Zoozoo's Reviews
Childminder
5 out of 5
Parents say
The childminder receives overwhelmingly positive feedback, with parents praising the warm, nurturing environment and high-quality care provided. Children are described as thriving, with improved confidence and development. The setting offers varied activities, outdoor spaces, and interactions with animals. Parents appreciate the frequent communication and updates on their children's progress. Overall, families feel fortunate to have found such excellent childcare.
Summary generated by AI from the text of most recent member reviews
Parent reviews
Below are the latest reviews for ZooZoo. 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.
We first tried to get our son into ZooZoo 2 years ago but unfortunately only one of the 3 days we needed was available.
After lockdown, and a change in our circumstances, we managed to get our 4 year old and 1 year old into ZooZoo together full time and can't believe how much better they are than our previous nursery.
We received more updates in the first week than we did in 3 years with the previous provider!!
The SETTING is perfect for children with a warm indoor area, covered outdoor and expansive garden with animals and allotment for the children to interact with.
CLEANLINESS. Both children come home, more often than not, in the same clothes they went in only lightly soiled from play time. If for any reason their clothes are changed we get a notification to tell us the nature of the dirt/wet.
FOOD. Both children come home content and not hungry after eating varied meals and in summer time fresh picked fruit and veg leaving us to enjoy time with our children and play after work instead of cooking and feeding as we have had to do in the past.
COMMUNICATION is above and beyond anything we would have expected and I do not believe anyone does it better than ZooZoo. From day 1 we were kept up-to-date on how both of them were doing, when they were happy, sad, upset or just content in the setting. Which again after previous nursery experience was just our of this world.
I cannot recommend ZooZoo highly enough and am gutted that we didn't get our eldest in sooner. Both children were clearly happier entering and leaving for the day than with the last nursery, the oldest spoke more about what he had done that day as we could prompt him from our updates throughout the day and our youngest who suffered with a chronic snotty nose for the first 12 months of her life suddenly stopped being snotty which I can only put down to a smaller group size at ZooZoo and the cleanliness of their home.
And if all of the above wasn't enough, Victoria and Gareth are nice friendly people you can have a genuine conversation with and believe they are telling you the truth as oppose to just what they think you want to hear.
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Steven
on 18/09/2020
I can honestly say that ZooZoo is THE BEST childcare setting for any child. Victoria and Gareth go above and beyond and treat all the children like their own. My little boy absolutely loved going to ZooZoo until he started Primary School. He came on leaps and bounds with the love and support from Victoria and Gareth, from being a shy child to becoming a little chatter box! He made so much progress whilst in their care. I can't recommend ZooZoo enough and how much my little boy has thrived whilst being there. As Ofsted report agrees, this is an outstanding setting! I would not send my child to any other
They have a lovely big garden, grow their own fruit/veg which the children enjoy helping to pick and prepare, not to mention lots off rabbits, dogs and cats all of which the children can interact with.
Being so close to Sankey Valley they enjoy lovely walks learning about nature along the way. They also keep you updated on your childs progress via Tapestry and follow Early Years Learning. Victoria and Gareth also keep you up to date on your child's day via the Baby Connect app so you can be assured that you child is having the best time through out the day. I honestly couldn't recommend them enough
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Kerry
on 13/08/2020
Our daughter has been attending ZooZoo for almost 2 years now. When she first started she was shy and hadn’t mixed a lot with other children so I was worried how she would take to it but I needn’t have. Victoria and Gareth are simply amazing, they encouraged and gently built Hattie’s confidence. After just a couple of times she was asking to go every day!
The activities are brilliant and varied, they are always up to something be it a summer walk and picnic or messy play, singing and story times. ZooZoobury festival has to be seen to be appreciated - it is Hattie’s (and our!) most favourite time of the year they have flags, music tents and even make their own tie dye t-shirts! They dance and play and Victoria and Gareth put so much thought and work into it it’s a triumph.
At ZooZoo they are passionate about nature and the environment - they have a vegetable garden where they grow and eat their own food, they do nature walks and care for animals and they even grew and released their own butterflies 🦋
Hattie’s confidence and development have soared since she started going, she absolutely loves her ‘ZooZoo friends’ and they are a huge part of her life. I can’t praise Victoria and Gareth enough. They are kind and fun and the genuine love they have for the children shines through! They see every child as an individual and foster their own little personalities. They have become like family to our daughter and to us and I’m so happy she goes there!
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Cheryl C
on 04/07/2019
When I accepted a new job I had to look for some childcare for my daughter in addition to that which is provided by my family. I was amazed by the reviews of ZooZoo and happy that they had space to take my daughter in their setting.
My daughter struggled so much being away from her familiar adults but Victoria and Gareth worked so hard to support her (and us!) through this. She had some wobbles early on but absolutely loves going to ZooZoo now! She often asked on a Sunday if it is a "Victoria and Gareth day!"
Her development has been amazing since she started at ZooZoo. The programme of activities and celebration of focussed weeks (such as 'pie week' and nature) mean that Robyn often comes home with a new interest in something. She tells us all about her day every evening with so much enthusiasm, and her speech is fantastic.
Robyn talks about her friends at ZooZoo all the time and looks forward to seeing them. It's really reassuring to know I'm leaving her in capable hands with people that she loves. Victoria and Gareth (and the other children) are supportive of helping Robyn to branch out and try new foods.
Victoria and Gareth provide frequent updates via the app which means I never feel far away. both have been supportive of our endeavours in potty training too! All processes and policies and extremely professional.
Thank you so much. We feel really lucky to have found you.
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JAgrebi
on 27/03/2019
Excellent setting and care. Daisy absolutely loves Zoo Zoo. She quickly became part of the ‘Zoo Zoo family’. I cannot recommend Victoria and Gareth enough. Daisy’s confidence and speech has come on amazingly!
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JennaJ
on 07/02/2018
Our daugher struggled to settle down in the nursery for 2 months. After long searches we have contacted ZooZoo and booked the appointment to come and have a look around. Myself and my wife were amazed from the first time we walked in. Cleanliness of the place, food and comunication was on top level. Never experienced same with other childminders and nurseries. It felt strait away that Victoria and Gareth are treating all children like their own, withing couple of days our daughter settled down and started asking about going back to ZooZoo. We saw huge progress in daughter development from the day she started ZooZoo. She improved her language (as english is her second language) and social skills. We saw big difference in building relationships with other children. We can't imagine better place for our daughter. Will recomend to everyone.
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Parent
on 30/01/2018
Since starting at Zoo Zoos in September due to a recommendation from a colleague, my 3 year old has come on so much in such a short amount of time. Gareth and Victoria are so friendly and made us both feel welcome during our first visit. We felt so comfortable we didn’t visit anywhere else!
The setting is very welcoming and bright with a variety of enriching learning opportunities. In particular, the outdoor area is very impressive and can be accessed throughout the day (covered area).
It is always lovely hearing from Gareth/Victoria about the day and the apps used are excellent. It’s great seeing pictures, videos and updates. My daughter regularly comes home with art and craft work, and loves going out on adventures and walks.
Both Gareth and Victoria have been extremely supportive with outside agencies involved and are pro-active in supporting my daughter’s needs.
I cannot fault the care that my daughter receives. Gareth and Victoria are kind and nurturing people who work hard to look after and support the children in their care. It’s lovely seeing lots of familiar faces who drop their children off and hearing lots of wonderful things about the amazing care their children also receive. I would highly recommend Zoo Zoos to anybody wanting the best for their children.
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Parent
on 29/01/2018
My child struggled to settle into nursery after nearly 9 months there and I made the decision to remove him from the nursery. I was unsure about settling him somewhere else but lots of people suggested Zoo Zoo. We arranged an appointment and had a look around. My son settled there straight away and loved the “at home” feel. Gareth and Victoria are fantastic and my son loves them both as if they were family. They can not do enough to help and managing my sons gluten free diet is no issue to them. They keep me updated all day at work on what fun activities they are doing and how Jacob is. He comes home tired and you can always tell he’s has a fun and busy day. We honestly can not fault Zoo Zoo and so happy we found them and they had space to accommodate our son.
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on 29/01/2018
Zoozoo has always been great we’ve known Victoria and Gearth for 7 years on and off they’ve had all 3 of my children at some point in the 7 years they’ve always been great try to accommodate when can
It’s like a home from home they treat each child as if they was one of their own children my youngest was upset at leaving but now she’s no problem at all they are both caring and genuine people and I wouldn’t trust anybody else
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on 11/12/2017
My son was 2 when he went to victoria and gareth, as soon as i walked in i knew he would love it and he did! Its like one big family and he settled in straight away.
His confidence grew so much as did his speech! I wish id of took him sooner. the activities they do with the children are fantastic! And you are constantly undated on what they have been up to through the day which i found brillant i could just log onto the app and id know everything it makes a big differnece. He was always so happy to go hes going to be gutted when he realises he is going to school instead of zoozoo after the summer!
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Rstevo
on 21/08/2017
After meeting Victoria and Gareth for the first time and seeing their setting, we knew this was the place for us!!
Our 5 month old baby (now 13 months old) took to them straight away. They have everything imaginable too entertain!
Evie loves spending time with Victoria and Gareth and all the children, she happily trots off and does not look back!!
Evie is always coming home with arts and crafts that she has been creating at Zoozoo. She loves bringing home her book bag and cuddle toy for the week, recording her own little adventure to take back to tell Zoozoo all about!
We receive updates throughout the day letting us know what she is up to, when she has eaten, slept and even pooped! Evie loves the camera which is a good thing as we get picture and video updates all day long. It is very comforting to be able to see and watch what she has been up to.
Victoria and Gareth are a lovely family oriantated couple and we really could not wish for a better place for our Evie.
5 stars all round!!!
We can not fault the care and love that Evie receives :) thank you for taking our precious little one :)
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on 11/07/2017
Leaving my little boy when I went back to work was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do and I can honestly say that I probably couldn't have done it without the help of Victoria and Gareth at ZooZoo. Theo started at ZooZoo when he had just turned one, last September (2016). He took a little while to settle which was to be expected at his age and Victoria and Gareth were so patient with me and Theo allowing us all the time we both needed to get used to the idea (me more than Theo!). Theo took a shine to Gareth straight away and has always looked to him for reassurance - Gareth is always so upbeat and plays with the children all day long and Theo absolutely adores him!
The children do tons of art and craft which Theo has always enjoyed and he always gets stuck in with the messy play activities. The children are kept busy with all sorts of activities and I am always impressed by the thought and creativity which goes into planning their days.
The children get out and about as often as possible which I Iove to see, they visit play group and the library regularly and explore the local area - feeding the ducks, going to the park and exploring Sankey Valley which is a great area right next door.
Victoria keeps us updated all day long with photos and messages about Theo what is up to, how he is feeling, what he has eaten and how he has slept via a great app and I found this particularly comforting in the first few months and I still love looking at the little photos whenever I get a break at work. Theo's progress and development is also tracked through another web based site which is regularly updated and very informative.
Nothing is too much trouble for Victoria and Gareth when it comes to the children's happiness and care. They are flexible, super friendly and welcoming and consequently all the children are always so happy in their care.
I am thrilled to have found a childcare setting that I am 100% happy (I never thought it would be possible!) and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend ZooZoo to anyone looking for five star childcare for their little ones.
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sarahw
on 04/05/2017
Victoria and Gareth have been providing wrap around care for our family for two years. They are a lovely family and both our girls love them to bits. Our eldest is now old enough to get herself to and from school independently but has stayed close friends with Victoria and Gareth's children. Our youngest is still with them and she loves it. It's a great homely environment with lots to do for the kids. I'm always very jealous of what they have for tea and wish I could finish work earlier to come join them! We're always kept informed of any problems at school or at zoozoo. It's a very relaxed, fun environment and I would highly recommend them to anyone.
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on 25/03/2017
Been sending my little girl to Victoria and Gareth for a couple of years now and wouldn't send her anywhere else, absolutely amazing people and work their socks off, yet still make it look effortless. Lovely family setting can't praise Zoozoo enough. Would give a million ? review if i could!
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Jennifer
on 21/03/2017
Gareth and Victoria have been looking after my two children for the best part of 8 years and they are almost like a family extension. The kids don't want to leave when I go to pick them up, as they have had such a great time.
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on 16/03/2017
Zoozoo is an amazing nursey and victoria and gareth are a credit to them selfs. My son attends there after school session and moving him there has been the best decision i have ever made. He was filled with nothing but resentment at having to attend an after school session but now truley enjoys going and spending time there. They have welcomed him in and when picking him up you can see the passion and love for each and every child in there care. My only regret is not making this move a long time ago. I can not thank and praise them enough.
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on 16/03/2017
Victoria and Gareth are amazing childminders. I dont think we could have found better if we tried! My little girl absolutely loves going and talks about them with such enthusiasm when she comes home. Although very shy at first my daughter has come out of her shell and her confidence has grown so much. She loves playing in the garden and with their animals, I love their approach to the outdoor activities such as planting seeds and growing fruits with the children and taking them out for walks. They also attend playgroups, libraries and parks in the local community.
Their home is fantastic, I love how they have separated their house into a nursery especially for the children with a great outdoor area, and they have a small quiet room where the little ones can nap during the day. They also have a large range of toys which they swap around occasionally so the children dont get bored. My daughter has made some lovely new friends who she talks about all the time. The baby connect and tapestry appts are great and allow me to see photos and videos of what my daughter gets up to during the day. I like that they also do a school run to legh vale as my daughter will be going there so it may come in useful in the future. I would definately recommend Victoria and Gareth, I prefer that my little girl goes to a childminder rather than a nursery as I feel she gets more care and attention, as they care for 6 children rather than the 30+ you would probably find at a nursery. They have recently had 5 children potty training all at once which must be hard work for anyone, but they have both took it all in their stride and the children are doing amazingly well. I can't thank Victoria and Gareth enough for providing such a fun, loving and nurturing environment for my daughter and would recommend them to anyone.
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Danielle
on 16/03/2017
My daughter has been with zoozoo childcare since she was 6months old & is thriving. Victoria & Gareth are passionate about their job, they are attentive & caring to every child in their care treating each as an individual learning their likes, dislikes & what stimulates them to grow both academically & emotionally.
My daughter who is now 2 1/2 loves to go & every day provides a new adventure including playgroups, muddy & sunny nature walks, lots of arts & crafts, music & sing along & interacting with the family pet rabbits to name a few.
We get a daily diary on baby connect, regular updates on the tapestry & progress reports each term.
Every child I see going to zoozoo is happy to be there. Victoria & Gareth happily meet the varying culture & health needs of all the zoozoo children & are very open minded & embrace each day with great enthusiasm!
I cannot recommend them & their lovely family enough & feel very lucky to have found such wonderful people to help our daughter bloom.
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on 18/01/2017
Our daughter has been attending zoo zoo for 1 year since she was 18 months old. It was a terrifying thought leaving her with strangers to go back to work, however it's the best decision we have made choosing zoo zoo. We researched several places and decided on this child care setting, even though we live out of the area it's more than worth it to travel to as our little one loves it so much. Victoria and Gareth are fantastic with Amelia, and in her mind she sees them as part of our family. They have created a little world for the children with the perfect balance or fun and learning. From the days out, craft, animals they have, fruits they grow, outside play area that is safe and secure with protective roof they really do pull out the stops to make sure the children are catered for in every way. The technology and communication regarding your child is up to date and modern, Victoria updates you with photos and videos on watsapp, they also give you access to an app which gives real time updates on what you little one is doing (what they have eaten, what they are doing, nappy changes, mood, photos, everything!) plus access to tapestry so that you can monitor there progress through EYFS). I trust them totally with Amelia's care and they give hugs and reassurance freely. We would be lost without zoo zoo and I feel so lucky for us that we got a place and blessed that Amelia has had this as her first 'schooling' experience here. Amelia has made many friends, has progressed with her learning and increased in confidence. Thank you so much to Victoria and Gareth for providing this loving, professional and nurturing environment. I would recommended them whole heartedly to anyone looking for childcare.
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on 13/09/2016
My daughter has gone to Victoria and Gareth for almost 5 months now.i was determined she wouldn't go to a private nursery as I had done with my son.best move I could have made.she is only just one and gets so excited and claps her hands as we pull up in a morning.she has never cried once when I have left her but cries when I pick her up to stay.victoria and Gareth are lovely.they are excellent in what they do and very professional.i know exactly what ava will be doing every week and there's a menu of the food they provide.i get pictures and texts during the day when I am at work and they cheer me up I see my girl is having a lovely time.she receives great care and has a good routine and nothing is too much trouble.it has been very difficult to leave my girl and it has been made that much easier knowing she is well taken care of and she loves Victoria and Gareth and not forgetting Kristina who she adores also.if you are able to get a space for your child you are very lucky and can be assured they are in the bet hands possible
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spudface
on 26/01/2014
My little boy has now been with Victoria & Gareth now for a few months I can honestly say its been the best move I have ever made he was in a nursery from 6months old and it's probably one of the worst decisions I've ever made even though I thought I was doing right, I wish I would have known about Victoria and Gareth from the start they are amazing people and can't do enough for us they are truly a inspiration to and for us our little boy has come on tremendously since being there, I cannot thank you both enough and I would recommend you both to anyone. Thank you so much don't know what I would do without you both xxx
Thank you Sarah, Billy & Harry James xxxx
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on 10/04/2013
The contents of this review are no longer available as the reviewer's account has been deleted.
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on 21/01/2013
Victoria and her husband gareth are really friendly nice kind people so are their 2 children they all are so kind and offer a home from home atmosphere for both children and parents which is really comforting to parents who havent left their child/children before as i never did but my daughter has been going since aug 2011 and loves it on the days she doesnt go she wakes up and asks to go
my daughter has come on so much since going and if i had any more with out a doubt id send them to victoria and gareths
there aint enough words to describe how good and profesional they are but also friends to
they both are a credit to childminders
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on 17/01/2013
My daughter has been going to Victoria and Gareth afterschool for quite a few years now, and she simply loves them to bits. They were the first Childminder that I visited and for me I didn't need to go anywhere else.
Victoria and Gareth have wonderful children of their own and you can see from their relationship with them and the behaviour of their own children that they are the kind of people you would want your child to be around. They are always doing fun things together as a family and this is extended to the children in their care.
They will always offer you a warm welcome into their home whilst maintaining a very professional environment. Their home and garden is lovely and adapted well to suit their childminding needs. It is a very spacious environment with a large garden partly covered to protect the children from the elements. The playroom again is a great size and is fantastic for children of all ages (you may be hard pressed to encourage your child to come home with you of an evening). The children have their own downstairs bathroom which is spotlessly clean.
My daughter is one of the older children at Victoria's and she still enjoys the time spent there. She loves to help Victoria, she loves playing with the younger children and she particularly enjoys time with Gareth in the garden picking fruit and vegetables.
I would definitely recommend both Victoria and Gareth to anyone. They have been invaluable to me whilst I have pursued my career, giving me peace of mind knowing that my child is well cared for when I am at work.
I would recommend that you visit Victoria, Gareth and Children, chances are you will go back again.
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by
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on 17/01/2013
The contents of this review are no longer available as the reviewer's account has been deleted.
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on 16/01/2013
My daughter started going to childcare three days a week with Victoria and Gareth when she was twelve months old. Victoria and Gareth immediately welcomed her as part of the family, and our daughter always came home a happy and content baby. They have a beautiful clean family home, which they have adapted for the needs of the children, making it a more fun, happy and playful place to be.
My daughter loves to play outside in their play houses, and the extra facilities they have in place including a decked play area with roof allows the children to play outside during all seasons throughout the year giving them access to the various climbing frames and slides. Victoria and Gareth’s’ home grown fruit and vegetables in the polly tunnel also enable the children to learn about fruit and vegetables in a safe and enjoyable environment, and not forgetting, the very large trampoline. The lay-out of the play areas are truly amazing and it is obvious a large amount of time and effort has gone into making this a very unique but safe and enjoyable play area for the children.
I would describe Victoria as a very softly spoken person who is always very kind and polite with the children. The one thing that makes Victoria stand out above all others is that she always goes that extra mile with the children, spending time with each child on an individual one to one basis when possible, allowing her to make gifts for friends and family of the children. On Mother’s day, our daughter brought home a beautiful flower, which had been decorated and gift-wrapped in a beautiful manner along with a canvas paint print of her hands. Christmas cards and wedding anniversary’s cards were always sent home, and they always had that extra special touch which Victoria had obviously spent many hours planning beforehand.
Sadly, my daughter had to leave Victoria and Gareth’s’ in the summer of 2011. Within a few days of leaving, all my daughter kept saying was Toria (as in Victoria) and bouncy bouncy (which related to the trampoline). After many weeks of thinking that my daughter would eventually stop this, she never did forcing myself and my husband to purchase her own a trampoline, even though our garden was not big enough!
My daughter can now say Victoria and she asks about her on a daily basis. Luckily, she still sees Victoria, Gareth and her friends on Tuesdays at our local playgroup. Without fail, when she sees Victoria she runs up to her and gives her a big squeeze and a cuddle.
Victoria obviously takes pride in what she does and this shows in everything she does with the children who are put in her care.
She is a fantastic childminder and an honour to her profession.
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by
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on 04/10/2011
The contents of this review are no longer available as the reviewer's account has been deleted.
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on 27/02/2011
The contents of this review are no longer available as the reviewer's account has been deleted.
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on 11/06/2010
I was absolutely dreading going back to work and leaving my 8 month old daughter, who i must point out is a very clingy baby and has never been left with anyone before. After much searching victoria and gareth were recommended to me by a friend. After visiting victorias child friendly, loving and adapted envrionment, i felt confident that i could leave my child there without any worries or concerns. My daughter goes there 3 full days a week now and after the initial first day tears, mostly from me, she seems to be quite happy. Victoria and gareth both provide lots of love and comfort towards each child, and treat each child as one of their own. They provide a stimulating environment and ensure that there is lots going on throughout the day to meet each child's individual needs. I am quite happy and confident that my child will be going there for many years to come!
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on 14/05/2010
The contents of this review are no longer available as the reviewer's account has been deleted.
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on 22/03/2010
Victoria looks after my 10yr old daughter, both her and her family Gareth and her 2 children have welcomed my daughter like shes part of the family, to the point were she doesnt want to come home at night she enjoys it so much.
When dropping my daughter off in a morning and in the evening we are always greeted with a warm smile and hello and this never falters with them both.
Both Victoria and Gareth ensure that the health and well-being of the children in their care is paramount and go beyond their job as childminders in doing this.
Their home is lovely and they provide a wide range activities and nourishing meals that is enjoyed by my daughter and the other children.
I would highly recommend Victoria and Gareth as childminders and my daughter will be with them for a while yet which i am happy about.
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on 22/03/2010
