Nicola
Childminder in Mortlake
Usually responds within 12 hours
Female Member since Jun 2016 Last Updated Feb 2024 Last Login 16 Oct 2024
My Summary
About Me
Space coming available in May 2024.
My name is Nicola and I have been a registered Childminder since 2016.
I live a few moments’ walk from Mortlake Station and my house backs onto Mortlake Green and playground. An excellent location for those commuting by train and for those with children attending the variety of local nurseries.
I have a lovely little back garden with a small summer house which is full of toys as well as a large communal green at the front of my house where the children can also run around.
I have an 9 year old son who loves making friends with the children we look after. I offer a home from home environment. It is relaxed, full of love, warmth and fun!
I am naturally in tune with learning and development and have a vast range of toys to informally assist in their progression. I am fully aware of the requirements set out by the EYFS and how to ensure that children are given the best environment to grow, develop and be happy within my care.
I have previously been involved with the Parents Association at Barnes Children’s Centre running activities and events and regularly attend their sessions, as well as many of the other local playgroups. I am a member of The Wetlands Centre where we often pop by to watch the Otters being fed and do the Bird Feed with a Warden tour. I am also a member of Kew Gardens and the London Transport Museum. I make full use of the local parks (Palewell Park, Richmond Park, Vine Park, Dukes Meadows and Mortlake Green), go on outings to feed ducks at the local ponds and riverside and enjoy taking the children on trips to places such as Battersea Children’s Zoo, Sea Life, Vauxhall or Hounslow Farm and the museums. I have lots of friends with children around the local area and regularly meet up for play dates, picnics and outings.
My Experience
References
We searched high and low, near, and far to find Nicola. We have been with her for two years. She has consistently provided care for our daughter looking after all aspects of her development from learning through play through to the varied activities and environments she has placed our daughter in. As a result her communication skills are well above average.
At a recent health check our daughter scored highly in all aspects especially her fine motor skills and reasoning. This was largely attributable to Nicola’s work. We find ourselves in a position that our daughter is ready for a school setting and comfortable with the routine and types of activities such as arts and crafts play that she will encounter which will make her comfortable and build her confidence.
Our daughter looks forward to time with Nicola. Transitioning from a home environment to her care was seamless. Nicola looks after the nutritional aspect and pays close attention to our daughter's eating and drinking habits. She communicates with us during the day and we get a verbal summary of what our daughter has done, eaten, how long she's slept and the frequency and type of nappy changes. As well as a written diary especially helpful when trying to describe my daughter's day to my wife!
To describe the care that Nicola provides as a service doesn't quite show the nurturing and loving environment that she has created. This is further compounded by Nicola's son Jude, who is a very loving, bright, charismatic, and inclusive boy who our daughter has learnt a great deal from. They have formed a strong bond and she always talks about him. His presence has also helped our daughter's development.
On the subject of healthcare Nicola applied the same level of detail and rigor as with other aspects of the care she provides. She has a large body of knowledge to draw upon. From remembering and reapplying suncscreen or recording doses of calpol to the more serious we have complete trust in her on this aspect. Nicola is constantly updating her skills, with courses and keeping up to date with the changing legal and regulatory landscape.
Nicola's home is impossibly immaculately kept. She has a great attention to detail. Sorry…all this is a bit haphazard but I am trying to empathise and put down what a potential parent would be asking. For us Nicola was a clear cut above the rest. Our only gripe was the distance she is from us, but we were prepared to travel that for the last few years because nobody comes close to this level or attitude to care. We would still be with her were it not for future changing work patterns and the extra strain this is putting on the distance. Coupled with the fact that our daughter is coming to nursery age and we are conscious to maintain the same locations for nursery through to schools. It’s a wrench and I am getting a bit glassy eyed. Anyway. We cannot recommend Nicola more. She’s such a patient, massively kind hearted, inclusive, thoughtful, generous, loving, gentle, beautiful soul, that is completely cut out for this and much more. Happy to speak to any parent wanting to put their child with her. Our loss.
Tariq, June 2018
We have known Nicola since May 2016, when she started looking after my eldest child. Since then, Nicola and her son Jude have become very dear to us and very important people in my children’s life. Both of my children attended the setting for 2 years, staring at age one and six months respectively.
Nicola is caring, kind, incredibly well organised, reliable, responsible, flexible and lots of fun. My children have loved coming to hers and we are very sad to have to say goodbye to this setting. She has been instrumental in us being able to carry on with our work efficiently; in 5 years she never cancelled one session. She goes above and beyond to help any parent in her setting. For example, on numerous occasions she has offered to meet us outside the train station to pick up our child so that we could make it on time to our train.
There are always fun things to do at Nicola’s and activities are very varied, from walks by the riverside and visits to Kew Gardens or the Wetland Centre to weekly activities in the Children’s Centre and quiet time and games at hers. At weekends, my two-year old son asks to go and play with Jude and Nicola. Thanks to Nicola both of my children are confident around others and have strong communication skills.
She takes great care in preparing varied, healthy and yummy food and her place is incredibly clean and tidy. Communication with us takes place in many different ways from the written diary to verbal summary of the day and even texts later in the evening if she remembers something important.
On a more personal level, both of my children adore Jude. He is kind, caring, charismatic and lots of fun to be around. I have no doubt he has contributed to my children’s development as if an older sibling.
I would no hesitate to recommend Nicola‘s childminding services to any family in search of a stimulating yet homely environment. And I would be very happy to talk to any parent considering to bring their child to her.
Dr. Rosa Mendizábal - August 2020
Nicola looked after our daughter Sophie for 7 months between September 2019 until the lockdown in March 2020. Unfortunately due to change in our personal circumstances we are very sad not to send Sophie back in September as planned.
When we were looking for childcare solution, we were considering all the options, from having a nanny to sending Sophie to a nursery or childminder. After months of research, we were really happy to go with Nicola, who provides a small childcare setting which feel like a home-to-home environment. We particularly preferred her small set up to bigger childminder/nursery setting which could often look after 6+ children, as we felt it gave Sophie the opportunity to socialise with other children yet have the attention Nicola could offer in her smaller setup.
We find Nicola very helpful and reliable, and she has never taken a sick day. Nicola was supportive in maintaining our routine for Sophie, ensuring that she had enough naps and the right level of stimulation during the day. Sophie suffers from allergies which Nicola was also doing a brilliant job in ensuring her dietary requirements were met.
Nicola communicates very well and we always know what Sophie has been up to during the day. She is knowledgeable about child development and keeps track of her developments (like the new skills Sophie developed), length of naps, food intake and activities during the day, all noted down in a very useful diary.
Nicola is also very proactive in arranging activities for the children in her care. She is very familiar with the local children’s centre, playgroups and other childminders. One of the greatest aspects we valued Nicola’s setting over nursery is the many outdoor opportunities she offered. She ensures the children have a well balanced daily outdoor time (weather permitted), and have taken Sophie and the children to interesting places like Vauxhall city farm, Science museum, Sealife, Kew Garden, Wetland Centre etc just to name a few. We were often jealous of all the interesting activities Sophie had during the day. We knew how much Sophie enjoyed her time spent with Nicola, as it was always a no tear drop off in the morning, but a battle to get her to go at pick up, as she had so much fun she just didn’t want to leave! We believe the personal attention and all the activities Nicola has offered, be it indoor at the playgroups (singing, rhymes time) and outdoor to all the different places, have helped to develop Sophie into a confident toddler.
Nicola is very organised and it reflects in the immaculate condition of her house, we feel it is definitely a good influence on Sophie. Nicola helps develop good behaviours and we are so glad Sophie is very keen on tidying up her toys and always put things back at the usual spot.
We would thoroughly recommend Nicola as a childminder as she genuinely cares about children and their wellbeing. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
Helen Yang August 2020
My Qualifications
CACHE Level 3, Childminder Training Course, Preparing to Work in Home Based Childcare
Paediatric First Aid
BA HONS - Sociology & Business Management (Dual Degree)
A Levels - Communication Studies, Sociology, Business Studies
Childcare Courses:
Safeguarding Children: Child Protection Process Level 3
Safeguarding Children: A Shared Responsibility Level 2
Safeguarding Children: Domestic Violence and Abuse
Fathers Impact on Child Development
Working with Couple and Parental Dynamics
Managing behaviour
Introduction to Autistic Spectrum Conditions - Level 1
Observations
Child development: 0-5 years
Promoting Children's Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The Prevent Duty
'Let's look at...' EYFS Progress Checks
Motivating Boys
Self Evaluation
Caring for Children with Allergies
My Availability
From September 2023
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before School | yes | yes | no | yes | no | no | no |
| Morning | yes | yes | no | yes | no | no | no |
| Afternoon | yes | yes | no | yes | no | no | no |
| After School | yes | yes | no | yes | no | no | no |
| Evening | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Overnight | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Last Updated: 28/02/2024 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £10.00 per hour
Available on request
My Local Schools
- I provide pick ups at Thomson House School
My Documents
- DBS Check (added 09/05/2023)
- Ofsted Certificate (added 20/02/2023)
Reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Nicola. Please note that reviews represent the subjective opinions of other Childcare.co.uk users and not of Childcare.co.uk. Parents must carry out their own checks and references on childcare providers to ensure that they are completely happy before enaging in the use of their services.
To whom it may concern,
We had enrolled our 1y old child at a nursery near our home in Putney (5 minute walk). However during the induction we were not comfortable. Following this, we were recommended Nicola as a childminder who lives in Mortlake (20 minute drive), and during our first visit to see her, were completely comfortable to leave our child with her and happy to do the drive each way.
She has approached looking after our child with kindness and the utmost care. Her home is extremely welcoming, and we always notice the happiness of all the children there. It really is a home away from home for our little one who has been there for 18 months now. Her setting is a family setting, and the kids feel a sense of community with her. Moreover, we are always impressed by the activities she takes the children on, from visits to the Wetlands centre to Kew gardens and Richmond park. We have really felt that the environment is that of learning and development which has a very real feel to it. We cannot recommend her enough, and are extremely grateful to her for the time and energy she has spent with our little one.
Nadia & Rahim
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My daughter Amelia has been with Nicola for 9 months now, and the care that she has received has been exceptional. Nicola provides a warm, nurturing environment that was exactly the “home away from home” that I was looking for, and she has gone above and beyond to ensure that Amelia feels secure and confident in her setting.
Amelia has developed a wonderful bond with Nicola over the time that she has been caring for her, and has made fantastic progress across the board in terms of her language, social skills and general confidence, as well as successfully potty training. Nicola is highly flexible and sensitive to the needs of children as individuals, and she is always calm, relaxed, confident and empathetic with the children.
I’m constantly impressed by the full and creative program that Nicola organises for the children, and it feels like Amelia’s always off on a new adventure with her. Nicola puts a lot of care into planning well thought out activities to keep the children engaged, which range from art time at home to trips out to the farm or baby yoga classes. One of the things I particularly appreciate about Nicola’s setting is that she goes out of her way to celebrate special occasions with the children (e.g. Christmas & birthdays) – Amelia’s never more excited than when we see balloons outside Nicola’s door, because she knows it means a party!
Nicola’s communication is fantastic, and she always keeps me fully up to speed with how Amelia is getting on. She’s very accommodating, and has often gone out of the way to help me out when I faced any scheduling challenges with work or anything else. I also really appreciate the ongoing support she’s provided to me as I haven’t been living in the area long, and Nicola has been a fantastic source of advice and support, which has helped me to get more involved in the local community, make friends and build a local support network.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Nicola. I feel incredibly lucky to have found her, as she is by a mile the best experience I have ever had with childcare – it’s rare that you can find someone who you have total trust and confidence in, but I have that and more in Nicola.
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We are so grateful to have found Nicola to look after our daughter, Zoe. From our first meeting, we knew that Nicola’s care and home were the best place for our daughter.
Her house is inviting, immaculate, and feels like a cosy home environment, which we felt was the perfect transition from care in her own home. Zoe settled into Nicola’s care so quickly it was unbelievable. Many of the babies from my NCT group struggled settling in, however, Nicola made it so quick and easy, coaching us along the way. When I drop Zoe off, she waves and says goodbye even before I am ready to leave. She loves being with Nicola and the other children in her care.
Nicola is warm, kind, organised, and a natural caregiver. I have seen Zoe develop rapidly, both socially and emotionally, and she is hitting key milestones thanks to Nicola’s attention, efforts, and care. Although she is developing fast, I never feel like I have missed anything because I receive daily updates and pictures on food, sleep, developments, and experiences.
Nicola always has a daily activity planned, which Zoe loves. Whether it’s baby yoga, dancing, going to the Wetland Centre, or visiting the library, Zoe is always smiling. There is a perfect variety of activities that I believe has helped Zoe become super confident in the world.
Nicola's organisation is remarkable, effortlessly planning every element of the day, from a variety of home-cooked meals to engaging activities. Everything is executed with such precision and ease, ensuring a well-rounded and nurturing environment for Zoe.
You can tell that Nicola sees all the children she looks after as family, throwing birthday parties and remembering little details. I genuinely believe she loves our little girl, and her son Jude is the most wonderful little boy with whom Zoe has bonded with so strongly.
Nicola goes above and beyond to help make sure we are supported. If there is anything she can do to make our lives easier with the juggle of everything going on, she will make it happen. We are so very grateful for this support.
I cannot recommend Nicola more highly; we are so lucky to have her expertise and care in our lives. If you’re lucky enough to find a spot with her, you wont regret taking it.
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Nicola looked after our 14 month old daughter at short notice and we were very lucky to find her. She settled in very quickly and we appreciated Nicola’s practical, caring and no nonsense attitude. She had a great time with the other children, was taken to exciting and fun local classes and events, and was out in the buggy in the fresh air daily. Nicola’s house was clean and tidy with plenty of toys and entertainment. Our daughter was always well fed by Nicola, and offered lots of options when she was being picky. Nicola really got to know Lydia and listened to our preferences, communicated well and always provided feedback at the end of the day.
We have no hesitation in recommending Nicola.
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From the moment I met Nicola in March 2021, I knew she was the perfect person to care for my little girl while I went to work. If I could have stayed at home to care for Freya myself I would have but as I couldn’t, Nicola was Freya’s perfect option. Her home is warm, fun and caring and Freya loves going there every day.
Freya immediately settled well with Nicola due to her additional settling in sessions. She found out what Freya enjoyed and incorporated this into Freya’s day and made sure she settled smoothly.
Nicola has struck really amazing bonds and friendships between all children at her setting, and this helped Freya settle in and thrive with her. The children there have developed close and secure bonds with one another and have so much fun every day. Often Freya calls me Nicola which is a very clear sign Freya loves her time at Nicola’s. The last thing Freya talks about at night is her friends at Nicola’s. Lots of very positive signs that Freya loves her time with Nicola in her home.
Everyday Freya goes somewhere fun and exciting, and Freya comes home talking about all of the fun things they do in the community. At home Freya regularly brings home artwork and does lots of her favourite things there such as baking. I know from the daily communication and photos Nicola send that they are having a superb time. I wish I could be there too.
As a mum who was relatively new to the area, Nicola has also recommended lots of things to help Freya’s whole development such as sharing details of classes at the local children centre, the local fayre last June and inviting us to her son’s birthday party. Because of these things, Freya has made additional friends by meeting children locally and has generally been more integrated in the community. This is due to the kindness that Nicola has shown by going above and beyond to support Freya and we are very grateful for this.
Since Freya has been with Nicola, I’ve noticed Freya has made heaps of progress and particularly socially and emotionally. She is more confident, has toilet trained, she’s more confident in the community and listens to and follows a wider range of instructions.
Nicola also goes out of her way to make celebrations such as seasonal events and birthdays special for each of the children.
I am so delighted that Freya and I were lucky enough to find Nicola and I would recommend her to anyone as she’s such a natural at what she does.
Kyra, Feb 2024
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