The appearance and marketing of this place looked great! We enrolled my daughter last year - I could not write the review straight away as I was upset.
My daughter experienced separation anxiety, which is completely normal for a little one starting something new. After two months, she was exactly the same, sobbing at drop off and pick up. The first thing she said when she woke up was “no beez mummy”.
I kept telling myself she was being well cared for and she was adjusting. This issue had been discussed with the Manager, and I had asked that she be especially supported and comforted at drop off until she had settled in. The manager was reassuring.
Then one day, we dropped my daughter off -sobbing- and we got into our car and waited at the junction. I happened to look through the fence into the room to see my daughter standing by the door sobbing without her comfort toy and alone. It was bad traffic that morning and we waited 60 seconds at the junction. It was horrible. The Manager had dumped her there and no one had come to greet her and care for her.
I got on my phone and called straight away, the Manager would not let me speak and said “she’s perfect”. When I went to explain the situation, she cut me off and transferred me through to the room. The carer in the room said the same thing about my daughter being fine. My reply was that I was out the front and could see her crying and alone. The carers reply, I can’t say anything else because you saw it!
I was too upset, so my husband called to talk to Lara the Manager who was defensive and insistent that they were caring for her well. It was gas lighting all the way.
We went and picked my daughter up then and there. We then withdrew from the service, and my goodness Lara could not have been nicer or more attentive , afraid of a bad review I’m sure.
Ultimately, Lara cares about money, the children are commodities to her. They do not come first. But my goodness isn’t the advert convincing. Please look beyond the veneer of wooden toys and fun activities! The place is toxic.
It has to be noted that there are some lovely carers working there that do it some justice, but no organisation can thrive in a toxic environment.
Just like Mary Poppins said, the cover is not the book so open up and take a look!