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CIW Blog

Blog 4 – Preparing for Inspection

Hello March! As we enter March, I wanted to share some insights on how to best prepare for inspections or improve after reports are received in your childcare setting.

Drawing from my firsthand experience as a manager who has successfully achieved Excellent CIW reports, I understand the importance of meeting and exceeding inspection standards.

With a focus on continuous improvement, I am here to support you in elevating your childcare provision.

The main focus points-

  • Understanding national minimum standards and regulations
  • Optimising staffing arrangements for efficiency and effectiveness
  • Enhancing leadership and management practices
  • Well-being and involvement
  • Safeguarding
  • Provision and Planning
  • Interaction
CIW Blog
 
What can I do?

By leveraging my extensive knowledge and practical expertise, I aim to empower you to achieve great results in your childcare setting. Whether you are gearing up for an inspection or seeking ways to enhance your operations post-report, I am here to guide you every step of the way.

Remember, a proactive approach to quality improvement can pave the way for long-term success and positive outcomes for both your staff and the children in your care.

Achieving excellent inspection reports in your childcare setting benefits the children by ensuring a safe, stimulating, and high-quality learning environment. It showcases your commitment to providing top-notch care, promoting their holistic development and well-being. Positive inspection outcomes instil confidence in parents, reassuring them that their children are in capable hands.

The most important thing to remember here is that the children are the most important thing in our inspections. Everything we do is with them at the centre. Sometimes we stress so much about paperwork and cleaning during an inspection, we forget to show off how amazingly talented we are with the children!!!

Thanks for reading,

Jessie 👣 ☁️

“Inside every great educator is a child that needed a better teacher

Quote of The Month

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Blog 3 – Schematic Behaviour

I ’ve had a lot of questions relating to Schemas, so here’s a little insight into what they are and how you can support them in your settings. A schema is a repeated action, in behaviour of young children. Children have natural urges to do the same thing over and over. They are very important as they link to how children’s brains grow and develop.  Some of this behaviour can be seen as “unwanted”. We as practitioners are responsible for providing opportunities for children to be able to do these things in a safe and controlled way. This stops children becoming frustrated from not being able to do their repeated behaviour.

9 Play Schemas are:-


Trajectory
Rotation
Enveloping
Enclosing
Transporting
Positioning
Orientation
Connection and disconnection  
Core and radial  

We are able to help you set up your provision to enable use of these schemas in a safe and controlled way.  

Until next month,

Jessie x

Most of what children need to learn during their early childhood years cannot be taught; it’s discovered through play

Quote of The Month

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Blog 2 – Why We Should Be Proud

This blog aims to help you remember and take pride in how important your roles are in Early Years!

It is a very under valued industry, with many people not understanding the hard work that goes into it. I hope one day, by educating those people, this will change and lead to Early years professionals getting the recognition and pay they so rightfully deserve.

The early years form the foundation upon which a child’s entire future is built.

These crucial years, typically spanning from birth to the age of five, play an unparalleled role in shaping a child’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development. It is imperative to recognize and honour the profound impact these formative years have on a child’s growth.

Astonishingly, a child’s brain is nearly fully developed, at 90% by the age of five. This fact alone underscores the extraordinary sensitivity and receptivity of young minds during these early stages.

Every interaction, experience, and environment a child encounters leaves an indelible mark on their neural pathways, influencing their learning capacity, problem-solving skills, and emotional resilience. This period lays the groundwork for a child’s ability to process information, make connections, and adapt to the world around them.

Positive experiences throughout childhood help to build healthy brains, while experiencing childhood trauma and abuse can harm a child’s brain development and have long lasting effects.

The roles played by parents, caregivers, and practitioners during these years are immeasurable. Their guidance, support, and provision of enriching experiences can either unlock a child’s boundless potential or inadvertently hinder their growth. The responsibility is not merely to supervise, but to engage, stimulate, and foster a nurturing environment that nurtures curiosity and exploration.

As champions of early years provision, we stand at the forefront of shaping the next generation, armed with the knowledge that these years are precious, fleeting, and immensely powerful. This is something to be incredibly proud of!

This is such an important topic to discuss and talk about, discussing how we can provide these wonderful experiences to support brain development.

I will be hosting a live webinar to talk about this and enable networking between other professionals! Keep your eyes peeled for this on our website.

I hope to see you there,

Jessie x

It’s a beautiful thing when a career and passion come together”

Quote of The Month

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Blog 1 – A Sign of What’s to Come

IIt’s an exciting feeling to be writing my first blog/newsletter! There will be a new one published monthly, subscribe to receive them automatically via email!

Children will always be at the core of everything I do, I can not wait to share environment and activity ideas with you all. Along with some tips on the day to day running and management of your settings, these newsletters will contain free tips on different early years topics, as well as a quote of the month to inspire and motivate you and or to share with your teams!

I am now excited to be offering monthly membership subscriptions. These subscriptions will offer exclusive access to help and advice from me, including discounted consultancy rates, details will be added to the site shortly. 

Motivate

We all know one of the most challenging tasks in early years is motivating an unmotivated team. It is our job to reignite their spark and to do this, we must lead by example!

Tips on how to motivate a disgruntled team:-

  • Identify the route causes
  • Communicate openly
  • Discuss goals – break these down into manageable steps
  • Provide ongoing professional support and development opportunities
  • Provide opportunities for staff to bond, this will help with teamwork and team work really does make the dream work!
  • Recognise, praise and reward achievements

I saw a quote that said “be the adult you needed as a child” and it’s changed my whole perspective.

Jessie Padfield
My consultancy book is due to be published very shortly! This is a dream come true. This will be available to purchase via amazon and the shop section on my website. I look forward to working with you all. Jessie x

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Welcome to My New Website!

II’m excited to launch my new website and consultancy venture ‘Little Feet Big dreams’! I’m Jessie, and with over 12 years of dedicated experience in Early Years, I’m thrilled to bring my passion for nurturing young minds to the heart of my consultancy.

Children First

Over the next few months I will be posting regular articles on here on all things Early Years. I will also share with you my progress from my upcoming book. I look forward to sharing lots with you soon and welcome any feedback or comments.

  • Monthly blogs
  • Industry news
  • Excerpts from my book

With an eye for detail, a heart full of dedication, I’m committed to working alongside you to make your Early Years journey as successful and fulfilling as possible.

Jessie Padfield