Sarah

About Me

I am an OFSTED registered childminder and mum to three lovely children – Sydney aged 17, Archie aged 15 and Jack aged 14.We have three border collies - Banjo and Marley and Lily and three cats called Monty, Nala and Sox. All the animals I have had since they were weeks old, they have been brought up around children and have lovely temperaments. My husband and I have been married for nearly 20 years and we live in West Horsley, Surrey.

I have been childminding since 2009 and I have looked after all ages of children. Currently I only look after school age children (reception to year 7) but would consider children attending nursery for wrap around care.

At all my inspections (2010, 2016 and 2019) I was awarded an overall grade of "Good" and my inspection reports are available for your perusal as are parent references and Parents Comments Book.

Your child will be cared for following the Statutory Framework set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The EYFS sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure children’s “school readiness” and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.

Through ongoing assessment, I will observe and document progress in the areas of the EYFS and will share this with parents through an online system called Baby's Days which you can access securely at all times. There is also a Progress check which is carried out between the age of 24-36 months and I will provide a written summary of your child’s development in the prime areas and identify any strengths and any areas where your child’s progress is less than expected.

Each area of learning and development will be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity. Activities at home will include play such as puzzles, lego, music, messy play, cooking and dressing up plus imaginative play with cars, dolls, baby toys and figures. Reading and music are in my opinion a very important part of a child’s learning so books and nursery rhymes/musical toys are always available.

In the garden we have a large fort, above ground swimming pool for school holidays, table tennis table, two trampolines, a Wendy house, small swing, slide, bikes and trikes and we have a large green at the front of the house where the children (supervised) can play either to cycle round the green or play football or climb trees and it’s a very social area where lots of different children come to meet and play. I endeavour to spend as much time as possible outside whether that be in the garden or outside of the home. There is so much to explore in the outside world and I think children should spend as much time outside as they can to experience it!

I have attended the Childminding Introduction Programme which has enabled me to meet the above requirements and I have St John’s Ambulance First Aid training which is current and up to date. I attend workshops when I can to develop and further my knowledge and I am looking into embarking on my Level 3 Diploma in childcare. I use online facilities to ensure my setting stays current and up to date with childcare news and regulations.

Our daily term time routine will include nursery and school pick up and I am available to collect from local nurseries and The Raleigh Primary School.

For the older child coming to me from school, I am able to offer a warm home environment where they can relax after a long day if they want to plus also enjoy some of the activities above. They will eat a good home cooked meal plus play and interact with my own and the other children in my care. During school holidays outside activities would include picnics, the park, walks in the wood and soft play.