Our son has been with Ioana and the team for 3 months and we have been really pleased.

Ioana, Slavka Frain (also a childminder) and the other staff are so caring to the children (and also to me when I was so nervous and emotional about leaving my child!). The place is so friendly and loving, with the children cared for tenderly and getting lots of engagement from Ioana and her assistants. If any child gets upset they are reassured with cuddles. For me, this is really important.

Our son has settled really well, and bonded with Ioana and her assistants. The children do lots of activities together - arts, songs, music, games, stories and outside play in the garden (where there is a slide amongst other fun toys). It's lovely that the children are of different ages - it makes for a natural community. The children eat together and are taught to wash hands.

The setting itself is lovely. It occupies the ground floor of a house, with several rooms for different activities plus the garden outside. Ioana works with Slavka Frain. They make a great team together with the assistants. It is like a mini-nursery, with the advantages of a nursery (lots of activities and other children to play with / learn from / teach) at the same time as maintaining an intimate and homely environment.

Whoever welcomes us in the morning always asks in the morning for how our son is doing to check if there is anything they need to know about. Ioana gives us a quick verbal update each evening (especially if there is anything that we need to know e.g. if he hasn't been so good at eating that day) with a summary sheet of naps, nappy changes and eating and drinking. She also puts on parents' evenings every 6 months when there is time for a longer discussion and seeing the book she puts together of pictures and commentary on your child's time there. We enjoyed seeing our son's book for the first time recently!

I'm so pleased we found this wonderful place. We're very happy with Ioana, Slavka and the team! - and so is our son!

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication