirpy Chicks Childcare is run from a family home setting in Calcot. The children have a playroom, family dining room, an undercover outside area and garden to play in. They are also welcome to take toys into the 'home' room where quieter activities are played and they can rest. We have a family cockapoo dog named Daisy who is loved by all the children.

At Chirpy Chicks the curriculum intention is for each child to fulfil their time being felt loved, supported, nurtured, challenged and owning a great sense of self achievement, empathy towards others and confidence - ready to move on to the next step of their learning journey with Chirpy Chicks being part of nurturing roots for a lifetime of learning growth.

Each child follows their own curriculum learning pathway tailor made from careful observations and discussions with parents for each child to develop through the seven areas of learning.

All daily routines and activities support children's physical and emotional independence and their curiosity to learn through their play within their environment here at the setting as well as out and about in our community.

Carefully chosen resources, places of interest and activities are provided to give the children the opportunities to reach their personal goals. Their achievements are celebrated with praise from adults and peers within our Chirpy Chicks family.

Who to contact

Contact Name: Estelle Clarke - Chirpy Chick's Childcare
Contact Position: Childminder
Telephone: 07825518491
E-mail: estelleclarke@live.com

Where to go

Name: Chirpy Chicks Childcare
Address: 29, Rushmoor Gardens
Calcot
Reading
Postcode: RG31 7AJ

Other Details

Costs

Table of costs

Table of costs
Amount	Cost Type
£6.00	per hour

Details

£6.00 per hour (8 am to 5 pm)

Availability

Age Ranges

Other notes

I work within the Calcot and Tilehurst community making the most of the facilities available.

Any family who requires a more tailored care plan for their child would need to speak to me so we could discuss their individual needs.

Inclusion Information

Dietary Needs

Has Provision: Yes
Details: Children with special dietary needs will need to be discussed individually.

Childcare Information

Vacancies

Immediate vacancies

Details

Availability will depend on the age of child and those already at Chirpy Chicks.

Date updated

05/01/2024

Vacancy range(s)

Vacancy range(s)
Places	Start Age	End Age
0	0	1
0	1	4
0	5	7
0	8	+

Funded Places

3 & 4 year old funding
2 year old funding

30 Hours Extended Entitlements

Are you intending to provide 30 Hours?: Yes
Are you registered to provide 30 Hours?: Yes
30 Hour Partner Summary: West Berkshire Council.

Waiting List

Do you have a waiting list?: Yes

Opening Times & Facilities

Opening Times

Opening Times
Day	Opening Time	Closing Time
Monday	08.00	17.00
Tuesday	08.00	17.00
Wednesday	08.00	17.00
Thursday	08.00	17.00

School Pickups

Offers pickups
Schools: Calcot Infant & Nursery School
Calcot Junior School
Details: I do not offer to pick up and drop offs during the middle of the day at Calcot Nursery school as this impacts the care I can offer to those children who are with me all day.

Ofsted Information

Ofsted URN

EY501631

Link to latest ofsted inspection report

Inspection history

Inspection History
Inspection Date	Inspection type	Inspection Outcome
09/01/2024	Inspection (Early Years Register)	Good
29/06/2018	Inspection (Early Years Register)	Good

Local Offer

SEN Provision Type: Medical, Specific Literacy Difficulties, Speech & Language Difficulties, Behavioural, Emotional & Social Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Physical Disability, Hearing Impairment, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Visual Impairment
Local Offer Age Bands: 0 to 1
1 to 4
5 to 7
7 to 11
Needs Level: Low

Early Years Private, Voluntary & Independent Settings

1: How does the setting identify children with additional needs or SEND?

Chirpy Chicks treats all children as individuals and teaches the children that we are all unique and to respect the differences of eachother.

Children who have additional emotional, learning or physical needs may require support or extra time to adjust within the setting. I ask parents to give me as much information as possible from the outset so I can work with them in partnership in caring for their child.

2: How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported?

I communicate with parents daily via WhatsApp to inform them how their child has spent their day and a written form goes home every day in their bag informing the parent of nappies/sleep and food.

3: How will the setting adapt the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum for my child's needs?

Before a child starts at Chirpy Chicks, I will ask a series of questions about your child which will give me a starting point to care for and ascertain your child's current abilities. As your child attends and settles into the group they will naturally gain in confidence. As their early years practitioner, I will follow their interests and scaffold their learning accordingly through being out and about in our natural environment, singing, instruments, reading, gardening, painting and craft activities, ride on toys, imaginary play and many more activities.

4: What teaching strategies does the setting use for children with additional needs or learning difficulties?

As a childminder I consider the individual need of all children. Children with additional needs will be no different from those who are considered not to have 'additional' needs.

Some children may need more one to one time than others. If this is the case I may need to work with a partner to provide quality care for all children. At the moment I do not do this but would consider it if the need arises. In a questionnaire all current parents are aware that this may need to happen should my numbers increase or the needs of the children necessitate greater adult supervision.

I have worked with children with learning difficulties and those with physical differences in the past. Each of these have presented very different ways in working and cannot be assumed to work for every child. Each child is considered as an individual and partnership with parents is the best course in supporting the child through their learning development needs.

5: What additional support does the setting provide for children with additional needs or SEND?

It may be necessary for me to attend a course in order to care for a child with specific additional needs. As a small home-based setting I can only do this for children who attend Chirpy Chicks as not all courses would be suitable for all children with additional needs.

6: How will the setting monitor my child's progress and how will I be involved in this?

I see the monitoring of children who attend the setting to be a partnership. We can have a brief chat at the door but I also communicate with parents daily via WhatsApp.

7: How do you ensure children with additional needs or SEND can be included in the same activities as other children, including trips?

Each child becomes part of our Chirpy Chick family. We help each other, we listen to each other and respect all of our differences. If I need extra adults to support me on trips I will arrange for this. The extra support needed for children with additional needs will depend on the needs of the child. This would be decided upon doing the Risk Assessment of the outing or activity.

8: How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users?

Unfortunately, the building does not have a ramp or wide doorway at the front, however easy access is available at the back of the house which is where Chirpy Chicks spends most of its time.

9: How will you support my child's transition to a new setting or school?

Usually children who will be attending a new school or setting will have visits before they start. If I do not have any other children within my care and I am able to do so, I can take your child to their visits. Within the Chirpy Chicks setting my aim is to support your child t become 'school ready'. This means that I will be encouraging them to become independent, teaching them personal, social and emotional skills to prepare them for school life.

10: How does the setting assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents / carers take part in this evaluation?

I would assess the effectiveness of Chirpy Chicks by asking parents to complete a questionnaire.

11: Who should I contact if I am considering registering for a place at the setting?

Should you wish to discuss your childcare needs with a view to registering your child with me then please contact me on 07825518491 to arrange a visit. I will be happy to meet with you and answer any questions you have with no obligation to you using my services. Good luck with finding the right childcare for your child.

12: What arrangements does the setting have for feedback from parents / carers, including compliments and complaints?

I would ask that you speak with me personally or send me an email or WhatsApp message. Obviously, if you felt it was a serious complaint then you would need to contact Ofsted - their details are found within the policy file that I hand out to parents when completing our contract. You can also find their details on the internet.

Quality checks

DBS check