Claire D
Childminder in Woodcote
Female Member since Apr 2013 Last Updated Mar 2025 Last Login 21 Mar 2025
My Summary
About Me
Graded outstanding 2015 and 2020
My setting is non-smoking.
There are a number of animals in our home – three whippets and some goldfish. The occasional tadpoles/frogs and caterpillars/butterfly’s. Away from home we have several horses.
My partner runs his own business servicing and repairing commercial and plant vehicles.
We have two children – aged four years apart, one working full time and the other in her late teens.
My setting is open to all children from the age of 6 months regardless of age, language, culture or religion.
Due to the access into my house, parents with children who require assistance with disabilities will need to assess whether my setting is suitable for their child.
Currently I am based from my home, However from mid-July 2025 the main premises I will use for my setting will be a lovely village Hall. A beautiful large building set in its own tiny hamlet, surrounded by fields and woods. The building is spacious as well as having lights, heating, kitchen, toilets and a very large enclosed private field. My other premises is my home in a small hamlet just outside a larger village. Nearby are two large primary and secondary schools, several pre-schools as well as a mini supermarket, post office, doctors surgery, library, several play parks, village hall, lots of woodlands and open spaces. We are close to the river Thames and railway stations. All of which I try to make use of.
The hall has a large hardstanding area which we fence off for craft activities and ride ons and a large grass area which we take play equipment out to. Inside we offer a large variety of toys and equipment covering all ages and abilities. We rotate these toys weekly. I also encourage arts & crafts and movement as well as encouraging children to choose their activities and initiate games themselves to encourage self confidence and imagination. Children sleep in travel cots with their own blankets and are monitored by visual baby monitors.
The variety of activities provided by local children’s groups: stay and play sessions, messy play sessions, music groups, storytimes, childminding only groups, trips and outings for example to museums, cookery, soft play.
I also encourage outings (age dependant) to various places such as: Oxford Natural History Museum, Beale Park, Donkey Sanctuary, Thatcham Reed Beds, Harcourt Arboretum, The Living Rainforest, Wallingford Splash Pools.
I am one of two local childminders who meet regularly to ensure children are socialised and exposed to new toys and ideas. The other childminder also utilises the Village Hall with her own childminding children so lots of time for interactions with other children. We meet up nearly daily to put on our own rhymetime groups, gymnastics and yoga sessions, sports days, lambing trips, pancake races etc. We even take our rhymetime and story sessions to local senior care homes to further extend children’s experiences.
At my home I offer a large outside area and toys/games inside.
I am a fully qualified dance teacher and use my training to encourage a healthy lifestyle through food & drink and movement.
Through my own use of child minders I know how difficult and emotional it is to leave your child in the care of someone else, especially if they are a near-stranger. You will feel more relaxed and happy knowing what your child is doing at certain times of the day and how they are reacting and developing whilst in my care.
You can feel confident that your requests and routines are known by myself and fitted into my setting as best as possible.
I encourage you to inform me of your feedback and ideas so that I can continually adapt and improve my setting and ensure that it is meeting the needs of all children currently in my care.
My Experience
I have been childminding since August 2011. Previous to this I worked in the training department of a computer company and as a dance teacher covering all styles of dance to children between the ages of 2 & ½ and 18 years.
I am fully qualified in childminding, safeguarding and paediatric first aid and have completed my level 3 diploma in childcare. As well as this I attend regular training sessions and meetings to improve my knowledge and activities in my setting.
I have a large range of age appropriate toys, books and activities and I enjoy encouraging the children to participate in a variety of crafts and cooking activities.
Outings include trips to National Trust, Beale Park, local parks, toddler groups, music groups, childminder drop-ins, libraries and ball parks.
I encourage the children in my care to learn more about their own culture and to find out about the culture and religions of other children. I encourage the children to develop a healthy respect of each other’s differences and to value everyone as an individual
My Qualifications
I am fully qualified in child minding and paediatric first aid and have completed my level 3 diploma in childcare. As well as this I attend regular training sessions to improve my knowledge and activities in my setting.
Qualifications:
Child minding Practice CRC May 2011,
Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Young People July 2013,
12-Hour Infant & Child Paediatric First Aid Course Jan 2023, refreshed every 3 years
Safeguarding Course January 2024 and refreshed every two years.
Level 2 food hygiene course July 2022 and refreshed every three years.
Health and Safety in the workplace course March 2022 and refreshed every three years.
Multiple evening and weekend online courses which take place weekly including:
Understanding Child Exploitation,
Neglect course,
Oral Health,
Revised EYFS,
Promoting positive behaviour,
Child Development in practice,
EYFS Observation,
Assessment and planning,
Schemas,
New EYFS Two year check,
Language and communication,
Self Evaluation,
Cre8ive Steps movement,
Inspections,
Boys in the EYFS,
Drumming,
Outdoors Mathematics,
Funding
My Availability
I currently work 3 days per week term time (No Wednesdays or Fridays), excluding Public Holidays.
From mid-July 2025 I will be working four days Monday to Thursday.
My hours are 08:00 to 17:15.
I am happy to care for babies from 6 months old.
I drop off and collect from Woodcote Primary School, Cabin Pre-School and Woodcote Pre-School.
Current availability from September 2025 is:
Mondays - two places, Tuesdays - one place, Wednesdays - one place
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before School | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Morning | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no |
| Afternoon | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no |
| After School | yes | no | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Evening | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Overnight | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Last Updated: 20/03/2025 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £7.00 per hour
Payment is made in advance for the month, any additional hours will be invoiced the following month. You may pay in cash, by Bacs transfer and with childcare vouchers. Unfortunately I do not accept cheque payments.
Current charges are £7 per hour, which includes healthy snacks, drinks and baby wipes. I can provide a two course lunch at a charge of £4 each main meal (£3 for babies). Or you can provide a packed lunch from home, if necessary.
A retainer may be charged, of £14 per session, if you require my services to be on standby whilst your child is at half day/full day pre-school sessions. This is to cover extra fuel costs and the fact that I am unable to take on another child during that time.
I can provide funded places, if you are eligible for it.
Once your child turns 2 I request you to purchase a Beale Park annual pass as we go there regularly.
No charge is made for the National Trust pass.
My Local Schools
This childminder has not yet informed us whether or not they provide any drop off or pick up services at local schools.
My Ofsted Inspections
The inspection grades below have been obtained from the Ofsted website based upon the registration number the childminder has provided to us. You should verify this information yourself prior to using the childminder.
My Documents
- DBS Check (added 23/02/2019)
- Ofsted Certificate (added 23/02/2019)
- Exam Certificate: Level 3 diploma in children and young peoples workforce (added 23/02/2019)
- Training Certificate: Food hygiene (added 23/02/2019)
- Training Certificate: Public liability insurance certificate (added 23/02/2019)
- First Aid Certificate: Anaphylaxis first aid (added 23/02/2019)
- First Aid Certificate: Paediatric first aid (added 23/02/2019)
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This profile has been produced from information provided to us by the user. We have not verified or confirmed the accuracy of any of the information and members should undertake their own vigorous checks and references. Please ensure you read our Safety Advice and information on how to Check Childcare Provider Documents.
