Hazel

Final transition review.

My son started attending Little Achievers Croydon Childcare in April 2024, when he was 2 years and 3 months old. He has been part of this wonderful setting for over two years, and this has been a very important and positive experience during his early years. I originally chose Hazel as my childcare provider because I immediately loved the nursery environment, especially the garden, the welcoming atmosphere and the homely feeling of the setting. Hazel’s friendly, warm and approachable personality made me feel confident that my son would be cared for in a safe, loving and nurturing environment.
When my son first started, it took him a little time to settle, but with Hazel’s patience, support and understanding, he adapted very well. Hazel helped him feel secure and comfortable, and she regularly shared photos with us so we could see how he was doing and feel reassured about his day. During his time at Little Achievers, I have seen amazing progress in my son’s development. His confidence has grown significantly, and his communication skills have improved greatly. When he started, he had a speech delay, but with Hazel’s personalised support, guidance and the strategies she shared with us, such as Bucket Time activities, he made wonderful progress with his speech and communication.
Hazel always took the time to understand my son’s personality, interests and individual needs. She recognised his love for trains and encouraged him to explore his interests while also providing many opportunities to learn new skills and experiences. My son has become much more independent during his time at Little Achievers. As he prepares to start school, he can now put on his shoes and coat by himself, use the toilet independently, eat independently and manage many of his own routines. He has become a very sociable child who enjoys playing and interacting with others. He has also improved in managing his emotions, and Hazel’s support has helped him develop greater confidence and emotional awareness. The activities provided at Little Achievers have always been suitable for my son’s age, stage of development, abilities and interests. Hazel provides a wonderful variety of educational, creative, sensory, physical and outdoor activities that encourage children to learn through play. My son has enjoyed exploring different activities and trying new experiences, which has helped him develop his skills and confidence.
The indoor and outdoor environment at Little Achievers is fantastic. The setting is clean, safe, organised and welcoming. There is enough space for children to play, learn, relax and explore. The garden is a wonderful area where children can enjoy outdoor play and physical activities regularly. The resources and toys are always high quality, well maintained and suitable for children’s ages and interests. There is a lovely balance between educational toys, imaginative play, creative activities and physical play, creating an environment where children feel happy, comfortable and settled.
The outings and outdoor experiences provided by Hazel have been one of the highlights of my son’s time at Little Achievers. She regularly takes the children on exciting adventures to places such as the beach, splash parks, farms and many other local places. These experiences have supported my son’s learning, confidence, social skills and understanding of the world. My son especially loves going to the beach, and these experiences have created many happy memories for him.

Regarding healthy eating, I always provided my son’s food, and Hazel has always supported positive and healthy eating habits. She encouraged a positive attitude towards food and respected his routines, preferences and needs. I appreciate the importance she gives to children’s wellbeing and healthy choices.
As a childcare provider, Hazel is truly exceptional. She is caring, patient, trustworthy, professional and incredibly supportive. She has provided my son with outstanding care and has always shown genuine love, understanding and dedication towards him. I feel completely confident and comfortable leaving my son in Hazel’s care because I know he is safe, valued and supported.
Hazel has always been reliable, consistent and committed to providing high-quality childcare. Her dedication and passion for her role are clear every day. The consistency of care she provides has helped my son feel safe, secure and settled.
Communication with Hazel has always been excellent. She listens to parents’ views, concerns and suggestions and always communicates in an open, respectful and professional way. She keeps us informed about our son’s day, activities, meals, progress and achievements through the parent group and regular updates, including photos. I have always felt involved and supported as a parent, and Hazel respects our family values, routines and choices.
What makes different Little Achievers Croydon Childcare so special is Hazel herself, her passion, dedication and the exceptional support she provides to every child create a setting where children feel happy, confident and encouraged to learn. She truly understands each child as an individual and helps them reach their full potential.
I would choose Little Achievers Croydon Childcare for my son again and again. Hazel will always have a special place in our hearts because of the positive impact she has had on my son’s life, confidence and development. I would highly recommend Hazel and Little Achievers to any family looking for a childcare setting where their child will be genuinely cared for, supported and encouraged to grow. Thank so much hazel we will miss so much.❤️

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by Selene g on 20/07/2026

Review after 2 years.

Hazel is a childminder professional especially because she has worked in a school, specifically in an Early Years classroom, so she knows how to support my son in getting ready for school. She, also helped my son with this transition, building his confidence for school readiness.she is really attentive, and genuinely caring with the kids. She gives each child personalised, one-to-one support and really understands their individual needs. For example, she helped my son a lot with his speech delay by working with him personally and giving me activities and tips to use at home. She also did activities like bucket time, which helped him so much that he no longer has any delay at all , now he talks like a little parrot.

I also really appreciate the outings she plans. Whether it’s summer or winter, there are always trips ,to the beach and many other places. It’s not like a regular nursery where kids just stay inside the setting all day. With Hazel, the children explore, learn, and go on new adventures all the time. After two years with her, my son has made incredible progress, and every single day I feel even more confident that he’s getting the best care possible. I totally and strongly recommend Hazel ,she’s honestly the best.

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by Selene g on 15/11/2025

Wonderful - highly recommend

Hazel is absolutely incredible and takes such amazing care of our little boy (15 months). Her setting is wonderful and there is so much space for the little ones to play, both inside and outside. She does so much with the children - our little boy always has a great time with Hazel and we have noticed how quickly he has developed. We are so glad we found this fantastic childminder and cannot recommend her highly enough.

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by Ellie on 10/11/2025

Response by Hazel on 10/11/2025:

Thank you so much for your lovely review! It’s been such a joy looking after your little one and seeing him grow in confidence every week. I’m really glad you’re happy with the Childminding setting and all the activities I do. I also truly appreciate how supportive you’ve been, especially in helping new parents feel comfortable and confident when trusting me with their little ones it really means a lot. 🌼🙏

That is the only childminder I trust!

Hazel has been amazing with my child. The setting feels so safe, friendly, and welcoming, and my little one always comes home happy after a fun day of activities indoors and outdoors. I really appreciate the updates and how well Hazel communicates, it makes me feel very involved and reassured. She’s great with supporting packed lunches, snacks, and drinks, and even has buggy space which is super handy. We’ve felt really supported and I’d definitely book again. I’d happily recommend Little Achievers Croydon Childcare to any parent, especially if it’s your first time using childcare.

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by Misha on 11/09/2025

Response by Hazel on 12/09/2025:

Thank you so much for your kind review. I’m delighted your little one feels happy and safe here, and that you feel supported and reassured. Your recommendation means a lot!

Lots of fun and learning opportunities

Hazel looked after my daughter throughout the summer. They did so many fun things together and had lots of outings including to a splash park, fire station and the beach. My daughter was quite unsettled at first as she was in a very clingy phase but Hazel helped her to settle in and kept me updated and reassured. She has a big focus on learning through play and is very imaginative in the activities she provides. I definitely can recommend Hazel as a great childminder.

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by Rachel on 05/09/2025

Outstanding in All Areas

Hazel’s setting will wow you. My husband was so impressed by the professional setup and the resources and facilities within the setting from the first visit, as well as Hazel’s calm, confident, reassuring manner.

For Hazel, childminding is clearly a vocation and the thought she puts into her activities and learning opportunities is so meticulous. Having worked in education and social care for the past 20 years I am so impressed with Hazel’s grasp of the EYFS curriculum and her ability to use play to build language, independence, creativity and confidence.

My daughter loves the opportunity she gets to build and make things in Hazel’s setting and she is proud of what she makes, excited to share it with us. Hazel uses play to teach about the wider world eg my daughter recently learnt about oceans and the importance or keeping the environment clean through a recycling activity and she brought this new understanding home. Hazel also promoted independence through a sock washing activity where children washed the socks and put them on the ‘washing line’. My daughter then showed an interest in the washing at home and putting her socks on independently!

Hazel is adept at taking children out on trips and excursions to parks, museums, lavender fields where she takes really professional photos, but my daughter is just as happy in the setting learning about healthy eating and counting, how to use cutlery safely and making friends with the other children.

We would recommend Hazel to anyone and feel so lucky to have found her and will be using her at every opportunity during my daughter’s pre school holidays

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by Alice on 13/05/2025

Response by Hazel on 14/05/2025:

Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. It’s been an absolute joy to care for your daughter; her enthusiasm, creativity, and curiosity make every day so rewarding. I’m so glad to hear how much she enjoys the activities and brings her learning home; that really is what it’s all about!

It means a great deal to me that you’ve noticed the care and planning that goes into each part of the setting, from the resources to the outings and daily routines. Your background in education and social care makes your feedback especially meaningful, and I truly appreciate the trust you’ve placed in me.

I’m already looking forward to welcoming her back during the school holidays and continuing our adventures in learning and play!

Warmest regards,
Hazel

Walm and welcoming childminder

Hazel was warm, welcoming, and clearly passionate about her setting. Communication was easy and the space was thoughtfully set up for young children. Would definitely recommend arranging a visit for families looking for a caring environment.

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by Del Del on 26/04/2025

Response by Hazel on 26/04/2025:

“Del Del, thank you so much for your amazing review! I’m absolutely thrilled that you felt the warmth and care that I put into my setting. It’s so important to me that every child and family feels at home here. Your kind words and recommendation really mean the world!”

Exit review: Excellent care, sad to leave!

My daughter spent 4 and a half months in the care of Hazel, and we are truly sad to say goodbye now that she has started school full time! We were truly blessed to have Hazel come into our lives and give such impeccable care and dedication. Hazels level of passion that was exhibited each day my daughter was in her care, was shown through her unwavering commitment to enrich my daughter’s learning and experience, through activities and outings. Each week was filled with joy, be it an outing to the beach or a trip to a Lavender field! I am grateful to have my daughter have the opportunity to have experienced new places during a time where I am unable to take her. As mentioned in my previous review , my daughter is outdoorsy and the diversity of activities kept her stimulated and happy throughout the summer. I also loved how each outing linked back to the learning focus that the children were doing. The level of professionalism and structure prepared my daughter well for her transition into school and I am happy to have found a setting that is able to follow a similar care structure that could help prepare my child for the next chapter, this was important to me.

My daughter was able to work on some important skills for her age group, such as cutting, writing her name and practicing her phonics. She was able to gain more focus and the practice greatly improved her skills during her time she spent in the setting, I feel assured that my daughter will have the level of preparedness I was keen for her to have when starting school. The combination of school and homely environment allowed my daughter to feel secure and comfortable, engaged and challenged. She was able to nap after a long morning of activities, which was helpful to her, as she was still getting used to long days. And the introduction to new foods helped to open her pallet and mind to trying new cuisine.

Looking back on all the photos over the summer to see just how blessed of an experience she was able to have leaves me deeply grateful and thankful to know my daughter did not lack in keeping her mind engaged and her interests inspired. Farm, zoo, beach , splash park, lavender field were just some of the outings she was able to enjoy and the smile on my daughter’s face showed me just how contented she was with each day in Hazel’s care , be it indoors or outdoors. I was completely satisfied with the care provided for my daughter and we have hopes that she will be able to continue to have some time during the holiday periods. Thank you Hazel for all your support!

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by Serena on 24/09/2024

Response by Hazel on 24/09/2024:

Thank you so much for your heartfelt and thoughtful review. It was truly a joy and privilege to care for your daughter during her time with us. Seeing her grow, learn, and thrive through our activities and outings brought me so much happiness. I'm incredibly grateful for the trust you placed in me, and I'm thrilled that she was able to experience such a rich and fulfilling summer.

Your daughter’s curiosity and love for the outdoors made every trip, whether to the beach, lavender fields, or the farm, even more special. It's wonderful to hear that the outings and activities not only brought her joy but also supported her learning and skill development in such meaningful ways. Preparing her for her next steps into school was always a priority, and it’s great to know that she felt secure and engaged while developing those important skills.

I’m so glad that the blend of structure, learning, and a homely environment helped her feel comfortable while also challenging her to grow. It was a pleasure introducing her to new experiences and foods, and watching her embrace each new day with such enthusiasm was incredibly rewarding.

I will truly miss her, but I’m excited about the new adventures she’ll embark on in school. I would love to welcome her back during the holidays and continue supporting her as she grows. Thank you again for your kind words and for allowing me to be part of your daughter's journey!

Experienced and professional.

I had the pleasure of working with Hazel in a professional capacity. We were Teacher and TA in a SEN setting.

Hazel was a dedicated and hard working team member and had a beautiful way of encouraging children to complete tasks and participate in activities.

I am confident she has grown and developed her pedagogy and is more equipped to offer her services as a childminder.

I really enjoyed my visit to the setting. I was flabbergasted to see how effectively she had used the space to allow children to get the best out of their time there.

I wish Hazel, the parents and children all the best.

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by Mushi on 30/08/2024

Response by Hazel on 31/08/2024:

Dear Mushi,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and kind review. It means a lot to me, especially from someone who has seen my work professionally. I'm glad you had a positive experience during your visit to my setting and appreciated how I've utilised the space to benefit the children.

Working with you in the SEN setting was a great experience, and your support and encouragement were invaluable. I'm constantly striving to grow and improve in my role, so your confidence in my development truly reassures me that I'm on the right path.

Thank you again for your wonderful words and well wishes. I wish you all the best in your endeavours as well.

Warm regards,
Hazel

Someone you can trust

I'd highly recommend Hazel. She is experienced and professional. She's always so reasurring and send many photos and updates about my son. Her home looks just like a little nursery with lots of interesting toys and learning resources all around and on the walls. The garden is also a total plus which allows plenty of outdoor/sensory activities which Hazel has decorated just so well. I knew straight away that my son would have loved being in that enviroment. She has lots of safety measure in place with sign in/out system. She is very passionate about what she does. She also provides breakfast/ tea and drinks. My son has been with her for the past 3 months and although I was very nervous to leave him with someone for the first time, with Hazel I felt comfortable from the start. She also had over my oldest son when there are school holidays.
I appreciate what she does with my son and I can call myself lucky to have found a childminder liker her 🤍

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by Gaia on 29/07/2024

Response by Hazel on 30/07/2024:

Thank you for your thoughtful review. I'm pleased to hear that you are happy with the care and environment I've provided. It’s important to me that you feel reassured and confident in leaving your son in my care, especially given the natural apprehension that comes with such a decision. I'm glad the regular updates and photos have been helpful and comforting.

Creating a safe, nurturing, and engaging space for children is my top priority, and it's rewarding to know that both of your sons enjoy their time here. Your positive feedback and trust mean a great deal to me. Thank you for your kind words and support.