I genuinely don’t know how to put into words how highly we rate Dionne and her incredible team. Our son has been with Dionne from 9 months old until 3½, and as he now leaves to start preschool, I can honestly say finding her was one of the best things that could have happened to our family.
Dionne is quite simply one of the kindest, warmest, most nurturing and hardworking women you could ever hope to entrust your child to. She has created the most extraordinary little setting and is surrounded by an amazing team in Crystal, Reysha and Catherine, who have all loved and cared for Alfie so genuinely over the years. They have felt like an extension of our family.
If you are looking at the setting and wondering whether the fact it is based in a flat limits what the children experience, please don’t give it a second thought. I am constantly astounded by what Dionne manages to create there. The size of the space bears absolutely no relation to the size of the experience these children have. It is warm, happy, stimulating and absolutely packed with activities, learning, laughter and love plus they are out exploring the world constantly.
The children’s days are incredible. There are trips to parks, museums, libraries, farms and playgrounds, adventures further afield, endless arts and crafts, themed activities and celebrations around different cultures, festivals and important events. Dionne is endlessly imaginative and somehow keeps every day different, interesting and engaging. Our son has experienced SO much in his three years there.
And then there is the food! Dionne cooks the most amazing, varied, proper home-cooked meals for the children. The effort she puts into feeding them well is just another example of how she never does anything by halves. She goes above and beyond in absolutely everything she does.
Most importantly though, the children are loved. There is such warmth in that setting. Our son has grown from a baby into a happy, confident, funny, curious and incredibly kind little boy during his time there, and Dionne, Crystal, Reysha and Catherine have played such an important part in that. Knowing every morning that I was leaving him with women who genuinely knew him, loved him, cuddled him, encouraged him and celebrated him has been completely priceless.
Dionne has also been unbelievably flexible with our family. My partner and I have complicated and sometimes unpredictable working schedules and I genuinely don't know how we would have managed the last three years without her. She has gone above and beyond for us time and time again in a way I don't think we would ever have found elsewhere.
There is something very special about what Dionne has built. No one ever quite believes me when I tell them how amazing our childminder is or about everything the children get up to! She pours an unbelievable amount of energy, imagination and love into these children and the team she has built around her is a testament to her.
We are absolutely heartbroken to be leaving as our son starts preschool. It is incredibly emotional saying goodbye to people who have helped you raise your baby and who have been such a huge part of his earliest years.
If you are considering sending your child to Dionne, I genuinely cannot recommend her highly enough. Don't be distracted by the fact that the setting is in a flat, what is inside those four walls, and the enormous world Dionne creates for the children beyond them, is more than we could ever have hoped for.
We have all been so unbelievably lucky to have had Dionne, Crystal, Reysha and Catherine in our lives and we will be grateful to them forever. Five stars doesn't really feel enough.

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication