Oxleaswood Childcare
Childminder in London
Female Member since May 2012 Last Updated Jan 2025 Last Login 29 Jan 2025
My Summary
Childcare Expanding To A Day Nursery Operating From Christ Church Shooters Hill
About Me
Ofsted registered since 2013 currently rated Good /Outstanding in all areas.
(Enrolling Now for starting from March 2025 onwards !)
I am Brazilian native, fluent in Portuguese and English, resident in the UK since Feb 2002.
What guides my practice and what are our goals ?
The Attachment Theory (John Bowlby underpins our approach to Early Years Education and supports the Development of Child Development throughout our daily routine.
• To offer a home-from-home Early Years’ experience for children having diverse cultural backgrounds, where they receive nurture from professionals who choose to work with children because we understand the impact we can have on their lives and who love what we do.
• To provide childcare services in a homely environment but which is dedicated to and adapted for childcare use.
• To serve homemade and nutritionally balanced meals, catering for the individual child’s dietary requirements, including plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the day.
• To offer a variety of activities which stimulate the children’s imagination and creativity and support freedom.
• To take the children on stimulating, varied, local outings every day throughout the year.
• Should ad hoc childcare sessions be needed at a later date, parents can be sure their children will know the setting, the practitioners and other children.
• To work in partnership with parents, carers and families to maximise benefits to children’s welfare and well-being.
…and above all…
To welcome children so that they become part of our family, and to have a positive impact on the life of every child who attends the setting.
How do we achieve them?
• The team: I work with individuals qualified in early years education or who have an interest to learn and develop their skills and knowledge in the field.
• The setting: it is a home environment with dedicated areas for childcare, hence the space feels safe and secure whilst relaxing, with plenty of resources to stimulate children’s curiosity and desire to explore. Various rooms in the house contain different resources and while the open-plan layout enables free flow including garden access, children are supervised at all times. Outdoor spaces are inviting for adult-led and child-led activities. The large and well equipped garden, having a partially covered decking area as well as a lawn, allows children to have free flow access to outdoor play and sensory activities, and invites child-led play, with various games spontaneously initiated by the children.
• Homemade meals are prepared daily from an open-plan kitchen in the setting. Snacks include fresh fruit and vegetables, and various home baked cakes, muffins or honey bread made with the children’s help.
• We take a consistent approach to activities so that children feel secure and happy to play, to explore their own interests and to learn at their own pace with their peers! We nurture the child’s confidence and love for learning from day one.
• Daily outings include trips to our local parks, libraries, playgrounds, farms, museums and soft play centres. This enables our children be familiar with and to interact with other children in the local community, and to have regular access to a variety of activities and environments with plenty of fresh air and physical exercise.
• There are various opportunities for parents and carers to join the children when they are in the setting and contribute towards setting activities, in addition to regular home visits. Parents’ advice and suggestions are always welcome and taken on board.
My Experience
Prior to become an Early Years Educator in 2013 I have acquired over 10 years experience in hospitality/business management industries.
I have been Ofsted registered since October 2013 and was rated Good in all areas in July 2016 (references available).
Prior to this I cared for babies and toddlers from 0 to 3 years old boys and girls (voluntary work at The Bridge Children's Centre for under 5's in Greenwich September 2011 until September 2012.
I have completed voluntery work in Invicta Children's Centre 's school in 2012
I have also completed voluntery teaching assistant role in Wingfield Primary School 2018
Currently have been Ofsted registered for 7 years and expanded the childminding business and work with a team of 3 part time childminder assistantes.
My Qualifications
Ba in Psychology for Educational Professionals
Approaches to Applied Research, The Developing, Child - A Social Perspective , Working with Children and Families: Working in Partnership, Critical Approaches to Attachment ,Psychology of Learning, Problem Solving and Decision Making, Research Methods for Psychology .The Developing Child: A Psychological Perspective. Psychology in the Classroom , Psychological and Developmental issues in Childhood and Adolescents among other modules.
2 Early Years Educator - Childcare NVQ Level 3.
3 ICP Course for Early Years Practitioners.
Observation, Assessment & Planning.
Writing Effective Policies & Procedures.
4 Paediatric First Aid. Updated
Workshops and regular Training with the Royal Borough of Greenwich
Safeguarding Young Children & Their Families.
5 Designated Safeguarding Person Training
6 Schemas.
7 Two Years Check - Child Development (provided by Royal Borough Of Greenwich).
8 Coronavirus)COVID-19)Infection Control &Preventative Measures Briefing
9 Managing Challenging Behaviour
10 Autism Training ( 2018-2019)
11 Communication and language workshop ( Purple Training )
(ALL CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE IN THE SETTING UPON THE VISIT)
My Availability
Vacancies available from 1st May 2023
( This is been dealt on the first come first serve basis )
Under 12 months 0
Between 2 and 3 years; 8
Three years plus ;8
Holiday club available during half Term and school holidays for children between 3 to 8 years old.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before School | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Morning | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Afternoon | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| After School | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Evening | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Overnight | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Last Updated: 26/01/2025 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £8.00 per hour
This may vary depending on the service required.
ACCEPTING FUNDED PLACES FUNDING FROM 9 MONTHS AND 2 , 3 AND 4 YEARS OLD.
Due the setting location move I am offering pick ups and drop offs from Wingfield Primary school whom require childcare from 9 am till 15.30 Term Time.
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 childcare provider has provided to us. You should verify this information yourself prior to using the childcare provider.
My Documents
- Ofsted Certificate (added 17/02/2023)
Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Latest reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Oxleaswood Childcare. Please note that reviews represent the subjective opinions of other Childcare.co.uk members 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.
Lucas Choice is a truly lovely childminding setting. Karina has a real passion for the work that she does and is kind, caring and committed in looking after the children in her care.
Karina and her team have been caring for our daughter Sofia since August 2015 when she was around 8 months old. We started on an ad-hoc basis moving to part time more regularly at the beginning of 2016. I have my own business with a varying workload and Karina has always been extremely helpful, flexible and reliable in accommodating my changing needs regarding childcare.
Sofia took to Karina’s warm and welcoming personality immediately. She has always seemed very happy and comfortable in the setting and has actually never cried at all when I have left her there even right at the beginning. Sofia clearly loves being with Karina, her great team [Ana and Edlene], and the other children there and it is a real joy for me to see that, making the return to work just so much easier. The place is very well set up with spacious rooms dedicated to the children, and a large outdoor area / garden with lots of fun things to do. The children go on regular outings as well as doing a range of group activities during the day. Karina is also dedicated to the development of each child and brings this approach to the activities that are done.
Karina is conscientious in giving the children healthy home cooked meals and is also willing and cooperative in accommodating any particular dietary requests.
It is a real privilege for us to have our daughter looked after in such a warm, nurturing, caring and fun environment. We can’t believe our luck in finding such a lovely place for her to spend time during her precious early years.
Overall
by
Parent
on 21/05/2016
Karina has been looking after my little girl for the past year and I've been very happy with the care she receives, usually when I pick her up she doesn't want to go home because Karina has so many toys and activities for her to play with, including a big garden with a marquee for when the sun is too strong (or the rain!) and a huge trampoline.
Karina started with my daughter as a baby who is now a toddler, and has adapted her care to meet her changing needs. I love the fact she gets to mix with older children, including Karina's son, and it has helped with her language and motor development being around older children.
Karina always makes time to have a chat with me about my daughter's day and I have found her to be polite, professional and very loving with the children she cares for.
-
Overall
by
Aoife
on 21/05/2016
Karina runs Lucas Childcare from her large home in Blackheath. It is part way between a Nursery and a Childminder. Karina employs two assistants to ensure that each child can receive almost 1:1 attention and activities can be targeted at specific age groups. However, the setting is still a home environment rather than a nursery and numbers are kept low. Karina is brilliant at taking the children on lots of trips (Woodlands Farm, National Maritime Museum, Soft Play and many more) as well as regular outings to the local playground. Karina has two rooms in her house solely dedicated to the childcare business as well as a huge garden with many toys for the kids to play with. The food provided for the children is fantastic – Karina used to work in the hospitality industry and provides fresh, healthy meals and snacks for the children.
I have used Karina as a childminder for my daughter since she was 12 months old and I could not rate her higher! The quality of care she offers to each child is fantastic. My daughter had never been left with anyone who wasn’t either myself or my husband when we started using Karina and it is a testament to Karina’s great care for children that she settled so well and now at 3 and a half she loves going there.
As well as being a very caring person, Karina is also extremely professional. She is holds a master’s degree in her previous profession and she is currently studying towards a level 3 qualification in childcare and plans to start a BA in Early Years in September 2017. This is her vocation and she is extremely dedicated to her profession – the learning journal that she keeps for each child is meticulous and she has a high knowledge of the EYFS curriculum and how to assist each child’s development. I could go on, but I will just say that we are extremely glad that we’ve found such a wonderful childminder as Karina and we could not recommend her higher! Communication has been second to none and I would disagree with the previous reviewer regarding the state of cleanliness - the place is always spotless and both pick up and drop off - however the same cannot always be said for my daughter's clothes which is testament to the amount of messy learning through play which must take place during the day - which is of course exactly as I would want it!
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Parent
on 20/05/2016
My daughter (nearly 3) has been in Karina’s care full time since she was 10mths. It’s hard going back to work after maternity leave and to trust that you have chosen the right carer for your child but Karina made it easy for me. She is a warm and very welcoming person and my daughter loves her and her staff (Ana and Edlene) like they are part of our family.
The setting is like a home from home. The food is varied and fresh and the children not only get to play indoors and outside in the garden but also get taken out on trips to the local farms, parks and museums.
My daughter has thrived in her care. Karina makes valuable observations on her development and always has a story about something funny that my daughter might have said/did during the week. When my little girl was learning to talk Karina would write down the new words that she had learned on her reports or let me know her favourite songs which meant that I didn’t feel I was missing out on these important milestones. And when my daughter was teething or if she was poorly I knew Karina or Ana would be there to give cuddles until I could.
I highly recommend Karina’s services.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
by
Parent
on 20/05/2016
Response by
Oxleaswood Childcare
on 27/05/2016:
Thank you do much for your kind words and appreciation Ashes. Thank you for the trust you have given myself and my team consistently for the past 2 years. Having B attending the setting its a joy!
My son has been in Karina's care for the past 9 months, gradually increasing from part time to full time. What attracted me to Karina over others is her passion about child development, her structured approach (e.g. activities are planned out for the week ahead) and the daily reports for each child.
Settling in was difficult and took a long time but Karina worked patiently and sensitively on getting my boy settled in and now he absolutely loves it there. Others may have given up at this stage but Karina and her team (equally terrific Ana and Edlene) didn't.
Karina has accommodated a special schedule for us to make sure my mum gets to spend time with her granson every two weeks. Again, not everyone will have agreed to this whereas Karina offered the flexibility.
The food is home cooked daily and I take comfort in the fact that my son has a varied and balanced diet all week.
The children get to spend lots of time outdoors as well as playing inside. The setting is safe and homely.
-
Overall
-
Setting
Cleanliness-
Food
-
Communication
by
Katya
on 20/05/2016
Response by
Oxleaswood Childcare
on 20/05/2016:
Katya thank you very much for your kind words and review. For me the recognition for the work I do talks a million!!!
The responsibility this job involves are huge, There is no fees that justify the risk if wasn't for the love we have for this job. There is absolutely no rooms for mistakes. What makes me enjoy what I do and continuo doing is my day to day with the children. I find fascinating , how quickly they can develop, learn how loyal and sincere they are no matter what.
I am glad we persisted with a different settling approach which was best suitable for L. He is an addition to the setting and I hope to continuo to work for you for years to come.
Thank you ,
Karina
In overall the the service was okish. But when I expressed constructive criticism, the childminder enter a denial state arguing her service was perfect, and took my observations badly.
My daughter was bitten in her arm by a toddler and when I complained about it, the childminder suggested my daughter (almost 3 years old) and I were laying,
In addition, couple of times I arranged for my daughter to be with her, and when I arrived to leave her, the childminder had forgotten, Twice, She was not at home, and then She simply said not recalled what we previously had agreed.
Then, She immediately terminated the contract verbally, without any notice, leaving my daughter and I without any option but staying at home.
If you provide a childcare, you need to be aware of parent need as well and suggestions.
Place looks messy and not very clean
Overall-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
Food-
Communication
by
Parent
on 16/05/2016
Response by
Oxleaswood Childcare
on 19/05/2016:
I was disappointed to read these comments from the above flexible childcare customer.
Regarding the incident involving her daughter's injury, I did not dispute the child's word but stated that as neither I nor any of my team had seen the incident nor heard her crying I felt it unlikely to have occured at the setting. I was only notified by the customer nine days after the alleged incident. It is an enforced policy that we inform parents/carers in the event of such incidents.
The only occasion when I was unable to offer childcare to the customer was on a date when the setting was closed and all customers had been notified in writing of this more than three months in advance. Over fifteen months I had been able to accommodate this customer's frequently changing childcare requirements but this date was a scheduled closure.
Following the customer's approach to raising the above complaints, including prolonged verbal dispute in front of other children in the setting, which breached my complaints procedure, I had no choice but to terminate my childcare services for this customer.
The setting is cleaned and tidied on a daily and intra-day basis by all three team members. Children have access to considerable resources indoors and outdoors, and during play this inevitably leads to untidiness but this is addressed during tidy-up times (before lunch (11am) and before home-time (5om)); a flexible childcare customer collecting their child earlier in the day may not see the results of these tidy-up sessions, and continually striving for tidiness can impact learning through play.
Although I currently have no availability until September 2017, I would welcome prospective parents who wish to meet me and my team, view the setting and read policies and procedures so that they may derive their own impression of my childcare about which I am passionate and committed and which I have been able to provide to a number of happy long-term customers.
Karina was looking after our daughter Roselle since November 2013. Luckily for us Karina has a son same age so Roselle has a new friend. When I met Karina I could feel that She is a kind and caring lady. Children love being around her. They always do so many different activities!! Flexibility from myself and my partner is considered and she always understand our circumstances. Me and my partner have been very happy and would recommend her for any family as our daughter is happy and always loves going to Karina. Highly recommend! !
-
Overall
by
Parent
on 04/03/2014
Karina is thoughtful and calm. She works carefully with children to build their confidence and trust. My boys are very happy to be with her.
-
Overall
by
Kabla
on 02/03/2013
You must be a registered parent and logged in to leave a review.
If you don't have an account then Register Free now.
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.
