Layla absolutely loves attending Go Bananas Pre-School and we have been extremely happy with our choice of pre-school. We initially viewed almost every pre-school and nursery in the area but were immediately made to feel comfortable when we visited Go Bananas; we felt from the beginning that our daughter would be safe and well looked after here, as well as having her learning and development needs addressed. The staff were amazing when we looked around, making an enormous effort to ensure we were comfortable and well informed even though they were technically closed due to the first coronavirus lockdown. They really went the extra mile to make us feel welcome, such as having her name spelt out in toys, and this left such a great first impression; the staff continue to do things like this week in and week out to make each child feel extremely special. The staff learn the personalities of each child who attends and know exactly how to engage with them, for example they know how to deal with Layla when she’s getting too excited and needs calming down (which happens at least once a day!). They are never patronising and treat the children as individuals, speaking to them firmly but fairly. Each week has a specific theme around which the activities are based, which we have found helps keep Layla engaged and keen to attend, as well as tailoring new toys and activities to the preferences of the children who attend. One thing we were worried about was that Go Bananas doesn't have any outdoor space (although they are currently working to build a safe outdoor space for the children) but they go out for walks most days which we feel is great as it teaches Layla how to act whilst by roads and also allows her plenty of time to play outdoors. They also have the benefit of being attached to the Go Bananas indoor soft play area, which they are often allowed to use throughout the day. The staff don’t shy away from letting the children be children, which might sound silly but other pre-schools/nurseries we visited did not seem to let the children partake in activities such as messy play; Layla comes home messy most days and often has soaking clothes in her bag from puddle jumping (the kids are changed once coming back from their outdoors adventures) but won't stop talking about how much fun she had. I think the real testament is Layla saying she loves going and is always excited to attend, often asking if she’s allowed to go pre-school on days when she doesn't normally attend. Throughout the pandemic they have also reassured us by giving us any timely updates as needed and maintaining contact with us throughout all stages of the pandemic. The staff also all wear masks/visors and clean thoroughly between groups. I honestly cannot think of a bad word to say about the pre-school, each member of staff is absolutely brilliant and we want to thank Angela, Sarah and the rest of the team for providing such a safe and stimulating space for our daughter.

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