Wyton Woodlings

Who we are

We are husband and wife childminding professionals based in Welwyn Garden City, united by a passion for child-led learning and confident growth. Our ethos is built on kindness, safety, inclusivity, and learning, within a structured yet nurturing environment where every child feels seen and supported. By choosing us, you are placing your child in a home-from-home setting that values their unique development as much as you do.

We are a large household, with four (awesome) teenage children, Holly the Beagle (who loves snuggles, sleeping, and of course food), and two cats, Madelief and Otje, who adore the occasional scritch before they go off and find their own preferred corners in the house or garden – ideally away from noisy children!

Our Values

Kindness

We nurture empathy and gentle interactions, creating a home-from-home where every child feels loved.

Safety

A secure, Herts-based environment where inclusivity and vigilant care are our top priorities.

Inclusivity

We celebrate every child’s unique background and abilities, fostering a sense of belonging for all.

Structured Learning

Guided by Montessori principles, we offer purposeful play that builds confidence and curiosity.

Your Childminders

Kay

I was always destined to work with children… or books!

Growing up, I was that child who constantly played “schools” with a particular focus on story-time. Reading together was a cherished tradition with my own children too; our weekend trips to the local library usually ended with a stack of books maxing out our library cards.

Having spent 13 years working in primary education, 10 of those specialised in Nursery and Reception settings, I’ve recently earned my Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner qualification.

Launching our childminding service is a dream come true, as it allows me to bring my core early years philosophy to life; creating a warm, engaging environment where children learn through rich, hands-on experiences, guided by their own interests and natural curiosity.

Tom

Tom always dreamt of changing the world (for the better!)

I was a voracious reader as a child, and spent many of my teenage years with my weekend job earnings in the local bookshop, burying myself in science fiction, history and archaeological books (I loved reading about Egypt, Rome and ancient Greece!)

I’ve always been an engineer at heart, infuriating my parents and grandparents for taking apart critical items around the house – although I always put them together again. Simply for the love of understanding how things work, and how to build them. I think my love of Lego, from the crude collection I had as a child, has genetically transferred to at least one of my daughters, who now wants to enter engineering herself!

I bring a fascination with the natural world and physical sciences, along with 20+ years of managing a broad range of interesting people in different fields; the most interesting of which are those who are still awakening to the world around them.

Qualifications

Kay

  • Early Years Lead Practitioner – Level 5
  • Access to Teaching – Level 3
  • Paediatric First Aid
  • Safeguarding Children – Levels 1 & 2
  • Designated Safeguard Lead – Level 3
  • Food Safety & Hygiene – Level 2
  • Sign Language – Level 1
  • Epilepsy Awareness
  • Allergy & Anaphylaxis Awareness

Phonics schemes:

  • Jolly Phonics
  • Twinkl Phonics
  • Read, Write Inc

SEN Support:

Experience of working with children with the following Special Educational Needs;

  • Prada-Willi Syndrome
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Pica
  • Selective Mutism
  • Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
  • Differing variations of complex Autism

Tom

  • Introductory Training Course for Qualified and Experienced Early Years Practitioners
  • Paediatric First Aid
  • Safeguarding Children – Levels 1 & 2
  • Designated Safeguard Lead – Level 3
  • Food Safety & Hygiene – Level 2
  • Understanding and working with the EYFS
  • Recording Children’s Development
  • Developing Children’s Learning

Currently training for Level 3 Forest School Leader

Both of us follow Continuous Professional Development, in order to keep our existing skills up to date, and also to develop new skills to help us in the setting.

All members of the team and the wider household hold Enhanced DBS Certificates and are all subscribed to the DBS Update Service.