Gingerbread House Day Nursery, South Croydon School in South Croydon

Reviews

1. Emma Gergi ★★★★★

   Our 18m daughter has been going to Gingerbread for 6 months now and loves it. She is happy to go in everyday and whilst we are aware that the nursery has had some problems with staff shortages, this appears to be sorted now and all of the staff that look after her are lovely. The new manager team Jay and Claire have worked hard to make various improvements, and our daughter’s key carer Fong is great. The only thing I would say could be better is the app, but this is something for head office rather than the nursery team on the ground!

   almost 8 months ago
2. Eliane ★☆☆☆☆

   We recently withdrew our daughter from Gingerbread Nursery due to a significant decline in its quality since we first joined. The high staff turnover was particularly concerning—nearly every week, there were new staff members or agency workers, and just as we got used to someone, they would suddenly disappear. Management was also poor, and I had issues from the start. One particular incident stands out: I arrived four minutes early to collect my daughter, and the manager at the time left us standing outside, telling me over the intercom that I had to wait. This was completely unnecessary, especially since the nursery was open, and staff were available to take my child. He also made repeated comments about my daughter’s hair and clothing, which, as a Black woman, made me feel uncomfortable. Communication was another major issue. My daughter had accidents at nursery, yet no one informed us or filled out accident report forms. On one occasion, she was bitten by another child, but we were never told—despite the fact that the child responsible was already being shadowed due to their behavior. We also rarely received updates during the day regarding meals, naps, or general well-being. The final straw was when we arrived to pick up our daughter and found her walking around in soiled trousers, with no indication of how long she had been left like that. Additionally, one staff member consistently had poor personal hygiene, which made interactions unpleasant. Even after raising concerns, no action was taken. This same staff member was also in the process of learning English and struggled to provide proper handovers, making communication even more difficult. Former staff members have informed me that employees are frequently left alone with too many children, which should never happen. This lack of supervision likely explains why accident forms were not being completed—it is clear that children were not being properly watched, which amounts to neglect. Despite claims that the nursery is improving, our experience suggests otherwise. While some individual staff members were excellent, overall, poor management and Partou’s oversight have severely impacted the quality of care. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this nursery.

   1 year ago
3. Sam Calder-Bray ★★★★★

   Excellent place for children. Friendly and hard-working staff. Children seem happy and active! Highly recommended.

   almost 2 years ago

1. Zuzana M ★★★★★

   Our daughter has been very happy at this nursery for well over a year now. Plenty of activities, the are very friendly and caring with the little ones.

   almost 3 years ago
2. Anne K ★★★★☆

   Good nursery. All the lovely people who work there are friendly and good with the kids. The toys and environment are good.

   almost 3 years ago

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