Disappointing nursery. The staff are often rude and unprofessional, and many key workers seem to lack the necessary experience. They are quick to label normal toddler behaviour as a “behavioural issue,” showing limited understanding of child development. Management is also highly unprofessional.
The Chapel nursery is absolutely incredible. My child joined around 5.5 months and has been attending for over a year. Staff: The staff have been amazing. All are very attentive and genuinely invested in my child’s development & progress. Whilst all children are assigned a Key Teacher it is very apparent all Teachers as well the Domestic Staff genuinely care about the children. The tenured staff are incredible and really provide helpful insights hints and tips for things such as introducing solids, potty training and weaning. Meals: Whilst the nursery may find formula easier for babies (most nurseries do) they are still very supportive and accommodating for breastfeeding mothers and did not push or persuade me to switch to formula but rather waited until I was ready. They provide breakfast, lunch & tea (vegan options also available) for the children as well as healthy snacks and even allow parents to have input on the terms rotating menu. Food prep, health & safety is a priority for the nursery which puts my mind at ease as a parent. Activities: They arrange a number of activities to keep the children engaged, some of which include the local community. It’s truly refreshing that the nursery find innovative ways to keep the kids entertained. They have a nice outdoor play area for the children too and include activities for the crawlers/pre-walkers. Parental updates: The Teachers provide real time updates via a nursery based app keeping you up update with your child’s progress and daily routine at the nursery. A few times a year the nursery also offer drop in sessions for parents to speak to their child’s Key Teacher which is also very helpful. Overall, i’m glad I made the decision to opt for The Chapel Nursery over others in the area. Whilst they may not be the biggest nursery or a corporate chain, the level of care that goes into caring for the children and their overall development is truly world class.
We are truly grateful to Chapel Nursery for the love and support given to our son, Hiniyan. He joined as a very little boy of around 1.5–2 years and, at first, struggled to settle. But thanks to the care and affection of the teachers, he soon gained confidence and started loving nursery. A special heartfelt thanks to Teacher Nelly, Teacher Vicky, Teacher Emma, and Teacher Sheyla for their patience, kindness, and encouragement. More than him, I found myself emotional seeing how beautifully he has grown here. It has been such a wonderful journey, and we will always remain thankful to the entire Chapel Nursery team for giving him such a loving and nurturing start. Highly recommend!
At first, I had a few reservations due to the high turnover of staff, but once I settled in, I felt completely confident that my baby girl is in great hands. Every teacher I’ve encountered shows genuine care and patience with the little ones, which is so reassuring. I’d especially like to give a heartfelt shoutout to Itohan. As a new parent, leaving your child at nursery can feel overwhelming and even a little scary. But Itohan’s thoughtful approach has made such a difference—from the regular, detailed updates to the warm and thorough handovers at pick-up time, she brings such comfort and reassurance. I couldn’t ask for a more kind and welcoming teacher to care for my little superstar. Thank you to Itohan and the entire team!
In my opinion this is the worst nursery in Dartford! It seems as though staff turnover is extremely high, with most staff only being there a year or two. In the few months my son attended this nursery I saw a staggering number of staff resignations which meant that my son struggled to build a bond with the staff. Management seem to only be interested in money and are often rude, patronising and very unhelpful. My son was regularly extremely dehydrated and starving hungry when he came home from the nursery. From the pictures they send on the app, it appears that they frequently do the same activities without much differentiation (squirty foam on a table and playing with a parachute sheet) which was fun at first but I'd personally like my son to be involved in different things! The handover at the end of the day often doesn't align with what's noted on the app which leaves me with little confidence on what to trust as the truth - especially when it comes to what he had eaten! I was frequently given feedback that my son had been crying for hours with no suggestion on why or what could be done to help him feel more comfortable, and when I raised this with the director I was told that he actually doesn’t cry much and again I have little confidence in what is the truth. The nursery frequently stinks and the toys look old and shabby. There were 2 occasions where my son had soiled his nappy on the way to nursery and even though I told staff straight away his nappy wasn't changed for 50 minutes. From my experience, the management and office staff are unwilling to accommodate for any preferences I have had, and I have found their policies to have very little flexibility. My son was always unhappy to go to nursery and would sit on the pavement and refuse to move whenever he realised he was going to nursery. He never wanted to walk inside the room and I never witnessed him express any joy or happiness towards any staff. I've now found another nursery in the area which is so much better and my son literally runs inside and waves excitedly at all of the staff. My experience with Chapel nursery has been challenging from start to finish and I do not recommend it whatsoever. Edit: I received a message from the nursery director threatening me with legal action unless I remove my review! (She reckons 'defamation') but I think it is important to share the experience I have had with this nursery. Intimidation tactics from a nursery are concerning and just show the mentality of the people running this place!
My daughter was only at The Chapel for 4 months as we moved out of the area but in that short time she learnt so much. From teaching us all about healthy & unhealthy foods to sounding out which letters words began with - she was constantly coming out with new things she had learnt! The staff (teachers) were all friendly & approachable & my daughter spoke of them as if they were family. As a parent I was happy with the healthy choice of food options available & kept up to date with my daughters progress through the Baby Days app - where I also received a daily diary & photos taken throughout the day. The Chapel may not be the cheapest option in the area but I definitely believe you receive excellent value for money & can see a real progress in the children, even in such a short time. We will be very sad to say goodbye to everyone at The Chapel Nursery
Outstanding level of care for my son's learning needs. Amazing staff always professional and approchable. Very well planned and engaging activities every day supported by a very clean and equipped learning environment (outide garden and classroom). Our son loved going to school every day and we're sad to say goodbye to all staff. I'll definitely recommend The Chapel Nursery to everyone.
My daughter has been very very happy at The Chapel Nursery we are both very sad to say Goodbye I had to pull my daughter out once due to finances and she was so sad that after a month i had to take her back. Iv never once been worried for her safety the staff are absolutely amazing I actually felt like I was leaving her with family. She made lots of amazing friends and always came out with a massive smile on her face jumping with happiness. I would like to thank you for teaching my child so much for being a brilliant kind caring top hygienic clean nursery and would highly recommend you to everyone x Sad to leave you will be all very missed and Thank you so much for everything .
The staff at The Chapel Nursery are great and always cared for my son. We have been with them since April 2019 and cannot find them a fault. They show dedication and my son is so happy to be there. Especially they have an amazing outdoor garden. They create a lovely, fun and warm environment for the children. I am very happy with all that my little one has learned, he is growing as a confident little Boy. Thanks for everything that you do to look after my son.
My daughter has attended the Chapel nursery since she was 13 months old. She absolutely loves it there and has created a nice bond with several members of staff, specially her key staff. She is developing very well in all aspects and is always smiling and laughing when we drop her off. We have always felt she is an safe, nurturing environmnet and the staff is always available and very approachable. I quite enjoy the daily notes and keeping updated with her activities at nursery. I would totally recommend it.
The Chapel Nursery is located at The Chapel, Constance Grove, Dartford DA1 2GA, UK
You can contact The Chapel Nursery at +44 1322 838181
You can find directions to The Chapel Nursery by following this map link
Trouv Chauffeurs
Kaybridge Residential Estate Agents
Greenfield estate agents Ewell