Description
Contact Information
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Phone Number023 9421 8321
Categories
Details
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Group/OwnerYMCA Fairthorne Group
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Person in ChargeSarah Henderson (Nursery Manager)
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Number of Staff15
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When ClosedBank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas
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Type of ServiceDay Nursery – Voluntary / Not for Profit Owned Open all year Full Day Care Sessional Day Care
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Total Places for children58
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Age rangefrom 0 years 4 months to 5 years 0 months
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Opening DaysMon-Fri
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Opening Hours0730-1800
Kelly A
August 18, 2022 at 12:00 amMy child has been going to the nursery for the last 8 months. It’s the best decision I have made. The nursery is so good. My child thrives there. The outside space is amazing, and having the extra room on the island to explore is an added bonus. All the staff there are so friendly, hard-working and amazing people. They keep you updated with things my child has done throughout the week, and the handovers are very detailed. The resources they have inside are great; they get children to think and learn whilst having fun. My child looks forward to going there every day and even wants to go there at weekends, which must say something for the setting.
P W
August 18, 2022 at 12:00 amWe viewed a few nurseries for our children aged 1 and 3, and YMCA Nursery, Whale Island, was by far the best. Our children seemed most comfortable there; they were excited and happy to explore whilst we viewed the nursery and chatted to the staff. All staff are caring and compassionate and have made wonderful bonds with our children. They were both quite unhappy when they first joined, but it didn’t take them long to settle; the staff made reasonable adjustments to help our eldest settle in, and now they love it. They both come home sticky and filthy, which is definitely a sign of a good day! The thing we loved most about the nursery would have to be the outside space. All of the children have access to a large outside garden; they quite often go for walks on the naval base grounds, which my children love. They had the opportunity to watch the band practising for the Queen’s Jubilee and even joined in with pots and pans. We love YMCA nursery, and most of all my children are happy.
M M
August 18, 2022 at 12:00 amThis nursery has been phenomenal in supporting my child. I have used the nursery for a short time due to recently moving to the area, and the staff listened carefully to my concerns and areas my little one needed extra support, and they immediately implemented a plan to support the specific needs. The smaller setting is perfect with unique resources, eg seeing marching bands, helicopters and ships, which allow the dynamic and imaginative staff to embrace the interests of little ones, creating learning opportunities. The nursery is energised, and my little one is excited to attend. All of the staff are engaging and enthusiastic, and my child has thrived and overcome physical and emotional challenges with a new confidence thanks to the dedication and individual attention which wasn’t delivered in the previous larger nursery setting. I wish my child had been able to attend this fabulous nursery for longer, but the staff have already prepared my little one so well for the challenge of school.
S L
August 22, 2022 at 12:00 amI am writing a review of my child’s overall experience whilst being at YMCA Nursery, Whale Island.
The staff here have always gone above and beyond me to make me and my child feel welcome and safe.
The meals provided are always healthy, and routines are set in place for all children.
Overall, would highly recommend it!
Kim P
August 22, 2022 at 12:00 amI can’t say enough nice things about YMCA Nursery, Whale Island.
The staff are so lovely and creative with their ideas for games and activities. There is nowhere else in the area with such a nice garden. The other week the children got to watch caterpillars hatching as well as a splash pool built by one member of staff.
Three particular members of staff should have a medal for their dedication to the kids. My boys love them to bits.
It is a bit more expensive than some other nurseries, but it’s worth every penny.
Graham L
August 23, 2022 at 12:00 amOur youngest son is just about to finish his time at Whale Island. He originally attended another nursery pre-Covid and was then transferred to Whale Island as we were no longer commuting to work.
We have seen how much he’s developed over the last 23 months, from his confidence, his vocabulary and articulation, to being able to ride a bike without stabilisers! Following his progress on the app has been great too.
Being one of the bigger kids this year has meant he had to be more of a role model for his younger friends, and hearing how he looks after the smaller children are great.
He has had an amazing time attending the nursery, and he is already saying how much he’s going to miss his friends and “his grown-ups”.
We can see that he’s definitely ready to start school in September, but we have to accept this with a heavy heart as he’s loved it so much. It’s going to be very strange not making the trip over to Whale Island every morning to drop him off.
Puja J
August 30, 2022 at 12:00 amMy little boy has attended since he was 11 months old and he’s loved his journey. Amazing staff with so much heart and caring mindset. The teachers really make an effort to engage the kids and develop them in a very individualised way. The management is really committed to providing a safe, fun, and loving environment and we’re very thankful to the whole team at the nursery!
L E
September 6, 2022 at 12:00 amMy child has attended the nursery for the last two years, and I have been so pleased to see how much she has grown in that time, thanks to the wonderful staff at Whale Island. It is a smaller setting, but with such wonderful and unique surroundings that the children get to explore. The children are encouraged to learn through involvement and gain so much confidence in their own abilities. I was so happy with the children’s involvement in nature learning to grow and harvest their own food in the nature garden. The staff are all so lovely and supportive and encourage the children with their adventures and crazy imaginations. I would thoroughly recommend Whale Island to anyone.