Joanne

About Me

**spaces available and I can accept funding for 9 months - 2 year olds, 3 and 4 year-olds**

My name is Joanne and I set up my business ‘Jo’s Little Sunflowers Childcare’ in January 2016. I am Ofsted graded 'Good' (June 2024).

Before childminding, I worked at the BBC in London for 20 years in Customer Services, IT and Facilities Management. Since beginning my family in 2007 and moving to Buckinghamshire, I developed a passion for caring and nurturing children.

My experience as a parent of 3 children aged 11, 14 and 17 and over 8 years of professionally caring for children from the age of 3 months to 12 years has provided me with strong skills in childcare.

Having used the services of other childminders myself, I fully understand how important it is to leave your child with someone who prioritises their safety and wellbeing, supports their learning and development and encourages them to be the best that they can be.

I am a very honest and reliable person with a warm, approachable and friendly personality and have lots of patience and time for children and adults. I am extremely flexible so please do get in touch to enquire.
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My Setting:
I am based in Loudwater, Buckinghamshire, just a short drive from junction 3 of the M40 and just off the London Road. I live with my husband, 3 children, 2 friendly pet cats and 4 outdoor bunnies in a 3 bedroomed house.

Our road is a very safe and quiet with no through traffic apart from residents or the farmer. We are situated less than 2 minutes’ walk to farmland, nature trails, woodland and grassed adventure playground for ages pre-school upwards. We are a short drive from Carrington Junior school, which is where my youngest child attends.

Children have access to the whole downstairs open planned area which includes toy units with a variety of educational and fun toys, mark making and reading areas. Also play rugs and train table, play kitchen and home corner, wooden dolls house, craft trolly, white/chalk board easel and plenty of areas for children to do their fun activities.

The downstairs area opens out to a secure patio area accessed by a patio door, which includes a mud kitchen and tuff tray or sand/water table. All activities inside can be experienced in the open air. The gated outside patio area leads down some steps to a 120’ garden (the top third is surrounded by a 6ft fence and has a secure gate leading to the lower part of the garden).

I provide upstairs travel cots and sleeping mats for children to nap during the day.
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Activities:
I provide lots of fun activities such as arts and crafts (painting, play dough, themed craft for special events), role playing (dressing up, food shop, cook and tea party, small world animals and people, dolls house, cars, trains and garage), musical sessions (action songs, musical instruments, dancing), reading (including activity learning books), cooking, tent play and outdoor play. We frequently do themed tuff trays for adventure and sensory play inside and out. Outdoor activities also include garden play (sand and water table, sand pit and paddling pool, play house, swings and monkey rope), walks to my local farm to feed the shire horses and woodland walks to include learning about nature and tiny beasts, trips to the library, various parks and duck ponds/rivers. I attend regular local play groups, singing and rhyme groups and soft play centres. I am a member of the Forest Childcare Association (giving small children the opportunity to spend time in the great outdoors on a regular basis). I am a National Trust member and frequent the sites.

During the Covid pandemic, I discovered more outdoor places for children to enjoy and learn from their surroundings. I now tend to do more outdoor activities such as nature trail walks, parks, National Trust sites, animal sites (ie The Bucks Goat Centre or Tiggywinkles) and river walks to feed the ducks.
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Qualifications:
I have attended many courses including Level 3 Preparing to work in Home Based Childcare, Paediatric First Aid (renewed in 2023), Level 2 Basic Food Hygiene and Safeguarding Children (refreshed online and face to face as recommended by Ofsted). Current Safeguarding for Designated Safeguarding Lead face to face (June 2024). I am a member of PACEY (Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years), DBS checked and registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. I have a full clean driving license and drive a 7 seat people carrier.
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Baby’s Days:
I use a system called Baby's Days - outstanding software for EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) management. Parents can view the features of the system via a mobile phone app or PC, including their child’s progress, daily diary notes and photos.
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For more information you can take a look at my website or please do get in touch to enquire.

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