Zoozoo
Childminder in Haydock
Usually responds within 12 hours
Female Member since Apr 2009 Last Updated Aug 2024 Last Login 18 Dec 2024
My Summary
About Me
Professional Ofsted registered home-based childminding setting • 2:1 BEd (Hons) degree in Primary Education & Music • Qualified Teacher Status • Level 6 • Piano & guitar • Husband & wife team • Haydock, St Helens by Sankey Valley Country Park • Est. 2006
Please contact us for current availability if you would like your child to join our ZooZoo family.
Welcome to ZooZoo Childcare and thank you for looking at our profile. My name is Victoria and I work with my husband Gareth (who is also my Ofsted registered assistant) from our family home in Haydock, St Helens, next to Sankey Valley Country Park. We have achieved two Ofsted Outstanding grades during our childminding career, and we were one of the three finalists for the national ‘Nursery World Childminder of the Year’ awards. We are very proud to have both male and female role models at ZooZoo within a welcoming and friendly family home environment. We provide reliable high-quality childcare from birth upwards, and we are registered with the local authority to provide 15- and 30-hour government funded childcare for ages 9 months and above. We are both enhanced DBS checked (and subscribed to the DBS Update Service), paediatric first aid qualified, members of PACEY, ICO registered and fully insured.
About me –
I have been childminding since 2006 and I am a former primary school teacher and nursery manager. I have a 2:1 BEd (Hons) degree (Level 6) in Primary Education and Music and I play the piano and guitar daily, both with the children and in my spare time. I nurture a love of music with babies and young children through regular singing time sessions where the children learn many nursery rhymes and action songs with the use of puppets, toys and instruments. This multi-sensory approach helps children to develop their language and communication skills from an early age, as well as improve their numeracy, concentration and emotional well-being. I love doing creative art and craft activities with the children and snuggling on the sofa reading stories together. I also work closely with parents sending home detailed daily diaries, regular progress reports, next steps and Two Year Progress Checks to keep parents informed about their child’s learning and development at ZooZoo and how they can support children’s learning at home.
About Gareth –
Gareth has been working in childcare since 2010 and he has experience as a deputy nursery manager and childminding assistant. He is an exceptional male role model for the children, he is very easy-going and natural with the children, and I am very proud to be working with him here at ZooZoo. He has a Level 3 in Childcare, and he loves being outdoors with the children introducing them to nature-based learning opportunities. He helps the children learn about planting and growing their own fruit and vegetables and he cooks all the healthy and nutritious meals here at ZooZoo, using produce from our own garden. You may have seen him walking through Haydock with our triple buggy taking the little ones on adventures to see diggers, trucks and buses.
Our setting –
We live in a bungalow at the end of a quiet road in Haydock next to Sankey Valley Country Park. We have plenty of space for children to learn and play including three playrooms, a sleep room, a bathroom and a covered outdoor childminding garden so the children can play outside in all weathers. We also have a large back garden with several fruit trees, polytunnel, pond and allotment which we use for nature-based activities at ZooZoo. We have a large in-and-out driveway with two sets of double gates offering plenty of parking space for parents and a safe space to drop off and pick up children. During the day we close the gates on the driveway to provide another safe and secure area for the children to learn and develop. We have Sankey Valley Country Park running alongside our home and garden which is accessible by foot (even small toddler feet!) from the end of our driveway, and we take the children into the woods regularly to explore the local area, experience the changing seasons and develop a love of nature and the outdoors.
What does Ofsted say about us?
In our latest Ofsted inspection report (May 2024), the inspector praised the ethos of ZooZoo, saying “This well-qualified and experienced childminder and her assistant build secure attachments with the children in their care. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children are happy. Their emotional well-being is supported well. Partnership with parents is good. The childminder gathers information about children’s current development and uses this to plan children’s next steps. In addition, she gives parents detailed information about how they can support children’s learning at home. Parents say that, as a result, their children make progress. The childminder is skilled at supporting children’s learning. The childminder acknowledges children’s achievements with regular praise throughout the day. Children have healthy meals and snacks. They are delighted to eat the produce they have grown in the garden. The childminder and her assistant work well together. They communicate effectively. Children benefit from a consistent approach. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children’s interests first.”
What do parents say about us?
We have lived in Haydock for many years and we are well known in the local area, with most of our work coming from word-of-mouth and recommendations from the many families we have worked with over the years. Current parents say their children are safe, happy and loved at ZooZoo, that we go above and beyond for their children and that it feels like their child is being looked after by family. Parents comment that we are kind and caring, deeply involved in the children’s well-being and that the difference since their child started at ZooZoo has been amazing. Parents particularly like the little photo and message daily diary updates throughout the day which keep them informed and reassured and say that choosing ZooZoo was the best decision they have ever made.
My Experience
Victoria - qualified and experienced primary school teacher, nursery manager, childminder and parent of two children. I am very musical and play the piano and guitar, incorporating music into our daily life at ZooZoo.
Gareth - qualified deputy nursery manager, childminding assistant and parent of two children.
My Qualifications
Victoria - 2:1 BEd (Hons) degree in Primary Education and Music, Level 6 with Qualified Teacher Status, full Paediatric First Aid, Enhanced DBS check and subscribed to the DBS Update Service, Safeguarding, Diploma in Home-Based Childcare, Food Safety plus regular Continuing Professional Development training during my teaching, nursery and childminding career. Additional music qualifications include Grade 7 Piano, Grade 5 Guitar and Grade 5 Theory of Music.
Gareth - Level 3 Childcare, full Paediatric First Aid, Enhanced DBS check and subscribed to the DBS Update Service, Safeguarding, Food Safety plus regular Continuing Professional Development training during his nursery and childminding career.
Other members of our family - Enhanced DBS check and subscribed to the DBS Update Service.
My Availability
Please contact us for more information and current availability. Thank you for taking the time to read our profile, we look forward to hearing from you.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
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| Before School | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Morning | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Afternoon | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| After School | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Evening | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Overnight | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Last Updated: 04/08/2024 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £5.00 per hour
Please contact us directly for more information based on your family’s needs.
Payment - we accept tax-free childcare, government funding, BACS bank transfer payments and workplace childcare vouchers.
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
- Ofsted Certificate (added 04/04/2024)
Reviews
Below are the latest reviews for ZooZoo. 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.
We first tried to get our son into ZooZoo 2 years ago but unfortunately only one of the 3 days we needed was available.
After lockdown, and a change in our circumstances, we managed to get our 4 year old and 1 year old into ZooZoo together full time and can't believe how much better they are than our previous nursery.
We received more updates in the first week than we did in 3 years with the previous provider!!
The SETTING is perfect for children with a warm indoor area, covered outdoor and expansive garden with animals and allotment for the children to interact with.
CLEANLINESS. Both children come home, more often than not, in the same clothes they went in only lightly soiled from play time. If for any reason their clothes are changed we get a notification to tell us the nature of the dirt/wet.
FOOD. Both children come home content and not hungry after eating varied meals and in summer time fresh picked fruit and veg leaving us to enjoy time with our children and play after work instead of cooking and feeding as we have had to do in the past.
COMMUNICATION is above and beyond anything we would have expected and I do not believe anyone does it better than ZooZoo. From day 1 we were kept up-to-date on how both of them were doing, when they were happy, sad, upset or just content in the setting. Which again after previous nursery experience was just our of this world.
I cannot recommend ZooZoo highly enough and am gutted that we didn't get our eldest in sooner. Both children were clearly happier entering and leaving for the day than with the last nursery, the oldest spoke more about what he had done that day as we could prompt him from our updates throughout the day and our youngest who suffered with a chronic snotty nose for the first 12 months of her life suddenly stopped being snotty which I can only put down to a smaller group size at ZooZoo and the cleanliness of their home.
And if all of the above wasn't enough, Victoria and Gareth are nice friendly people you can have a genuine conversation with and believe they are telling you the truth as oppose to just what they think you want to hear.
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I can honestly say that ZooZoo is THE BEST childcare setting for any child. Victoria and Gareth go above and beyond and treat all the children like their own. My little boy absolutely loved going to ZooZoo until he started Primary School. He came on leaps and bounds with the love and support from Victoria and Gareth, from being a shy child to becoming a little chatter box! He made so much progress whilst in their care. I can't recommend ZooZoo enough and how much my little boy has thrived whilst being there. As Ofsted report agrees, this is an outstanding setting! I would not send my child to any other
They have a lovely big garden, grow their own fruit/veg which the children enjoy helping to pick and prepare, not to mention lots off rabbits, dogs and cats all of which the children can interact with.
Being so close to Sankey Valley they enjoy lovely walks learning about nature along the way. They also keep you updated on your childs progress via Tapestry and follow Early Years Learning. Victoria and Gareth also keep you up to date on your child's day via the Baby Connect app so you can be assured that you child is having the best time through out the day. I honestly couldn't recommend them enough
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Our daughter has been attending ZooZoo for almost 2 years now. When she first started she was shy and hadn’t mixed a lot with other children so I was worried how she would take to it but I needn’t have. Victoria and Gareth are simply amazing, they encouraged and gently built Hattie’s confidence. After just a couple of times she was asking to go every day!
The activities are brilliant and varied, they are always up to something be it a summer walk and picnic or messy play, singing and story times. ZooZoobury festival has to be seen to be appreciated - it is Hattie’s (and our!) most favourite time of the year they have flags, music tents and even make their own tie dye t-shirts! They dance and play and Victoria and Gareth put so much thought and work into it it’s a triumph.
At ZooZoo they are passionate about nature and the environment - they have a vegetable garden where they grow and eat their own food, they do nature walks and care for animals and they even grew and released their own butterflies 🦋
Hattie’s confidence and development have soared since she started going, she absolutely loves her ‘ZooZoo friends’ and they are a huge part of her life. I can’t praise Victoria and Gareth enough. They are kind and fun and the genuine love they have for the children shines through! They see every child as an individual and foster their own little personalities. They have become like family to our daughter and to us and I’m so happy she goes there!
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When I accepted a new job I had to look for some childcare for my daughter in addition to that which is provided by my family. I was amazed by the reviews of ZooZoo and happy that they had space to take my daughter in their setting.
My daughter struggled so much being away from her familiar adults but Victoria and Gareth worked so hard to support her (and us!) through this. She had some wobbles early on but absolutely loves going to ZooZoo now! She often asked on a Sunday if it is a "Victoria and Gareth day!"
Her development has been amazing since she started at ZooZoo. The programme of activities and celebration of focussed weeks (such as 'pie week' and nature) mean that Robyn often comes home with a new interest in something. She tells us all about her day every evening with so much enthusiasm, and her speech is fantastic.
Robyn talks about her friends at ZooZoo all the time and looks forward to seeing them. It's really reassuring to know I'm leaving her in capable hands with people that she loves. Victoria and Gareth (and the other children) are supportive of helping Robyn to branch out and try new foods.
Victoria and Gareth provide frequent updates via the app which means I never feel far away. both have been supportive of our endeavours in potty training too! All processes and policies and extremely professional.
Thank you so much. We feel really lucky to have found you.
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Excellent setting and care. Daisy absolutely loves Zoo Zoo. She quickly became part of the ‘Zoo Zoo family’. I cannot recommend Victoria and Gareth enough. Daisy’s confidence and speech has come on amazingly!
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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.
