Fiajames
Childminder in Manchester (also available for babysitting)
Usually responds within 12 hours
Female Member since Oct 2011 Last Updated Dec 2024 Last Login 17 Dec 2024
My Summary
Chilminder In Manchester
About Me
Hi my name is Sofia and I am originally from Portugal. I moved to Manchester in 2010 and have 2 wonderful children (12 and 8). I love looking after my minded children and have a dedicated relationship with parents providing regular feedback and updates. I will always try to be as flexible as possible and can work to meet your requirements.
My husband James, who used to be a primary school teacher (year 4), has been working with me for the past 7 years. He has experience right across the school age range from Nursery right up to year 6. This provides a great opportunity for after school pickups with homework and possible tutoring facilities. He has chosen to work with me in order to spend more time with our own children and is dedicated to childcare.
I also offer free funding places for under 2's (9month), 2, 3 and 4 years old.
We don't do any school drop off or pick up at the moment.
My Experience
I have been an Ofsted registered childminder since 2014. Before this I gained a degree in Early Years Education in Portugal (2010) and an NVQ lvl2 in childcare at a private Nursery here in Manchester in 2011. I have also provided the occasional overnight care and babysitting.
Our house is bilingual with English and Portuguese being spoken all day long, so your child will develop the fantastic skill of being able to hear and understand different languages. I also speak French and I am hoping to undertake a British sign language course to supplement my Portuguese sign language. I trained as a special needs teacher for early years with a focus on deaf children and have recently had the pleasure of looking after 2 autistic boys from different families (6 & 7).
We create a home away from home with a welcoming and safe environment. We have a large building dedicated to childminding, with kitchen and toilet, which helps with potty training a great deal! We also have a large garden area which children have access to at all times. We take many trips around the local area including parks, libraries, soft play centres, playgroups, shops, museums, art galleries, community gardens and pets corners. All of which help your child to learn and grow in a healthy and safe environment. At home we bake, sculpt, paint, draw, read, sing and dance plus many other activities. We offer a wide range of activities supported by the guidance in the national curriculum. We plan, observe and monitor children's progress and regularly feedback to parents on how their child is learning and growing. We offer healthy breakfasts, snacks, lunches and dinners depending on your needs.
We are flexible on times and days, can cater for newborns, toddlers, afterschool and occasional babysitting. We are sure we can find the best solution to suit your needs!
My Qualifications
Sofia has a Trafford Council Childminder course completed in October 2013
NVQ level 2
Paediatric First Aid Course
Level 2 Supporting Babies and Young Children with SEND
Degree in Child Care and Education for Deaf Children
Technological Diploma in Social Animation
Portuguese Sign Language
James is a trained primary school teacher and has a paediatric first aid course.
Both Sofia & James have recently completed an Autism & Communication course (October 2022)
Designated Safeguarding Lead course
Attended a EYPDP course between January - July 2024
My Availability
We are currently full but feel free to message as sometimes spaces come up.
| 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: 17/09/2024 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £5.00 per hour
- Babysitting from £10.00 per hour
£50/day, 8am-5:30pm
£10/hour for occasional babysitting
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
- Inspection Report: Ofsted Inspection September 2024 (added 18/10/2024)
- Ofsted Certificate (added 17/09/2024)
- DBS Check (added 17/09/2024)
- Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination (added 11/01/2022)
- Inspection Report: Ofsted report September 2018 (added 24/01/2019)
Reviews
Below are the latest reviews for FiaJames. 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.
Our daughter attended Fia and James from 14 months until just before she turned 3, when she moved to a preschool. We had a previous bad experience with nursery settling in and Fia and James were amazing at supporting our daughter and us during a tricky settling in experience. They went above and beyond to make sure her needs were met at her own pace, whilst keeping us updated at all times. Our daughter has recently been placed on the autism pathway, which Fia and James have supported us through from start to finish. They always helped with giving ideas on how to support with transitions, as this was an area she struggled with in particular. They also made suggestions on how to support her with sensory needs which was a big help.
We honestly don't know what we would have done without their care during this time, our daughter came on leaps and bounds in there care and they will have a special place in our hearts forever! On a practical note, their flexibility with hours etc. Was also very helpful for us due to changing work commitments. The little trips out to groups and the park were always great too. Their recent move with their new specially built childcare building was also extremely positive, and they have great resources with a lovely outdoor space for the kids to enjoy.
One final thing to mention is their ability to accommodate special diets, our daughter started there with an allergy to dairy, soya and egg. They went above and beyond to make sure she had a nutritionally balanced and enjoyable menu of things to eat that she enjoyed. We can never thank them enough for their care.
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I’m so pleased we found Sofia and James! From the moment we met them we felt like they were the perfect pair to look after our son Lockie. You can tell they’re amazing parents themselves and love what they do. Their space is perfectly equipped with lots of toys and educational decor, and Lockie loves the swing in the garden! They plan lovely activities with him too and I know he’s getting a really good amount of attention.
It’s hard having to leave him all day, but I feel he’s in really safe hands with Sofia and James.
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I met with so many childminders before finding Sofia and James but no one was the right fit. When I first went to meet them, the way they interacted with my daughter and built a rapport with her so quickly put me at ease straight away and I knew they were the people I would trust with my child. I’m happy to say that I’ve never regretted that decision. They are professional, caring, flexible, and reliable. I couldn’t say enough good things about them!
The main thing to say is that my daughter thrived with them. Sofia and James understood her and cared about her as an individual and knew how to support her to develop and shine. I always felt they worked with us, and supported what we were trying to do at home, so she had consistency.
James and Fia have backgrounds in teaching and early years. This really comes across in the way they communicate with the children and understands their needs. They also put so much work into making their setting really tailored to young children, working on different themes and skills as appropriate to the children in their setting. They are clearly passionate about their work and it is more than ‘just a job’ to them.
Fia and James always prepared home cooked food so I knew that she was eating well when she was there which was important to me.
I really couldn’t recommend them enough and I’m so grateful for the way they took care of my daughter.
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My son was with Fia and James for about 3 years and was very happy. I love the level of structure they brought to each day and themes for each term which featured in the activities they would do with the children.
It is a happy and inclusive setting and we were very grateful for Atti’s time with them.
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I don’t know where we would’ve been these past few years without Sofia and James. Their support, kindness and knowledge and experience have been immeasurable. It brings such comfort and reassurance to know that Susie ☺ is being looked after and nurtured by two lovely people (parents themselves) who care for her educational, social and personal development.
You can tell the Sofia and James genuinely love their work. They are flexible and responsive and always willing to help us out if we have to switch hours around or ask for extra hours. Really helpful for two busy working parents juggling a lot.
I honestly can’t recommend them enough.
But most important of all, Susie loves her Childminders and that tells us everything.
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