I don't know where to begin as there are just so many wonderful things about Mary.
My middle son was with Mary for two years (from 1.5 to 3.5). I feel ever so fortunate to have found her and the whole family were so sad to have to say goodbye but we had to relocate so it unfortunately had to be. I would have sent my youngest along to Mary's in a heartbeat had we stayed locally. This is not just a job for Mary, she really cares for the children and adapts so cleverly to their individual needs.

Mary welcomed us all into her house with open arms from day one. She became part of our family and very much welcomed us into hers. We met Mary's husband and some of her children over the two years and as expected they are all also very lovely.

Mary has a firm but gentle manner. The children are very clear with the boundaries and the daily routine. She has a very clever set up in her home and although she sets out activities she is very much guided by the children and what they would like to play with. The children were outside every day in her beautiful garden and being a keen gardener, Mary is also wonderful at teaching the children about nature.

Mary kept in contact via whatsapp which was very convenient and would send over photos of what they were up to each day. I could always message or call her with any questions and she would often send over helpful information, including for my eldest son who hadn't even been to her (we found her too late unfortunately for him) but she is just so thoughtful and always goes above and beyond. Mary would also write each day in Oscars book so we could see what he had been up to, naps etc and each year she writes the most detailed appraisal / summary of him.

It goes without saying that I highly recommend Mary, I feel incredibly lucky for the two years we had with her. She has become a friend and I will keep in touch as I think she does with many of the children she has cared for which says so much about her.

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication