Testimonials
Welcome to our Testimonial Page, where the heartwarming stories of parents and guardians intersect with the joyous experiences of their little ones in our care.
As a dedicated and nurturing daycare facility, we take pride in creating a safe and enriching environment for every child entrusted to us.
Here, you’ll find firsthand accounts from families who have witnessed the positive impact of our programs on their children’s growth, development, and happiness.
These testimonials reflect the genuine connections formed within our daycare community and the confidence parents have in our commitment to fostering a foundation of love, learning, and laughter.
Join us on this journey as we share the heartfelt tales that define the heart of our daycare family.
Our son has been at Once Upon a Time (OUAT) Dronfield since he was 9 months old (Oct 2022). The team are fantastic and have provided excellent care. We are very impressed with his development and the range of activities that are on offer. The provision of two warm cooked meals a day, on top of breakfast and snacks is excellent and he gained weight appropriately as a result.
If there are any accidents, we are informed in a timely fashion, with named employees/witnesses for transparency and accountability. When our son has been unwell, the team have looked after him but also recognised when they are at their own medical limits and suggested formal medical opinions where appropriate. When we have raised concerns about development of nappy rash, the team have been attentive and reactive, developing pragmatic and child-centred management strategies in partnership with us as parents.
Occasional “Come Dine with Me” and “Stay and Play” events again encourage that partnership between parents and OUAT. For many of us, our children spend more waking time there than at home, so it’s important that we all consider it a second home of sorts.
Most importantly, the staff seem happy at OUAT. They’re always in good moods, give detailed feedback during the day via the Famly app and at pick up. I would not feel comfortable leaving my child to be cared at an organisation where morale was overtly low. It may be worth you investigating the drivers of high staff morale (perceived fair pay?, good staffing levels?, culture?, good resources?) as this would identify generalisable recommendations for other nurseries to follow.
Robert
As it is half term my child isn’t at nursery this week so I wanted to take the opportunity to share my view of Once Upon A Time as a nursery provider. My child has been at OUAP for a year now and in that time he has been safe, happy and well cared for. I have total trust in the safeguarding systems run by the nursery and they (in my opinion) maintain a ‘it could happen here’ approach to ensure the safety of all children. The pick up and drop off system is secure and I feel safe in the knowledge that this system is in place and that it would not be possible for someone to remove my child from the nursery without prior consent.
Each term I have been invited to a meeting where my child’s progress has been outlined to me. The staff immediately noticed that my son’s speech had been slightly delayed. This was discussed with us as parents and the staff have worked tirelessly in supporting his development in this area. The staff have an accurate and holistic view of my son and they work in line with his preferences to support his development. In addition, on pickup staff give a comprehensive handover which gives depth to the information given on the Famly app. This app is always kept up to date and as a busy working parent, it gives me a clear picture of my son’s day.
Nursery has a warm family feel to it. Nothing is ever too much of an ask and it is evident that the children are at the heart of everything that happens. Nursery regularly holds events that welcome parents into the nursery to see how things run such as stay-and-plays or opportunities to sample the lunch menu. These are lovely experiences and are really supportive in helping staff and parents form positive relationships. As a teacher myself it is rare I am able to collect my son but each time I do I am warmly welcomed and staff take the time to catch me up. This is over and above but is very well appreciated.
My son has recently transitioned between rooms and this process was seamless. Nursery went at his pace and was really supportive in navigating the move up to Little Kingdom. Again as parents, we very much felt part of this process and communication was excellent.
Having taken the step to move nursery providers a year ago I was nervous when my son joined OUPA based on my previous experience. However, OUPA exceeded my expectations and continues to do so on a daily basis.
I truly hope that over the next day or two you see what we as parents see and that is hard-working dedicated staff who have a passion for education. In my eyes, this is an outstanding provider and they deserve recognition for all they do.
I am happy to pop into the nursery today should you wish to discuss anything further.
Jenna Burn
Since starting, Henry has come on leaps and bounds and adores all the staff that work there due to their kind and nurturing manner. The staff go above and beyond and have ensured that Henry has settled into nursery quickly.
The provision and curriculum available for my child is well thought out and caters to the interests of the children in Henry’s room. Activities are regularly adapted to maintain their interests, from water activities that encourage fine motor development, to messy play which encourages development in creative thinking. Henry comes home happy and I love hearing about what he has explored throughout the day via the app notifications and when I pick him up in person. Since starting he has shown greater curiosity in new things and is now confidently grabbing for objects, crawling, standing independently and feeding himself! All things that he couldn’t do before starting nursery 8 weeks ago.
I have received his baseline assessment and this clearly outlines what he is doing well and his areas for development so we as parents can continue to work alongside the nursery to ensure he makes great progress.
At only 8 months, I already know Henry feels happy and secure at the nursery as when I walk into Once Upon a Time Henry will begin to smile.
The communication from nursery is exemplary. They offer lots of opportunity for parents to be part of their child’s learning through organised events such as stay and play sessions, come dine with me activities and an up and coming Christmas fair.
I know this nursery is outstanding and hope that you as inspectors take the time to see how truly amazing the nursery and its staff are.
Justine Duncan
We have been using OUAT Dronfield for the last two years, our eldest daughter attended from 14 months until she turned 3, and put youngest daughter started in October at 8 months old.
We absolutely love the nursery and the staff, our eldest daughter thrived here and there was no doubt in our minds about the youngest joining too.
Having to send your baby to nursery so young is gut wrenching, and I doubt anyones first choice, but needs must and knowing our baby is so well cared for, and genuinely loved, by the staff makes it so much easier.
Nothing is too much trouble, the level of care is exceptional and the effort put into the children’s emotional, physical and intellectual development is second to none.
Special mention must go to Fiona who was incredible as acting manager over the last year. Everyone at OUAT feels like one big family and we wouldn’t be without them.
Emma and Rob