ABOUT
Meet The Team!
The Wonder Years Bromley is run by Tracey & Kate, who are two outstanding childminders based in Bickley and Bromley North.
Friends for 25 years (and counting) they have, in their time as childminders, cared for over 150 children.
Usually working along side one another, they like to get the children together doing various activities, including lots of outings and visits.
Kate Gilheaney
Childminder | Wonder Years Founder & Manager
I live in Bickley with my 2 daughters and two Cavapoochon dogs - the most pampered dogs ever!
I love children and really enjoy the approach we take to childcare. I was a working mum for Barclays for 15 years in the city before becoming a childminder, so I know how it feels to leave your children at a nursery. I too experienced feelings of guilt, anxiety and fear. But I knew what I wanted for my children back then and it is this which is always at the forefront of my mind when delivering childcare provision to parents.
Because I’ve been there, I totally understand what a parent feels and needs when a child is left with us. The children are treated as part of my family and so experience the same confidence and happiness as they would in their own home. We do the same things parents would want to do if they didn’t have to work: things like outings, day visits and exploring. We love to laugh too. Children aren’t children for long and, I believe, they need to be allowed to be children. I love to watch them grow and encourage their personalities to shine through.
Leaving the world of finance to work with children was the best decision I ever made. It is so fulfilling and I feel lucky to do what I enjoy. Children are often much more fun than adults!
In my spare time I like cooking, reading, dogs, walking, interior design, art and literature. I enjoy being part of a community and giving back when I can. I believe in kindness and teaching children about the importance of this. My ethos is to create a world that is both compassionate while also teaching our children to look after our planet.
Tracey Thomas
Childminder | Wonder Years Founder & Manager
I live in Bromley North with my husban and my two children. We have a Dog and 2 Cats! I have been childminding since 2007, before then I worked for an Investment Bank for many years (since leaving school!). It wasn’t until I had children of my own and started looking after my friends’ children too that I realised how much I enjoyed it. I decided to leave the City and the world of banking and change my career to something I was really enjoying.
The thing I love about being around children is the fun and laughter we all have; no two days are the same. Every child is so different, and I love watching their personalities develop and seeing them grow and become confident little people ready for their next stage at school.
All the children I have looked after are part of my family, I want them to experience things they would with their own families, which is why I love our outings and visits. Seeing the children’s excitement and giving them experiences they remember is so fulfilling.
I enjoy running and reading (but not at the same time!) My favourite thing to do
however, is travel, I love visiting different places and exploring the world with my family.
WHAT
OFSTED
SAY
Just a few of the comments from Ofsted with their "Outstanding" assessment of Kate and Tracey's childminding work.
Kate Gilheaney
Ofsted Reports
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The childminder and her assistants share inspirational relationships with the children.
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The childminder plans really exciting activities that engage the children highly effectively in their learning.
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Children are extremely well supported and make rapid progress in their learning from their starting points, within short periods of time.
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The childminder has excellent relationships with parents who state they are "beyond happy with care given to their children"
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The childminder knows the children very well to support them highly effectively at every stage of their development.
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Children develop exceptional skills and levels of attention to support their future learning.
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The childminder has an exceptional commitment to developing children's growing independence.
Tracey Thomas
Ofsted Reports
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The childminder supports her assistants extremely well. For instance, she devises training plans and shares her knowledge with them regularly. This has an outstanding impact on children's learning. For example the childminder displays 'essential tips for talking to young children', to help them extend children's speech and language.
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The childminder works extremely well with other professionals to maintain an exceptionally consistent approach to children's learning. She regularly shares children's achievements and works in great detail with plans from the settings children attend, to improve outcomes.
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The childminder is highly motivated to develop children's understanding of the wider community. For example, during Chinese New Year, they visit a Chinese restaurant and supermarket, to eat noodles and rice with chop sticks.
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Children are extremely well supported and make rapid progress in their learning from their starting points within a short period.
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Children show very high levels of confidence in social situations. For instance, they delight in mixing up potions for their friends, using mud, leaves and sticks, during a visit to the mud kitchen at the childminder's allotment.
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The childminder reviews her practice exceptionally well. For example, she evaluates events with children and expertly includes their ideas into future plans.