Colsal's Reviews
Childminder
5 out of 5
Parents say
These reviews overwhelmingly praise the childminders for providing a warm, nurturing environment with a focus on outdoor activities, arts and crafts, and healthy eating. Parents appreciate the home-like setting, regular updates, and the childminders' caring, accommodating nature. Many describe the experience as finding a second family for their children, highlighting the positive impact on their development and happiness.
Summary generated by AI from the text of most recent member reviews
Parent reviews
Below are the latest reviews for ColSal. Please note that reviews represent the subjective opinions of other Childcare.co.uk members 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.
Sally, Colin and Amber looked after our daughter from 1 until she left for preschool a few months ago. After looking at every nursery in the area, I knew as soon as I met them that this would be the right place for her. She thoroughly enjoyed her time here and often mentions how much she misses going here.
We got photos daily of the trips to the allotment, all their art activities and every day was a glowing review of the food.
I really can’t recommend them enough and feel very lucky to have found you!
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Victoria
on 06/11/2024
Sally, Collin and Amber have been childminders to both my children over the course of the last 6 years. I always felt like we had lucked out finding them as they create such a home from home environment that exudes warmth, creativity and exploration for the children.
Both my children love going each day, we get regular photo and video updates of what’s happening and lots of beautiful art work brought home.
In the cabin there is a whole array of toys that I know Sally keeps super clean. They read a story stake each day and get the kids involved in the story telling. They have discos with bubbles and lights, fancy dress, and spend lots of time outdoors. My kids loved going to the allotments where they would do nature checklists and see the changing seasons. In the summer there is lots of water play outside, picnics, and even growing their own flowers.
Sally is very focused on the kids and their welfare at all times, I know that they are always in the safest of hands, as Sally is often taking courses to keep up to date with childcare regulations.
Sally has instilled core values in my children of kindness, consideration, gratitude, generosity and empathy which has set them up well for their futures.
Sally, Collin and Amber really are the best childminders you will find. We would give 100 stars if we could!
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Aimee
on 08/10/2024
We put our little girl in at Sally’s, Colin and Amber when she was only 1 years of age.
We were feeling very anguish, nervous to let go of my daughter and into a setting but as soon as we drop our daughter off, we felt a sense of ease because the setting was wonderful, the cabin was bright , filled with lots of toys and had a warmth about it.
5 years on and our daughter has learnt leaps and bounds.
Our daughters always go into Sally’s with a smile knowing she will be with kids that’s she has built good friendships with , and knows there will be varies activities from arts, crafts, story telling and play time in the garden.
We have being very fortunate to have such an amazing setting for our daughter because prior to Sally’s , I had done the rounds of visiting pre schools , nursery and was not very satisfied nor impressed until I came across Sally and her family.
I even hope to send my baby boy when I go back into work came 2025.
I would highly recommend Sally as she is caring, organised, informative, experienced and great with kids of all age.
Her setting provides a friendly , warm atmosphere, where the kids will learn whilst having fun and building great friendships.
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Nurjahan
on 04/09/2024
We were absolutely over the moon to have found Sally, Colin and Amber. The setting was really important for us and it’s so wonderful to see pictures of the children having fun running around the allotments and learning about nature. We loved how much Sally gets the kids outside and how much effort she puts in to make the days varied. Our little boy has absolutely flourished under their care, from learning how to look after smaller babies to creating beautiful arts and crafts and having lots of fun along the way! We feel lucky to have found Sally, Colin and Amber and would have no hesitation recommending.
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Debbie
on 09/09/2023
Our son has got so much from being with Sally - I moved him from another setting as it had too many babies and that was limiting the amount of activities and fresh air outdoor time he was getting. I was so glad I looked again and Sally and from the off she was speedy, responsive and organised, getting back to my call on a Sunday and organising a visit.
I was very taken by the setting immediately, her home and garden and the cabin are ideal - it gives a range of places for the children to spend the day - not just cooped up in one room! I also loved the mix of ages and the size of her setting - there were 9 children, and most were toddlers of either 2, 3 or 4 and there were just one or two babies so the mix was perfect for Rowan and for their splitting the group into activities. Their house is cosy, quirky full of creativity and fun and a real family home. This was also very important having gone to visit so many soulless corporate looking 'nurseries'!
Then the allotments were a big part of. our decision to go with them, it was amazing to see how much green space they have on their doorstep, the river where the kids play poo-sticks, the chickens and all the learning about growing food. Our son Rowan is a keen gardener now and loves learning about how things grow, I am sure Sally has had a part in this!
I was very anxious that Rowan keep his nap routine and I was so worried about how he would get to sleep without me but Sally patiently listened to all my concerns, and was also good reminding me kindly that she had done this many times, which was a helpful reminder as it was a real wrench for me leaving him, even though I had lucked out with such a great setting. I especially loved that Rowan would sleep in his own cot in her spotless and calm bedroom, and that she would rock him to sleep in her arms, while her daughter Amber and husband Colin looked after the other children. This level of care and individual attention was a huge relief to me, as were her regular updates on text with lovely photos and videos of our son. I felt so reassured. Sally was patient with my many requests and understood our gentle/attachment parenting ethos and respected our ways entirely and Rowan had his regular nap throughout his time there (nearly 2 years). This was very important for us and allowed him to be the calm, happy, emotionally well regulated child he has always been.
Rowan settled very quickly and enjoyed the setting very much, the variety or art and craft, the allotment walks, the walk through a country park on the afternoon school run, the singing and dancing, the nursery rhymes and language learning - Rowan always had great language but it has developed a lot with their input.
They helped with toilet training and Amber especially helped with this and encouraged his love of building of Lego! All in all, we are so very glad we met them and want to stay in touch. For us it was a great first step in separating from our son for a day, I never worried all day at work, I loved getting the updates and news and Sally was super diligent at replying to any concerns and questions, all this while looking after 8 other children, hats off to Sally!
Thank you for all your support and the care and love you showed our son. We will always remember you so fondly x
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Gemma
on 03/09/2023
We've had our son and daughter with Sally, Colin and Amber for several years. It's been a really positive experience for our children and us. We've all enjoyed a genuine and personable relationship. It's been (and is) more like an extended family than anything else.
The setting is lovely, with a playhouse at the back of the garden and an allotment nearby. There are always fun activities on the go including lots of arts and crafts (Sally and Amber are rather passionate about it).
We feel really lucky to have found Sally back then. There are enough children to make it a suitable social environment for everyone but not too many for it to become impersonal.
Sally has always been very helpful and accommodating when things go left-field (we've been 'blessed' with a fair amount of that over the years, as most young parents are).
We happily and highly recommend Sally and gang to anyone who is looking for a wholesome setting for their children.
Thanks for the wonderful experiences you've helped provide to our children, Sally, Amber and Colin.
Greetings from P & L, F & L
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Philippe
on 27/02/2023
Our little boy stayed with Sally, Colin and Amber from age 2 to nearly 4 when he started preschool, and we were delighted to have found them. They had a lovely setting, with a great playroom, full of varied toys for free-play. They live alongside the allotments and regularly go on little adventures there, to pick fruits, visit the chickens, have little races and throw sticks in the river. They also do crafts in the house as well as reading stories, singing songs, dancing, learning numbers and plenty of garden play. Sally and family took great care of our little boy and he really grew in confidence during the time they looked after him. Highly recommended!
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katycoll
on 07/09/2022
I would highly recommend Amber, sally and Colin- there setting is safe and loving- lovely food and regular updates showing happy and engaged children! My son robin was so well looked after in setting- I didn’t worry about his well being at all while there- which is the most important thing I could ask for in my opinion!!
The nicest thing about the team as childminders is the lovely homely environment they create- on my first ever pick up of robin I ended up getting two flat tyres while driving to collect him! I was over 4 hours late!! They were so understanding and supportive of the delay- and sally even gave us jam sandwiches and a banana for the ride home in the tow truck (to robins delight!!)
Thanks for looking after our son so well sally, Colin and amber xx
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alana
on 05/09/2022
For the last year, our daughter has been with Sally, Colin and Amber and we have had such a positive experience.
The children are all incredibly happy there, I can genuinely say that I haven’t seen a child crying when I’ve been to collect my daughter and it’s lovely to see them all playing with each other with big smiles on their face.
The environment is great with the cabin having plenty of space, warmth and entertainment to keep the kids engaged and entertained throughout the cold months. When the sun starts shining the kids are often out in the garden and exploring the allotments at the back of the house. They provide a wonderful space for the kids to adventure around.
We’ve been so assured our daughter is in safe hands as Sally regularly sends us videos and updates. The team has also been very accommodating and understanding when something unexpected comes up and we need to make last minute changes.
We’re really pleased we found ColSal and would (and have) recommend them to anyone local looking for a safe, educational and fun childcare option!
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Alistair
on 05/09/2022
We have been using Sally, Colin and Amber to look after our children for the past 7+ years. Each of our children started with them when they were nine/ten months old and stayed until early primary school.
All three of our three children have been very happy and developing well in the setting. They love the arts and crafts that Sally and Amber make with them and the time spent playing in the garden and in the nearby the allotments. They also enjoy the male role model in Colin and his yummy cooking.
The environment at Sally’s and Colin’s is very homely, calm and safe. When our children were babies Sally was happy to walk them to sleep in the pram if needed. When older, our children always came home content and full of stories about adventures at the allotments.
As we don’t have any family nearby Sally and Amber have stepped in with babysitting whenever we needed. Sally, Colin and Amber have been like a second family to our kids.
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Olga Cas
on 27/07/2022
Our daughter was with Sally, Colin and Amber for around 6 months (the only reason she isn't still there is because we have moved back to Ireland). It was evident from our first visit at the setting just how homely it is. Sally, Colin and Amber are so caring and put so much effort into the activities they plan for the kids each day. We got lovely updates on Nora's day and I always felt like N loved going... There was never a cross word when I dropped her off in the morning. Proof how much she enjoyed herself! She also developed hugely in the time she was there. Her speech and physicality and they encouraged her to be more adventurous with textures when eating too! Couldn't recommend them more and am just gutted I no longer live down the road from them!
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Amy
on 07/04/2022
Sally, Colin and Amber provide a fantastic environment for little ones at their home. Their setting is calm, yet engaging and there’s plenty of interesting things to do. They have a great, structured routine that helped our children settle quickly and they’re great at working with parents to share updates and support children to develop and thrive. If you’re looking for a setting where your little ones will feel safe and secure whilst also learning and developing, then we would definitely recommend Sally, Colin and Amber.
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AmyK
on 30/10/2021
We used Colin, Sally and Amber as childminders for all 3 of our children and cannot recommend them enough.
After looking around a few local childminders, I knew immediately that Colin & Sally’s setting was the right place for my first child and it enabled me to return to work without any worries. It really made all the difference to me knowing they were in such a lovely homely clean environment in such a peaceful setting (next to the allotments) with such lovely caring people.
The children had such lovely experiences - art activities a plenty, walks around the amazing allotments, lots of outside garden play and most importantly all of them absolutely loved going and thrived under Sally, Colin and Ambers care.
We have moved out the area & the hardest thing was to leave our amazing childminders who we trusted completely. I truly believe this is a unique one off setting that any child would be very lucky to attend.
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LM21
on 29/08/2021
Where do I even start!
We started using the services of Sally, Collin and Amber when our little boy Oliver turned 9 months old. Now, almost 3 years and another little boy later, we sadly saying goodbye to the family as we are moving to a different place.
Both our boys have being there since young age and they have been loved, cared for, encouraged to learn new things, and supported all through their first years.
The setting set up is brilliant: big outdoor space with a lovely heated cabin in the garden, and plenty indoor areas where the kids can play. They have allotments behind the garden where the children go for walks and are able to explore nature in London in the safest hands.
All the food is homemade and healthy, you will have your little one eating fresh vegetables from the allotment or the delicious Sallys homemade Napolitana sauce.
During these hard pandemic years both, Sally and Collin, have being extremely helpful, fair and accommodating to our family situation and their support is being key. They work with the parents for the best of the children.
Last but no less, they love their job, and they truly care about the children, so I always felt as my kids were in the safest hands.
My kids have thrived, enjoyed, and learned in the best setting with the best family, from home to home. And both my partner and I, feel truly lucky to have found them.
The only downside is I cannot take them all with me when I move, because my children and us are going to truly miss them.
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Claru
on 29/08/2021
Sally, Colin and Amber looked after our two children over 4 years. Their setting is brilliant- huge garden with big outdoor cabin (with heating & electricity) full of toys. Sally is really creative and loves doing projects with the kids. They also have an allotment plot so on sunny days the kids go and pick fruit, veg and wildflowers and learn about everything. All food prepared is organic and they take so much care to give the little ones the best experience possible. Sally and Colin became extended members of our family and we couldn’t recommend this magical childcare setting highly enough.
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Melworld
on 24/10/2020
Sally, Colin and Amber cared for our two sons, aged 2.5 and 4.5 for two years. We were really happy with the care they provided, we found them to be fun, happy, caring, creative - with a big focus on the outdoors and healthy living which the boys really benefited from. We have also used Amber as a babysitter and she is brilliant. I would have no hesitation in recommending Sally and Colin
to anyone who is looking for an honest, caring, engaging and creative setting for their children.
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Kate T
on 24/10/2020
Sally, Colin and Amber provided excellent care to my son. They are kind, compassionate and fair to the children and offer an array of fun activities in a happy and warm environment. It's a home away from home. I highly reccomend!
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M Reis
on 15/10/2020
Both of my children went to Sally and Colin’s house - our youngest from age 1 and eldest had wraparound before and after school. Both settled really well and were consistently happy with Sally, Colin and Amber, enjoying the arts and other activities and time outside. Recommended!
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jodie_80
on 11/10/2020
The contents of this review are no longer available as the reviewer's account has been deleted.
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Parent
on 11/05/2019
Sally and Colin cared for my son from.tue age of 9 months to 11. I can honestly say they are the most wonderful childminders and went above and beyond for my son. He has so many fond memories with them and absolutely loved going there which made it easier for me working knowing he was happy.
He spent lots of time outdoors in the allotments with them and he even grew a pumpkin. He went on lots of walk to the country park and brought home so much amazing art work for me to place on the wall with pride. As my son grew older Sally and Colin made sure the activities grew with him. He still talks about his time with them and misses them and regularly asks if we can visit. My son made great friendships which he has continued since going off to secondary school. Thank you Sally and Colin you were a huge support to me and little man xxxxxx
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Carly
on 18/10/2018
Sally, Colin and Amber provide a warm family setting where both our daughters love going: a true family environment where they feel safe and happy. Not only are they fun and provide endlessly engaging play and learning for the kids, they also encourage discipline and they model good brehaviour. We view our childminders as being our childrens' parents when we are not there, and we have absolute faith that Sally, Colin and Amber are the bset we could have dreamt of. We've now had a total of 9 years with our kids going here and have had nothing but praise! Sally also really helped make the vouchers and free hours work so smoothly, doing all of the admin and setup from her side, which was amazing.
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Parent
on 02/10/2018
The care provided by Colin, Sally and Amber is second to none.
They are a lovely family who offer a home from home for the children they look after.
They have been looking after our 2 boys for over 10 years now and from their first day they have been happy and settled.
I am happy to leave my kids with them, safe in the knowledge that they are happy, having fun and very well looked after.
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Parent
on 02/10/2018
