Karene74

About Me

My name is Karen Edwards, I am based in the Pound Hill area of Crawley, and run my childminding business under the name Karen's House Childminding. I have been a childminder for over 18 years, before that I was a primary school teacher for 9 years. I'm a mum to three girls aged 14 -20 years old, and my husband is registered as my assistant, and although he does not work with me full-time, he can be around if he is needed to help.

I currently have no vacancies for an under 5 year old, but I have spaces for holiday only childcare for all ages. I anticipate that I will have vacancies from August 2025. I can offer the 9 month old, 2 year old funding and the 3 and 4 year old funded early years entitlement funding. For wrap-around care for Pound Hill Infant and Junior Schools I have vacancies for over 8 year olds only, as my 5-8 year old spaces are currently full. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

I offer a warm caring home from home environment in which children feel safe, secure and most importantly have fun! Generally our mornings are busy going out and about with visits to toddler groups, the library, play parks, National Trusts or woodlands. We have a huge amount of wonderful places on our doorstep and we love to explore these. After lunch (which is provided) while the little ones nap the older pre-school aged children enjoy a more focussed learning time as well as some more free-play opportunities. We have a weekly theme which the children really engage with in learning new vocabulary and increasing their knowledge - most of our themes are nature based. The older and younger children really enjoy playing together inside and outside in the fully enclosed garden, often enjoying a craft or baking activity. The school holidays provide a great opportunity for visits further afield or for a whole day, and favourite trips include The Bluebell Railway, Knockhatch, Tate Modern, various National Trust sites, den building and hot dogs in the woods and the beach, as well as enjoying whatever the weather throws at us. We have an allotment nearby and we love picking, digging and collecting seasonal produce which I often use in my home-cooked meals. We have a wide range of toys, books and games.

I have excellent references available on request, and was rated as Outstanding during my inspection in September 2024.

"The childminder is dedicated and ensures that children make exceptional progress
and are very well prepared for the next stage in their learning. She plans
meticulously to provide a rich learning experience where children are consistently
engaged and challenged through a broad and balanced curriculum. The
childminder uses positive reinforcement to praise children when they follow the
routines of the day. Children have lovely manners and are kind and respectful. They
develop high levels of maturity and demonstrate a caring nature, which the
childminder models well for them."

I communicate daily with parents using WhatsApp, to share photos and learning in relation to the Early Years Foundation Stage. I love my career, watching children develop and thrive, and always strive to do my best to support families.