Testimonials
"To whom it may concern,
I am writing to tell of my experience of the staff at Horn End Nursery. I had to start thinking about childcare when my daughter Seren was very young as I unfortunately had to return to work. I was very concerned about doing so however Horn End Nursery has been very supportive and helpful. Seren was just under 6 months when she first went to Horn End. I hated the thought of leaving my little baby but Becky and Sarah, who worked in the baby room, were very supportive and helpful. I received a written report of what Seren had got up to, the activities she had taken part in, and even what she had eaten and drank that day. They were very caring towards Seren and when there had been incidents where Seren had fallen over I would be given a full report of both the incident and the treatment she had received. It was very reassuring.
As Seren has gotten older I have seen the effects of both the benefits of Horn End nursery and the hard work of the staff. Seren moved up to the next class when she was 18 months old. She became quite distressed at times in the first week but both Amy and Alun were again very supportive and Seren very quickly settled in. Seren has grown up into a very confident toddler, who is very caring and enjoys meeting new people. She often talks about nursery (and always asks to go) and is always talking about Amy and Alun and her friends. Seren is always amazing us with her counting, letter recognition and colours, and we always have a new work of art to put on the fridge. There have been times when we have bumped into different staff members out of the nursery and they have always stopped and asked how we are, and how Seren is.
The main reason why I feel so confident about taking Seren to nursery is the relationship the staff have with us, the parents as well as the children. I feel like I am part of the nursery, through being kept informed, receiving photographs of Seren regularly and through talking about her day with her key workers when I pick her up. I feel that I am able to drop in when I want, and can look at Seren's work anytime. The staff have provided me with help and advice when we have gone through some problematic stages such as biting and potty training; and I have never felt any judgement from them.
I have since had another baby, and whilst this time I do not have to return to work I will still be looking at letting Cally attend Horn End nursery in the future. I always recommend the nursery to my friends and would not want to send my children anywhere else. This is mainly to do with the amazing job the staff do there and I am very grateful to them all for making both Seren's and my time there so enjoyable."
Yours sincerely
Shona Reynolds
"I made the decision 3 months ago to go back to work full time and was dreading the thought of sending my little boy to nursery. I was worried how I would cope and how Will would cope with the change. When we went for our visit to Horn End we were greeted with friendly faces everywhere, we were informed that Louise Hutchins would be Will's key worker. On attending Horn end for a second meeting we were introduced to Louise, who could not have been any friendlier, knowledgable, as well as understanding and sympathetic to the needs of a parent and child being seperated for the first time."
"On Wills first day at nursery, there were tears and upset from both me and Will, but again Louise was reassuring and caring towards us. During the first few months I would phone regularly to check how Will was settling and whichever member of the Horn End staff answered the phone I was always greeted and treated well, and was never made to feel uncomfortable about calling."
"It took a little while for me and Will to adapt to the change but all of the nursery staff showed confidence, reassurance and most of all patience with Will, which made me quickly realise I had definatley made the right choice in sending Will to Horn End."
"Since then Will has settled beautifully and is growing into an independent little boy who asks to go nursery and see Louise and Alan (Another team member). When I go to pick Will up whether Louise is available or another member of the team, I am always given time to ask questions and information is given about Wills day, that makes me feel a part of his time within the nursery. The team also take time out of thier busy days to send me pictures of Will during the day which again reassures me."
"As a parent I could not ask for anymore from the team at the nursery, they deserve to be recognised for their hard work and dedication. All of the staff that I have seen are always working hard, playing with children, carrying out trips and special activities or completing paperwork, but despite this time is always made for individual children and parents. For me, this has been a difficult transition time, but all of the team at Horn End, particularly Louise who is Will's keyworker, have showed they are passionate and caring about their roles and the children that they care for, which has given me the confidence and peace of mind to leave Will, who is now a happy, content and smiling little boy when I leave him at nursery"
Michelle Caswell (Wills Mummy)
"The Horn End Nursery staff are fabulous, they are always there to i've a report on everything my daughter Emily has done that day, all the activities she has undertaken and even what she has eaten!"
"I have always felt able to approach the staff on any subject and have always had a really supportive response. Emily loves the nursery and mentions the staff like they are her best friends! There has been virtually no staff turnover since she started at horn end 18 months ago which means there has always been a continuity of care which indicates the staff are happy and happy staff equals happy children! The nursery always seems calm and serene eh! HOW do they do that - Any other nursery I visited when searching for suitable childcare seemed like chaos in comparison!"
"Looking after children is challenging and hard work as I have worked in a nursery myself and had to give up after a couple of years as I found it was too much for me! The staff should be recognised for the excellent work they do and celebrate their achievements!"
"I personally would like to thank them for their fabulous attitude and care!"
"Since starting Horn End, Harvey has come on leaps and bounds - he never fails to surprise me. He is a very happy boy who loves going to 'school' . This is down to one thing - the staff at Horn End who are fantastic! Not only do they have the knowledge and information to develop him as an individual, they genuinely care about the children and have their best interest at heart - as a working parent surely this is the single most important factor. I always feel supported by the staff who are always willing to give their time to discuss any issues I may have. All in all I am glad I chose Horn End Rugeley - Harvey runs into school smiling and comes home smiling 'that speaks for itself'"
"I would like to pay testimony to the nursery team at the Rugeley Horn End Nursery."
"My daughter Olivia started Horn End in January aged 8 months, and has not cried once when I left her. I am sure that this is down to the happy nature and friendliness of the nursery staff. The staff all know her by name, and are always happy to chat and play. They are very attentive and help to reassure the Parents about leaving their child, which as a parent I am sure you will agree is one of the hardest things to do."
"Each day is well thought out with activities that not only provide enjoyment but which are also educational. Olivia is especially enjoying this month's theme of hot and cold which has involved a trip out, a beach party, painting and eating ice cream!"
"One of my favourite things about Horn End nursery is the regular interaction with parents, especially the digital pictures e-mailed to me at work which always cheer me up when I am having a busy (or bad!) day."
"I will definitely recommend the nursery to other parents."
Many thanks to all the staff,
Carrie Hodgkinson
I would just like to take a few moments to show my appreciation for the staff at Horn End Nursery. I sent my son there for four years from when he was 5 months old and my daughter has been there since she was 6 months old and is now 2½. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Both my children thoroughly enjoy the times spent at Horn End and this is ultimately down to the staff.
They communicate with the children with respect, compassion and affection on a personal level, as if they were their own, yet still manage to get them to behave in the correct manner. My children have picked up confidence, respect for others and their surroundings and impeccable manners (some of which unfortunately have not come from home!) which will see them right through into adulthood.
My daughter is currently a Tommy Thumb and she absolutely adores 'Alun and Amy', so much so that she does not want to move up to Toby Talls when the time comes. (I sure though, that after a few days she will have forgotten them and be engrossed with Louise and the other Toby Talls staff.) She asks every morning if she's going to 'Alun and Amy' so you can tell she really looks forward to her days at nursery. One thing that really stands out when you go to the nursery for the first time is the friendliness and commitment of the staff. This is really reassuring at a time which most parents find quite emotional. They really know how to put you at ease and can help with any queries or concerns you may have. I personally also like the fact that all the staff know my children's names - not just those in her area, and they still make a fuss of my son when he returns with me to collect my daughter. People these days talk a lot about the high cost of nursery care, but I know for a fact that Horn End is not as expensive as some nurseries in the area, yet the care is second to none. I was not surprised to see that Ofsted recently rated it as Outstanding!
It makes the whole ordeal of leaving your children to return to work so much easier, knowing that they are in excellent hands, committed, highly trained and competent at what they do. I believe that nurseries usually have a high turnover of staff, but at Horn End, the majority of them have been there for as long as I can remember, which to me shows that they are happy there - and happy staff make for happy children - which is good enough for me!
Thank you Horn End.
Janet Redford
(parent to Lewis and Molly)
Dear Suzie,
It is with much sadness that i have to give notice to advise you that Ella will no longer require a nursery place from 1st September 2006. Her final day at nursery therefore will be Thursday 31st August as she will be starting school the following week.
I simply cannot put into words how happy and confident we have always felt with your wonderful nursery - right through from baby smalls and our anxieties as first time parents right through to Toby Talls especially after christmas when we lost our baby son Noah.
More recently we have been astounded by how well ella has developed in confidence. This is largely down to the wonderful care and especially patience shown by Julie, Jenny and Jo. They never gave up on Ella - she always does things in her own time and David and myself do have to try and control our emotions when picking Ella up - even though we are bursting with ahppiness that she has actually done a wee on the toilet or drawn us a picture! Julie, Jenny, Jo and the numerous others who have looked after Ella have played such an important part in Ella's early life and helped to set a wonderful grounding fro her future.
We all, but especially Ella, will miss you all.
With our love and thanks
Deborah & David Daniel.
I must admit that both my husband and I were very skeptical and scared to put Thekla into any nursery.
After our visit to Horn End, the warm welcome of all the staff has eased our fears and hesitations. Thekla has been at Horn End for seven months now and it is amazing how well she has settled down.
She really enjoys it and Terry and I are grateful for everything the staff has done to help her settle down and develop into a happy, sociable toddler. Keep up the good work!
Thank you,
"We are pleased that Harry seems to have settled well into the baby room.
I loved my morning being a helper and I was made to feel very welcome by both Sam and Steve. I was amazed at how much the children do.
In the 90 minutes that I was there we did pictures, played with the sand, had song time, played with play dough and played outside - it was great.
One thing that really struck me was that when we were playing with the sand, one of the children went to sit in the book corner and instead of him being left to play on his own or made to re-join the group, Steve went over and read stories to him.
I thought that was lovely. I am certainly glad that I took the time to help out and would like to do it again in the future (work permitting!).
Marie
"Dave and I just want to say how pleased we are with our decision to send Archie to Horn End. He's very happy there, the staff are great with him and nothing ever seems too much trouble.Archie is coming on in leaps and bounds. Dave visits lots of nurseries in the course of his job and, in his words, "nothing compares".
Thank you,
Celia and Dave.
"I would just like to say a really big special thank you for all the lovely memories and the care you have shown. I have really enjoyed hearing what Emily has been up to during her days with you, it has given me lots of laughs.
I must say you all are a credit to your profession and I wish you all luck in the future on whatever path you choose to follow."
Love to you all,
Ann and Emily.
"We would like to convey our thanks to you and your team for all the help and guidance you have given Daniel and Adam through the years they have spent with you all at Horn End. From Baby Small through to Toby Talls they have come on leaps and bounds amazing us with some of the things they tell us they have learnt from all the play and activities you organise.
We thank you for the brilliant start you have given them and we know they are going to miss you all.
We wish Horn End and its entire staff continued success and many happy times in the future."
Yours sincerely,
David & Jayne
Sarah Bridges
"It goes without saying that Amelia has thoroughly enjoyed her time at Horn End Nursery and that both my husband and I have seen her blossom under your care. Her happy time spent at Horn End Nursery is a credit to all the staff."
Katja Murray
"As it is fast approaching the date, which my daughter will be leaving Horn End, I would like to take this opportunity to put forward my thoughts on the past two and half years.
I would firstly like to say that the group of staff you have within the Toby Talls area must be the best ever to be there. They work to the highest of standards and are some of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
Luckily this makes the difficult task of leaving your child for a whole day at a time worthwhile. Therefore knowing that they are with people who you not only trust but also respect and in an environment that is 'home from home' makes everyone's day a little easier.
It makes me feel quite sad to think that Emily has been with you since she was approx eighteen months old and now it almost feels that I am taking her away from a place that must feel like home to her. I must advise you that she absolutely loves the nursery and all the staff, Alun in particular, she talks endlessly about him. I do know that she is well aware of the fact that she is leaving soon and often mentions it with a rather sad look on her face."
Regards,
Ann Boothby
"From the placement forms completed by new students, ready for September, there are quite a few requesting Horn End, which is good in one way, but some are going to be disappointed! I could do with cloning some nurseries, especially Horn End."
Yours sincerely,
Christine Webster
Hixon - Tel: 01889 271051 : Stafford - Tel: 01785 609699 : Rugeley - Tel: 01889 584400