The Bristol Standard - Case Studies

Laura began childminding six years ago after the threat of redundancy from her previous career made her review her career choices. Having a young family, Laura wanted a career which would provide greater autonomy than her previous job. She was hoping to have control...

  Totterdown Children’s Community Workshop runs from the church hall of Holy Nativity Church in Totterdown, where it has use of two large halls plus a smaller room at the front. The after school club serves children from Hillcrest School and currently has 32 - 40...

  Charlton Nursery is an established, family-run business, operating from two sites, one in Flax Bourton and the other on the site of the Imperial Brands offices. The Imperial site are on the Bristol Standard journey. The nursery opened in 2014, offering...

Brislington Village Preschool was established in 1972 and has been offering care and education to the local 3 and 4 year olds ever since. However, in September 2015, the staff team took over the running of the setting, turning the existing committee run preschool into...

In recent years Karla has begun working in the childcare sector, quite a change from her original career as an electronics and communications engineer! Karla explains that she had no experience of children apart from bringing up her son and daughter. At the time her...

Serena began childminding in the summer of 2015, having spent the previous 6 years working in nurseries. During that six years Serena started a family and having two young children she found the cost of childcare prohibitive, so felt a change in career was needed,...

Prior to becoming a childminder Paula had a variety of mainly office based jobs, however once she had her baby she realised that she wanted a career where she could combine work and family commitments, enabling her to spend time with her daughter. Paula explains that...

Nicky began childminding relatively recently after a twenty-year career in nursing, which culminated in her working as a community nurse. Nicky wanted a career that she could feel more autonomy with, being able to control when she worked, took holidays and how she...

Ten years ago Lindsay began childminding, wanting a career which would she could combine with caring for her young family. Lindsay loves her job, ‘I just love having children in the house’ and has developed a passion for childminding, having cared for ‘wonderful...

Kayley was already an experienced and well qualified early years practitioner prior to becoming a childminder. After leaving school, Kayley did a degree in Early Childhood Studies at the University of the West of England and subsequently achieved Early Years...

Space Cadets run from Air Balloon Hill Primary School in St. George, Bristol. They run a Breakfast and After School Club and a Holiday Play scheme from a building on the school site which, although quite small, is packed with resources. The club is extremely popular...

Bristol childminders are very enthusiastic about the Bristol Standard and take part in monthly dimension sessions. This gives them the opportunity to take part in reflective discussions with other childminders. We would like to share some of their stories with you...