My son has been going to Paula's 3 days per week since he was 9 months old. As a new mother, I was very nervous about placing him in childcare when I returned to work, but Paula made it easy for me to feel confident dropping him off from the start. Her home is warm and welcoming, and my son was made to feel like one of the family from day one. We have been so happy with the progress he has made there - interacting with other children in such a positive and nurturing atmosphere has been wonderful for his self-confidence and social skills.

Paula has a warm, natural, laid-back manner with the children and interacts with them as real people, which helps bring out their personalities and builds their self- esteem. Shannon, her assistant, is enthusiastic and energetic, always ready to get down to the level of the kids and engage with them in play. They are both sensitive and responsive to the children, always modelling good manners and able to use their authority in constructive ways (e.g. redirection rather than punishment). It is no surprise that all of the children in the setting appear happy, relaxed, and confident - they all show respect for one another, and if ever one of them is upset for any reason, the others are encouraged to quickly cheer them up (and they do!). It is obvious that my son enjoys and looks forward to the time he spends there and that he feels a strong sense of belonging.

The setting is highly professional and well thought-out, with toys/books placed at children’s eye-level, and displays of their work/photos on the walls. There is a large garden space with a well-equipped play area. The downstairs area is open-plan and overlooks the garden, making it easy to observe the children at all times. There are always a variety of creative activities organised for the kids (e.g. baking, arts and crafts, seasonal activities) and they often come home displaying crafts they have made.

Paula is always communicative throughout the day, sending regular updates and photos of the day's activities (in addition to keeping detailed records on the development of each child). Paula and Shannon make a wonderful team and choosing them for childcare was the best decision I could have made.
The standard of care they provide is second to none and I cannot praise them highly enough. I don’t know what I would do without them!!

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• Setting
• Cleanliness
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• Communication