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'nurturing children into beautiful butterflies'

About Claire's Caterpillars

Thank you for visiting my website.

My name is Claire. I have been Ofsted registered and inspected since April 2003.

I provide a fun and stimulating home from home environment for the children, and offer a wide range of activities, opportunities and outings for the children, tailored to their age and stage of development. We are out and about every day whether that is at the woods, at a playground, at a music session, feeding the ducks or going for a nature walk.

At home I have two dedicated playrooms, as well as a lounge, conservatory, kitchen, downstairs toilet facilities and garden for the children to use. Some of the activities and resources I have available for the children are a home corner and imaginative play, small world toys, loose parts play, mark making, a vast selection of books, construction play, puzzles, and we regularly prepare our meals and bake together. We have stories, songs and rhymes, and dancing to music every day. We have regular themes and topics running throughout the year, such as colours, shapes, seasons and the weather, animals, transport, keeping healthy, and we celebrate many cultural and religious festivals.

In my most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024, I was graded Outstanding; the inspection report opened with “The childminder has an exceptional understanding of how children learn and develop. She meticulously plans her curriculum to reflect the learning needs of the children she is caring for. Children thrive in her care.”.

I have been married to Steve since 1991 and we have three grown-up sons. We live in a quiet cul-de-sac in Banstead, Surrey. When our eldest son commenced his formal education in 2002, I was unable to find wraparound childcare for him. So, after 17 years, I decided to leave my job with Barclays Bank Multinational Corporate Department to become a full-time mum to our sons. Realising there was a lack of childcare available in the area, and as I had always been interested in caring for children, I chose to qualify and become a registered childminder, and set up Claire's Caterpillars.

My Paediatric First Aid is kept up to date by regularly completing and passing Ofsted approved courses. As well as attending a range of Safeguarding courses, Food Hygiene, child development and speech and language courses, I also regularly attend various training events on a broad selection of childcare and related topics. I am a member of PACEY, the professional association for childcare and early years.

Steve is registered with Ofsted as my assistant and may help in the childminding business on an occasional basis. He is regularly working from home so the children know him well. He also regularly completes an Ofsted approved Paediatric First Aid course, and safeguarding course.

We have a no-smoking home and do not have any pets.

I look forward to discussing your child care requirements in more detail and to arrange to meet me and visit my setting. Please do not hesitate to call me on 07855 367776 or email me at claire@clairescaterpillars.co.uk