Both of my children have been attending Gracelands, we have had experience across all of the rooms and with most of the educators and management team.
My son has always struggled with transitions, so when we first started, it was no small challenge for him. With so much patience and support from his educators, he settled much quicker than we expected and soon started to enjoy coming. Over time, they have helped him through different challenges, including toileting and other areas where he needed more support. Communication has always been good and I appreciate that educators take the time to understand him and what works for him.
We are especially happy with his current preschool room. It is a fairly large setting, everything is well structured, with plenty for the children to do and explore, either in smaller groups or as a whole. A special thank you to his room leader, Ms Rozina. Her experience, understanding of him and communication with us have made a real difference for him at this stage. Together with all the other amazing educators in the room, there has been such a consistent level of care and support.
During drop offs and pick ups, we can see how warm and caring the other children are towards him even though my son is naturally reserved and quiet. I think that says a lot about how the educators guide the children and the environment they have created in the room. He has built lovely bonds with his educators, made friendships and really enjoys talking about his days at Gracelands.
My daughter has been in both the baby and toddler rooms. The waitlist can take a while, and before she got a place here she attended two other centres. In the end, we are just really glad that both of them are now at Gracelands.
She is also quite reserved but with the gentle and caring educators around her, we have seen her gradually come out of her shell and grow confident.
One thing I really notice here is the cleanliness. The floors and play areas are always kept clean, which I really appreciate, especially in baby rooms where they are still spending so much time on the floor.
The fees are on the higher side, but I do see some of that going back to the children. They have a great chef, there is a good variety of meals, and they use fresh fruit for morning and afternoon tea etc (my daughter rarely ate the dried fruit at her previous centres, but happily eats the fruits here). I also see that they are willing to spend on educational resources, including resources that my children really enjoy using and playing with. These small things do make a difference.
Alison, Luci and Trudi from the management team have always been approachable and have given us the help we needed at some important points along the way. I also like how they regularly keep families updated through the app. It is a big centre with a lot going on, but we have always felt that our individual needs are still heard and handled appropriately.
I wanted to take the time to say how much we appreciate everyone who has cared for and supported both of our children here. ❤️
Response from the owner:Thank you, Xinyu, for taking the time to share such a thoughtful reflection on both of your children’s experiences. It is wonderful to hear how patiently the educators supported your son through those challenging early transitions, toileting and other milestones, taking the time to understand what works best for him as an individual. Your special recognition of Ms Rozina and the Preschool team means so much, and hearing that your naturally quiet son has built strong relationships, friendships and now enjoys sharing stories about his days is incredibly rewarding. We’re equally pleased that your daughter has been gently supported to come out of her shell and grow in confidence. Thank you also for recognising the clean environments, fresh and varied meals, educational resources and the support and communication provided by Alison, Luci and Trudi. Most importantly, knowing that even within a larger setting your family continues to feel heard, understood and individually supported is something we are very proud of. Thank you for trusting our team with both of your children and for sharing such meaningful feedback.
