I just wanted to add a thanks to nursery room and the office staff for all the great tapestry. I really appreciate how much tapestry is done, as I know how busy it gets. It always puts a smile on my face to see Etta, and the other children, enjoying the activities, doing yoga or out in the garden. If you could pass on my thanks I would be grateful.
Viewing the tapestry sent to me by Stables of my child enjoying activities and playing with her friends puts a big smile on my face. I am impressed with how many tapestries are uploaded of recent activities, yoga and outdoor fun, as I know their daily role is extremely busy. I love seeing the variety of unusual activities that she gets to take part in and the unique themes of the week.
Stables is a great environment for children and families alike – supportive, flexible and caring, with wonderful outdoor space. Caroline and team listen to your needs and are there to help.
Dear Stables
Thank you appreciate the feedback, the tapestry photos and all the hard work. Our kids are adjusting wonderfully!!
10 out of 10!!
I just wanted to write to say thank you so very much for the lovely graduation ceremony yesterday for pre school leavers 2023! We have been so impressed over the years with the level of care. I particularly want to mention a few members of staff: Michelle ( who has known Baxter since he was 8 weeks old when she worked at Nizels) who has been such a lovely human being and has been so incredibly kind and caring with Baxter. She has always been such a positive and fun loving individual who so obviously cares about the kids she looks after. We salute her! What a star. I also want to mention Amy and Georgina. ( and Georgia but she has obviously departed!) who are complete and utter stars! They were so funny with Baxter and just really understood him as a person and a human. Again they were always incredibly well humoured and professional in their approach to us as a family. Worth their weight in gold. You have a truly wonderful provision and it feels like yesterday that we came to look around it and KNEW that Baxter would be happy with you and looked after – so thank you. I have to say I did shed a tear or two yesterday – it was a delight. Such lovely surprises in the bag of goodies which must have taken hours worth of work. So thank you. With all our best wishes and thanks,
Please pass on our personal thanks to the chef. Bertie eats so well on his nursery days.
Also, Est and I attended the parents consultation with Michelle last night. I was struck by her significant experience, compassion and approach. We are so pleased with how Bertie gets on at Stables and Michelle was thoughtful, insightful and so encouraging. I am so reassured that he is in such safe hands. Please pass on our thanks to Michelle, Georgina, Ellie and all the staff in Kindie and Preschool and of course Amy, whom I know Bertie will miss when she moves rooms! He genuinely loves being there and has such fun. That gives us such peace of mind.
I just wanted to thank Kayleigh for the meeting last night about Zander’s progress and development. We are so impressed with Kayleigh and the rest of your team and could not recommend The Stables more. It is honestly one of the hardest things for us moving away knowing that Zander will be leaving The Stables; we could not ask for a better place for him to grow and develop in and are so grateful for the care that he has received from you and your outstanding team. So thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything.
My daughter Amelie joined the Kindie room in December at age 2 and 9 months, having been at a different nursery since age 9 months. With the support of the staff team in the Kindie and Pre-school rooms, she has settled in so quickly, and is actively excited to go into nursery each day and to see her friends and the team. One thing I’ve particularly noticed is that her confidence has come on leaps and bounds since she joined – her old nursery described her as quite a shy child, whereas at Stables, the opposite is true. As a ‘child of a pandemic’, this is such a positive development for her and it’s clear the team have a real connection with her.
We are also seeing lovely developments with her learning – she is now able to write the first two letters of her name, and has been supported in her early reading as she can know read some simple CVC words. She loves spending so much time outdoors and exploring nature, whether that’s ice puddles or frogs hiding under logs!
We are so glad and grateful we made the move to Stables.
So grateful that we found Stables. The staff are so knowledgeable about childcare and development but, most importantly, they are all very kind and fun and my son adores them. They are great at dealing with all stages and giving feedback and helpful advice when needed.
I can see the difference in my son after a year with them. He is learning and developing all the time. I especially love all the outside time they get and the obvious thought that goes into planning activities for them. There is clearly a lot of effort put in by everyone and I feel like they get to know each child there.
As a teacher & a mum of attachment babies, I never thought I would find a nursery that was right or good enough for my children. I couldn’t have been more wrong. From the moment I walked around Stables, I knew it was the perfect place for my children. You can just feel the care & love from the staff by being there. Not only do we get an in-depth report at the end of every day, but the updates on tapestry are also so reassuring & lovely to see. The staff go above & beyond always, but particularly during the pandemic, they created a sense of normal for the children & the staff worked to ensure the nursery could stay open as much as possible to provide childcare & a fun environment. Both my children wouldn’t be put down as babies & found it hard to be apart from me for any length of time, so I was naturally anxious about sending them to nursery, but they adore coming. My 3 year old will always ask about going back during the holidays. And my son beams at staff in the morning when dropped off. I am already feeling emotional about my daughter leaving this summer. The staff are helpful & efficient in communication, as well as highly flexible with hours & nothing is too much for them. The children do brilliant activities, as well as spending loads of time outside. They even see animals daily which is such a magical experience. The food is always fresh & the menu is varied. Being invited into forest school to get a taster for what the preschoolers do was wonderful. I look forward to my children making many more happy memories at Stables, and have in fact recommended it to parents who now send their children there.
Alfred joined Stables baby room during the pandemic. All staff did an excellent job helping to reassure me and help me feel comfortable leaving Alfred, who is an incredibly attached human! All staff in the baby room, toddler room and now nursery room are incredibly caring and supportive towards Alfred and his emotions, his quirks and how he behaves. All of the staff always share what Alfred’s day has been like, and how he has been emotionally. On days when he was upset at being left they would always ring me to let me know how he is getting on. As he has moved through the rooms at Stables his development is clear as is the different planning, activities and experiences. It is well tailored to his age and development. He is thriving at nursery and this would not be the case if Alfred didn’t have the care, attention and support of the staff around him.
Our son has been at stables for a year and a half and we cannot express enough the wonderful care he receives at stables, from the wonderful nursery nurses in preschool, to the other members of staff who all know Edward by name and the wonderfully helpful office staff and managers!
We initially had our son at another nursery, but after only one x 3 hour session, we just didn’t feel comfortable leaving him there. We then came across stables and from the first reply to my email, to my first meeting, the staff could not have been more welcoming, warm, supportive and reassuring. My son settled from his first settling in session there, which speaks volumes, and has been so happy there he often isn’t in a hurry to leave! . He especially loves all of the outdoor activities, especially visits to the forest.
I have, and will continue to, recommend Stables to anyone looking for an exceptional nursery with amazing staff and facilities.
Our son will be starting school in September and we will be VERY sad to say goodbye to stables, but we will be very grateful for our confident and happy toddler who has thrived and learned so much under their wonderful care. A special mention to “Amy” and “Michelle” in particular who have spent a lot of time with Edward and who he adores, as well as Vicky and Catherine for dealing with my frequent phone calls!
I had a son that previously attended Stables but left in August 2021, before starting school. I also have a son who is in the Kindie room, who has been with Stables for the last eighteen months. Both of my boys have been so happy at Stables and this is is for various reasons.
Firstly, the staff always put the child first. They ensure the children are happy and safe in all situations and if not. They always ensure each child’s needs are met, however individual these may be. For example, my eldest found it very hard to settle for naps at first but the staff team really listened when working out a plan. They communicate very effectively which reassures parents and shows their in-depth knowledge and care for each child. For example, even knowing how many potatoes your child may have eaten at handover!
Secondly, the varied curriculum they offer the children ensure they constantly learning, challenged and inspired. The outdoor learning has been invaluable for my two. They gain such an insight into the wider world and their excitement of telling me what they have been up to or seen in the forest brings about such joy in their understanding. From meeting goats to frogs and even looking after bunnies or chicks, they have all brought their learning and understanding into context.
Thirdly, as working parents, Stables have always shown such flexibility in meeting our needs as parents. I have always been so impressed with how Caroline has accommodated changes of timings for my boys without much notice or if I’ve needed more days/less days. There has never been a grumble either and whenever I’ve phoned the office, I’ve always been so impressed by their cheerfulness!
Finally, I have had the pleasure of teaching a few children from Stables over the years, in my role as Year 2 teacher/Deputy Head at an nearby school. I can confidently say that the children who have transitioned from Stables to Reception class have shown such independence and resilience. They have not found the school day too tiring, they start activities without the need of an adult to support them, yet also knowing they can ask one if needs be. They have simply slotted into school life quite comfortably and more easily than some other children coming from other early years providers.
Overall, I couldn’t be happier with Stables as a daycare and education provider.
Baxter McLeod-Jones started at The Stables after the first lockdown was lifted. So around September 2020 – he is now in kindie! We can’t believe it! Baxter adores The Stables. My husband and I absolutely loved it from the first moment we came to look around. The spaces are fabulous and are used so wisely. Also Caroline showed us around and we just loved her passion and ethos. We were looking for outside space, forest school vibes, longevity with staff. Baxter has had only three key workers for the three rooms he’s been in – Jude, Lynsey. Now Georgia ( & Georgina some days when Georgia is elsewhere ?!!) He has loved every single one. Georgia I think may be his favourite as he calls her “my Georgia!” Pretty sure he thinks she is his best friend! He has come on so much as a little person and just has a fabulous time. His speech is developing and hearing him talk about his day is just wonderful! We also love the forest school days and getting to see what they are up to on tapestry. The pictures and little clips are such a great way of communicating with parents. On a side note the policy updates, newsletter and details at pick up are always really welcome too. It’s very efficient! One thing for us was we wanted Baxter to feel comfortable, happy and safe. It goes beyond this. He is nurtured and he is completely understood as a child but also as a human. His personality shines through. Only recently he told me in the morning “I off to nursery today” and then is super excited. We often laugh about the great times he has ( dancing, creative activities, after tea discos and Xmas party for example), his chattiness about his day or friends and the fact he comes home covered in muck and paint – in a really good way!!!!! We don’t know the secret magic but it should be bottled as it’s such a unique setting. Additionally I’ve sometimes popped Baxter in for an extra few days here and there which shows the flexibility of the system. The kids are so happy. The staff are absolutely lovely. We will all be so sad when he will have to leave…( genuinely devastated!) Anyway I’ll leave it there.
We first started as a family with Stables around six years ago, when our son (now in Y2, then aged about 1) started in baby room. He remained at Stables until he left to go to school. Our daughter started in baby room when she was nine months old and has gone through the various rooms. She is now in pre-school. Both attended for at least four days per week and so we have had a lot of exposure to Stables and its staff for a considerable period of time.
We could not recommend it highly enough as a nursery.
First, the nature and effect of Caroline’s leadership is very clear. She is not someone who undertook her qualifications in childcare years ago and has simply moved on to deal with the business side of things. Rather, what is apparent to us over the years, is that she seeks to look for new ideas, methods and approaches which might help to develop the children in her care while ensuring that such methods are adapted to meet the ethos of Stables and that where these are implemented it is done with real care. She was an early adopter of the forest school concept and it was already well established as a part of nursery life when my son joined Stables. She has had a consistent emphasis on the importance of outdoor learning and instils this in both staff and children and the children obviously benefit from the physical setting of the nursery in terms of location and access to outside space. In some ways it is a pity that the inspection is taking place at this time of year: driving up to nursery on a summer’s afternoon with the children all in the various outdoor areas (especially when the yurt is present for the older children) and it is little short of idyllic.
The leadership team plainly place a significant focus on the development of staff at the nursery. Over the years we have seen staff progress through their childcare qualifications to develop their own learning which obviously is of real benefit to the children too.
The children are well cared for at nursery – not only in the sense of their immediate needs being met, but there is a real sense of care among all of the staff. They all know the names of the children (whether they are in their classes or not) and the outside space and ethos offers a really good opportunity for children and staff to integrate and interact.
It is plain that there are very clear expectations for the staff in terms of their care of the children. For example, there is an expectation that staff do not stand around chatting to each other (which I understand may happen elsewhere) and it is plain that this expectation is embedded to ensure that it is carried through. Staff are always playing and interacting with children when we pick up our children (one of the advantages of the flexible timings approach that stables offers is that we will collect at different times of the day – that means that there is an opportunity to see how nursery operates not just at a “best behaviour” pick up time).
The children are provided with a variety of interesting and informative activities which change each month. Nursery clearly communicates through their newsletters the topics and activities to be covered each month and it is clear from the tapestry notifications provided that these are carried through. The activities are well thought through to develop a range of skills and interests – in recent times our daughter has come home singing the water cycle song and the pantosaurus to give some examples. There is a clear focus on skill development and numbers and phonics are introduced in a gentle but consistent way. Children are also helped to deal with the transition from nursery to school in a kind and thoughtful way, with opportunities to meet new teachers, to see new uniforms etc. Our son went to school ahead of many of his peers in terms of literacy and numeracy because of this focus and with a real sense of confidence that came from the skills that nursery had helped develop. We have no doubt that the same will happen when our daughter starts school in September.
In addition children are encouraged to develop social skills: meal times are at the table which encourages good interaction and we frequently hear examples of the sorts of behaviours modelled at nursery repeated back to us at home “sharing is caring”, teamwork featuring for example at tidy up time and “kind hands”. Children are encouraged to develop a sense of responsibility in helping as well as having fun. Where there are – rarely – issues that arise (such as in relation to a child hurting another) these are tackled clearly but appropriately by nursery and the children are supported to encourage better decision making in the future.
In summary, we couldn’t recommend Stables highly enough. It has an excellent, caring ethos which focusses on supporting and developing children (and staff) and constantly strives to ensure that it is delivering the very best for the children who attend.
George is my third child, and all three of my children have been to Stables. I want to share with you what a positive experience they have all had there.
George was born at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, and so when he started nursery at the beginning of 2021, he had never been left with anyone else, and hadn’t actually really been inside many other places, certainly not without one of us. Yet, Stables endeavoured to make it as normal as possible for us all. George settled in very quickly, becoming very attached to his key worker, Laura. They try their best to get to know the children and are quick to help wherever possible. I love the fact they get 1 year old George to go to their Forest School and meet the animals. They go for walks and just pick up leaves etc. It is also fantastic how much time they spend outside together. George now asks every day “Jayne, Jude”, who are the two staff in his room now. He would be there everyday if he could, I think!! They really care about him and his development. Some of the staff even looked after my eldest son when he started 9 years ago; what great continuity!
I want to finish by saying that Stables might not be a shiny, modern building, but in my opinion, it isn’t the building that makes a good nursery, it is the staff (both in the office and in the rooms) and general ethos, and I can honestly tell you that I wholeheartedly believe that the staff here work their hardest and do an excellent job at caring for, and helping the children develop in every way possible.
I’d love to feedback on stables – my daughter is in pre-school and my eldest also attended. Both started as babies and attended 4 days/ week from 07:30-18:00. Stables facility is great – it has such good outdoor space and the focus on the kids being outdoors has been a real high point for us. Our two girls love playing outside and using their imagination on this way.
The staff are great – the staff who we’ve known best and who stay the longest are those who genuinely care and get to know the children well. We felt comfortable even through the last 2 years that the kids were the focus and safe with the team.
The nursery offers great flexibility and service for working parents.
The team regularly adapt and update their activities, approach and policies and it is evident the team are continually learning and bringing in new things.
Happy to recommend the nursery to anyone.
I just wanted to comment on the amazing support we’ve had in settling my son Spencer in at Stables since he joined last September. He hadn’t attended daycare before and is very shy so used to be in tears but the staff have been brilliant in reassuring him, trying to help him join in and he now comes out chatting happily in the car about his day. I’ve been really impressed by the amount of detail they give at pickup time as they seem to thoroughly get to know the children and genuinely care.
My daughter has been part of the Stables community for almost a year. She is currently in the babies room.
From the moment my daughter started Stables my husband and I have been so impressed with all aspects of the daycare.
Right at the start, the initial transition time was of a high standard, where time was taken to get to know my daughter and her needs. Daily communication from the babies staff has provided us with all the key information and ensured my daughter is always happy to come into nursery. I know she is well looked after in terms of her safety and if there are any issues of illness or accidents messages are delivered swiftly.
The staff are highly skilled, kind and caring. I really feel they all know and care for my daughter.
Leaving your child to go back to work is is hard however it my mind was quickly put at ease knowing how happy my daughter is at Stables. I would recommend Stables to anyone.
My two children have been attending Stables for over 3 years, and between them we have experienced every room in the setting.
We are absolutely delighted with Stables. They are committed, professional, caring and well-organised. The setting is very well led and run, and the administration is excellent. We love the way Stables prioritises the needs of both children and parents. In particular their unique approach to flexibility of hours is hugely helpful as a working parent as we can choose the hours that work for us.
Communication from Stables is first rate, from the monthly newsletters to regular email updates and clear communication of changes to policies. We used Stables throughout the Covid pandemic and their communication was always timely and empathetic, with their plans always well thought-through and explained clearly. Tapestry updates are uploaded semi-regularly and give a glimpse of the activities the children have undertaken. Planning of activities and themes for learning is set out clearly in the newsletters.
Our experience with Stables has always been that they treat each child as an individual and get to know their likes, dislikes and passions. Their child-led approach works brilliantly, with activities designed to follow their interests. Stables have really invested in their outdoor space, with Forest school, the paddock area and the secret garden offering different and varied outdoor experiences. My eldest (now at reception) loves nature and often came home from Stables excited about the frog they had found or the spider they had spent time watching. Stables staff always ensure that the children spend as much time as possible outside.
My son has been attending Stables Daycare since November 2021 and is currently in the baby room. I can honestly say it is an amazing setting that is just right for him, all the staff are incredibly focused on the Children’s welfare, learning and their development. From the first day I dropped my son off (he was 10 months old) I felt relaxed and knew he was in amazing hands. Edward absolutely loves all the staff in his room and gets incredibly excited when he sees them at drop off in the morning. In the 4 months he has been attending the nursery his development in play, eating and general learning has amazed us and he is now a very confident little boy. With regular updates on Tapestry I can see that no day is ever the same for him which for him and us is incredible.
We think Stables is incredible and an excellent setting for children which offers so much outdoor space.
I’ve had 2 children attend Stables. My 4 year old son who attends now has been coming since he was 3 months old. I trusted Stables to look after him at such a young age because I could see how attentive and caring they were and this still shines through now. I’ve always liked the amount of activities offered (indoor and outdoor) their flexibility and the low staff turnover which means we, kids and parents, feel confident in building relationships.
I’d like to thank all the staff at Stables for all their hard work!
Our experience at Stables has been absolutely fantastic. Our son is a curious, spirited and energetic individual and sometimes his behaviour can be a little challenging, but the staff at Stables work so well with him. He often comes home full of excitement about the activities he has done; this evening he told me all about his pancake races. He also comes up with things we haven’t taught him such as “listening ears” so he is obviously learning new things there. The forest school element of the nursery is brilliant and we know he loves this activity. We are so glad we found this nursery and know it is helping our son to thrive and grow.
We wanted to drop you a note to thank you all as a team for the experience Ada had at Stables.
Ada has left Stables a very confident and social little girl. We wanted to thank you all for all the care and nurturing of Ada, she has had a magnificent time and we really appreciate all the experiences she got like forest school, learning with the animals and endless outdoor activities.
We are most grateful though for the imagination, energy, love and care that she received from all the staff throughout her journey which meant she was more often disappointed to come home rather than hesitant to go in!
I can tell given that Ernest starts leaping out of my arms in excitement before I get to the nursery door in the mornings that his journey will be the same, so thank you.
Best wishes to all for 2022 and hopefully Ada will see everyone at Holiday club.
Our son spent two extremely happy years at Stables Nursery. The nursery is very welcoming and supportive of the children: from the owner to the support staff, everyone is friendly. Previously he had been in a large corporate nursery in London which was completely different and much less intimate. At Stables our son enjoyed the outside learning experiences, especially the forest school and used to come home exhausted and happy. He particularly bonded well with the pre-school staff Holly and Amy, who were extremely patient and caring with him. We would have no hesitation in recommending Stables to any prospective parent in the area.
Long before searching for a nursery for our daughter, an environment like the Stables is exactly what we hoped to find. We were completely delighted to learn that such a setting did exist locally; the Stables is all we could have wished for and more for our daughter. The staff are attentive, caring and absolutely dedicated to ensuring children are happy and thriving. The activities and setting constantly evolve and improve in order to make the daily experience the best possible for the children who attend.
We love drop off and pick up, seeing our child so confident and thrilled to be there. We feel part of a family and network at The Stables and could not endorse the nursery more.
We have been very happy with Stables Daycare for both our daughters. The staff are all so warm and caring and it has been lovely to see their relationships grow with our children. Compared to other nurseries, the staff turnover seems much lower which provides consistency for the children. The outdoor space is amazing and the children really enjoy the forest school. We really value the flexibility of being able to choose our hours and the nursery is always accommodating to changes and extra days where possible.
Our son Serik attended Stables nursery for about twelve months, before going up to school reception class this September (2020). While a bit apprehensive to begin with (changing nurseries) , the care and attention he received helped him to settle in quickly.
We have praise for the people who looked after him during his time at Stables. We noticed he developed well while at the nursery: group play and social interactions. He really liked the Forest School activities – llamas, goat, learning about bugs under logs, climbing about and watching frog spawn develop. Access to a part of Fosse Bank School’s playing fields to run around in, and spending the Summer in a real Yurt was a big plus. And there are big trees with acorns and conkers to collect.
Our second child will follow his brother soon to Stables nursery, so the reader can see we recommend Stables Daycare.
I just wanted to say how touched and delighted I was by all the efforts made for Grace’s graduating class. She came home today full of smiles and chat about balloons and customised hats, with her little photo album of her last year or so at Stables, and it’s all just lovely. What thoughtful, careful touches to treasure from her time here. And happy memories.
It was such an emotional pick up today after Phoebe’s last day at Stables. Big hugs to you all. We would like to say a huge thank you for your amazing care and nurturing for both our girls over the last 4 years. We cannot begin to describe how appreciative we are for the amazing experiences Phoebe has had over the years especially the trips to the outdoor learning with the animals, fun in the field and washing the babies!
Ella is so happy every time she goes to nursery. Stables is an amazing nursery and an amazing location. We love the focus on outdoor play and outdoor learning. Ella loves going to forest school to see the animals and the stables family are so lovely and kind. The children are always so happy and kind at Stables which is a credit to you all as it is such a nuturing environment for them.
Can I just thank you for Marlo’s first day back, and your communication throughout this time. We are so fortunate we could have her looked after at home and she was so so thrilled to come back and see her friends before school starts and she won’t see them again. You guys have just been amazing, you have kept us informed throughout and worked so much harder to remain open and supportive compared with other settings, I know some have had the capacity to support their community and refused, whereas you guys have gone above and beyond to cater to as many as possible, so thank you.
Our daughter has been at Stables since her first birthday, and they have supported her wonderfully at every stage. She’ll be off to school in September as a confident, sociable and thoughtful young girl, no small measure of which is down to the care and love she has had at Stables over the past four years. There are many practical things that make Stables excellent: the huge outdoor space; the forest school across the road; the varied and imaginative use of the indoor space; the secret garden; the flexibility of hours (and potential for term-time only); the out of town location (no fighting through traffic). But the best thing is the staff. Such experience, imagination, love and care, and a remarkably low turnover in the four years we’ve been there. We can ask for nothing more. Thank you so much for all you’ve done.
Caroline,
You and your team have been outstanding with our son over the last 2 years. THANK YOU!!!
He has grown so much in confidence and absolutely loved his time at Stables. Fredo has made great friends and thoroughly enjoyed forest school!
We are all very sad that his time with Fran and team has come to an end but feel that he is well prepared to start school.
He will attend one last time on Thursday (It was booked in a couple of week ago).
Many, many thanks for the amazing care at Stables and wishing you all the very best for the future.
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT STABLES DAYCARE:
- The all weather, outdoor play policy.
- The way Margot always gets a warm, happy welcome which means she’s almost always pleased to come to you.
- Pictures on Tapestry which provide a priceless insight into this aspect of Margot’s life, and her friendships.
- The atmosphere is lovely and it feels like a party every day – again, this means Margot loves coming to daycare.
- Music being on in the rooms / lots of singing plus song of the month / creativity and art works coming home so we can bridge between here and daycare.
- The way staff encourage friendship amongst the children / the absence of bullying.
- The staff in general! We are always so well informed about our Margot, and the excellent communication includes helpful monthly letters / website info.
- Food – it’s delicious, brilliant quality, Margot’s able to have seconds, it’s very healthy and also tempting.
- Supervised mixing of ages e.g. when Margot gets to gently play with the babies or learn from the older children outdoors.
- The range and thought which goes into activities which have a lovely overarching theme.
- Safety and amount of toys available.
- Messy play, which Margot adores and which we don’t have to do at home if she does it with you!
- Cleanliness and cheery atmosphere in the rooms.
- The fact that Margot’s name is always used when staff say “hello” and “goodbye”, and that all staff know all of the children.
- How kind, helpful and flexible you are re extra hours / when we’re running late. We cannot overstate how much we appreciate this.
- Cooperation between staff who communicate well with each other as well as with the children.
- No fuss, spare clothing found if we’ve forgotten something.
- That we are able to talk about a concern really easily, and it’s taken seriously and addressed / resolved perfectly.
- Our child is always happy, dry (nappy), and full of joy about her day.
- When Margot talks about her friends, she says staff names as well as her peers which is just lovely.
- The bottom line being, we trust you with the most important person in our world and can get on with our day without worry when she is in your care.
WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED:
- Margot is unusual in how much liquid she needs, but sometimes she is very thirsty when she gets home. Rather than a water bottle just being available, which we know you’re very good at providing, if she could be encouraged to drink when she forgets to do so, (especially later in the afternoon), that would be perfect.
Francesca is Isabel’s key worker, and we are delighted that Isabel is lucky enough to fall under her care. We have always found her extremely competent and caring and genuinely interested in Isabel’s wellbeing and development. She is a real asset to Stables.
Similarly, Eddie is very happy in toddler room with Robanna. She is very caring and Eddie clearly feels comfortable and secure with her.
It is a huge help to us to know that both of the children are happy and safe at Stables, largely due to their excellent care.
Many thanks as well for all of the flexibility you have been able to offer. It has been very much appreciated.”
I must put this down in writing now- otherwise I will forget to do it. We cannot thank you enough for your care of Olivia over this past year. She has absolutely flourished in the baby and now toddler room. We went on holiday with a child who has not been in nursery (and who was 6 months older than Olivia) and the difference was incredibly noticeable- prompting me to write this with pride.
Olivia was interacting with other children and playing really well, she was eating well using her cutlery independently at the table in restaurants and sharing toys and books when asked too. It was the social interaction that was the most noticeable (the other child kept pushing Olivia over! All a bit awkward) Olivia was just a bit confused as to why this was happening!
Anyway all these skills (and more) that she has learnt we are ever so proud of and she is becoming a kind a clever little girl (long may this continue) these are skills attributable to your team and thus a big thank you!”
Also, whilst Karlea does not look after Lena, she has been a brilliant in meeting our (sometimes very) short notice requests for extra hours, she always responds to our queries and requests professionally and promptly.
We are constantly recommending Stables to friends and colleagues and hope that Stables continues to thrive and grow.”
We have also been very impressed by the flexibility Stable offers parents. We have needed to make various changes to hours and days over the months – some planned and others more last minute. In every instance, the staff have been truly helpful and accommodating, enabling us to solve problems and have our son looked after in a consistent way.
This flexibility is so supportive for a busy commuting mother and helps to relief the pressure and worry. I have yet to hear of another nursery in the area that has such an offering.”
I have often recommended stables to others and will continue to do so. I have never once had a “no” from Karlea or Becky when I’ve asked to swap dates, add extra hours or any requests at short notice and this kind of flexibility makes life so much easier for a working parent.
The fact that the ‘stables way’ is to encourage maximum outdoor play is something I also strongly believe in – neither child ever really caught colds, coughs or any infections as such (apart from the obligatory chicken pox!) And I credit this to the fresh air and healthy attitude you instilled on the staff and kids.
I thank everyone for their parts in caring for the boys but with Adam, in particular I’d like to thank Becky, Midge and Jenny for their parts in settling him at each transition, for being nurturing and caring, not clinical.”