Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery West Acton

Shamira N

3 months ago

I absolutely love Monkey Puzzle West Acton. From the very beginning, every single member of staff has treated my daughter I and like family. On our very first visit 10 months ago, even during the nursery tour, my daughter was already being included in the nursery rhymes and games. That moment told me everything I needed to know - she wasn't just a visitor, she was already being welcomed. Over the past 10 months, we haven't just found a nursery, we've found a second home. Melania, Rabiya, Mirlinda, and Chef Mina are truly special. They are kind, supportive and deeply committed to every child. They've encouraged my daughter's development with so much care, and they've also supported me as a young mother growing into motherhood. Melania is always there with advice when I need it. And when I returned to university for the first time, Flora and Annette prayed for me at the door which was a touching moment I'll never forget. If you're debating whether you should join, take the step!

Lola London

10 months ago

As a mother, I can truly say that sending my child to Monkey Puzzle West Acton has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. From the very first day, the warm, supportive, and professional environment made both my child and me feel at ease. It’s clear that the entire team genuinely cares about the children and their families. A special mention must go to Manager Rabiya, who has been incredibly understanding and accommodating. There was a time when I urgently needed childcare for three extra days—and without hesitation, Rabiya made space and arranged everything. She’s also always open to helping swap days when needed for a good reason. That kind of flexibility and compassion means so much as a working parent. What really sets this nursery apart is the stability and experience of the staff. Many of the nursery teachers have been there for over five years, which is amazing. This consistency helps the children feel safe and secure, building long-term bonds with familiar faces. In my experience with other nurseries, it was common to see new or temporary staff every day, often brought in through agencies. That’s not the case here—and it makes a big difference in how well the children settle and thrive. Another standout is the freshly prepared meals, cooked on-site every morning by their dedicated chef. The food is nutritious and varied, and the team is incredibly attentive to each child’s individual needs. On one occasion, when my child refused to eat lunch, the staff actually contacted me to ask what they could prepare instead that he might prefer. That level of care and communication is rare and so appreciated. They genuinely listen and try to work with parents to support the child in every way. The nursery itself is clean, bright, and filled with a wide range of creative and educational activities—from messy play and arts and crafts to outdoor adventures and early learning games. My child comes home every day happy, stimulated, and full of stories about what they’ve done. To any new mums or parents feeling nervous about nursery life, I completely understand the hesitation. But I can wholeheartedly recommend Monkey Puzzle West Acton. It’s a place where your child will be loved, supported, and encouraged—and where you as a parent will feel confident and included every step of the way.

Sherry Z

a year ago

I can not recommend this daycare enough. Monkey Puzzle has intuitive staff who care about every child. The staff know my child and regularly ask how he and our family is doing. The daycare has a large space as well for children to play in, both indoors and outdoors. I find that due to the good ventilation, my child did not get sick quite as often when he came to this nursery as compared to another we tried. Plus, the daycare is willing to work with parents on changed schedules or if additional days are needed. This was so useful during my pregnancy when it turned out I needed more days at the daycare for my older child. We could also bring and pick up our children based on their natural schedule (my eldest tends to wake up later). I felt absolutely reassured sending both my kids to Monkey Puzzle - they found a way to look after both very well. This is considering the fact that both of my children are very attached to me and my husband. Despite that, they were able to find staff that the children connected well with. In addition to all this, the daycare has events occasionally for the parents, where I see first hand the healthy meals that the children are given. It's very reassuring that the chef on staff works to create meals that are not too sweet or salty, but still flavored and interesting for the kids. From what I gathered, the day is relatively unstructured - very child-led. They also occasionally have guests that come and teach interesting topics like yoga or football. Children are not required to come to circle time or participate in activities (note this was for up to 3 year old, the preschool might be more structured). They even work around the child's natural rhythm - for example, my eldest child was showing signs of wanting to stop nap times, and the daycare respected his and our desire to quit naps around 2.5 years old, a bit earlier than others in his class. They also moved my eldest to the toddler room based on when he felt ready for it, rather than strictly based on age, which was very benefitial to him. The rooms have a range of ages, so our eldest had a great chance to learn from older children when he was an only child, and also learn to interact carefully with younger children when we were trying to acclimate him to the idea of a younger brother. I unfortunately moved out of the country and have had the misfortune of getting to compare a high quality US daycare with Monkey Puzzle. The fussiness, need for us provide everything, inflexible schedule that was decidedly not child-led, and useless logging is a complete opposite to what we experienced at Monkey Puzzle. The age ranges are also much more narrow at the US daycare, which means our child won't get to learn from older children anymore. Thankfully our youngest child has a big brother he can observe regularly. I have experienced a couple of issues at Monkey Puzzle, but nothing major. Clothes get exchanged between children - but we experienced this everywhere, and it is probably due to the fact I really don't care enough to label every item we send our child to daycare in. They also don't concentrate on ensuring daily photos of your child (usually there are weekly photos of the whole class). And sometimes the log misses a pee or poo. I also don't think there's an effective key person (though I think there's an official one). I just know the staff member who my child tends to gravitate towards. When all is said and done, I would send my kid back to Monkey Puzzle in a heartbeat if we are back in the area. The wonderful staff, child-led environment, and flexibility made it a wonderful second home for my children.

Safu gulamnabi

6 years ago

My grand daughter has been attending Monkey Puzzle Day care since 2018 when I moved to london. I am very comfortable leaving her there. The staff iare very friendly and the environment of the nursery is welcoming and spacious. I can see my granddaughter picking up positive traits from both home and the nursery, which the nursery also helps to reinforce. I have heard stories of how sometimes nurseries are overcrowded or staff does not pay attention to the children, I can confidently say that I have never had any such problem and my granddaughter is dealt with good care and diligence. Monkey puzzle is definitely doing something right and I hope this continues. I would also like to congratulate the new manager on the recent Ofsted report and applaud her for her efficiency and hard work.

Sara H

7 years ago

My daughter has been attending Monkey Puzzle Day nursery in West Acton since October 2018. Before deciding on this nursery I visited all the nurseries in the area. What drew me to this one was that I was invited to come in and look around with my daughter, although I turned up without an appointment. It was during lunch hour and I remember noticing the high quality hygiene by staff wearing gloves preparing healthy quality chicken fajitas whilst another made sure all the children washed their hands. They have cameras in each location, a nap time space and reading space. They provide engaging, stimulating activities for the children whilst encouraging them to work at their own pace and interest. My daughter took time to adjust but all the staff were supportive and patient with her. They arranged days for my daughter to settle in slowly. On the day I went to work, one of the managers herself sat with my daughter all day, and carried her in her arms for an hour whilst she slept, her sole concern was my daughters comfort. I am sent messages and pictures in the day on the app informing me what is happening. The staff are all very friendly and kind. They have a hands on approach treating my daughter and others like their own. The sense of community and family the staff have created is truly calming and welcoming for the children and my daughter, who was reluctant to start or be left at a nursery without me. My daughter is three, in this short time she learnt at the nursery how to identify and write her name, and wear her socks, shoes and jacket independently through stimulating games. All the games in the nursery encourage my daughter to think. The activities are tailored with child’s interest at heart, for example when my daughter plays outside the staff noticed that she enjoys looking at the sky. As a result they do games about the weather. The outside play area is the right size to easily manage and very safe. Unlike other nurseries, when I say it’s too cold for my daughter to play outside the staff comply and not force her to go outside in arctic temperatures but let her stay inside and play games. My daughter and I, as are other parents, often invited to come in and take part whenever we want. The staff are confident with what they provide. What is provided at this nursery is family, love and compassion, as opposed to meeting pedantic, box ticking targets set by people who don’t have children. I always recommend this nursery and I encourage parents to come in and see for themselves before jumping to conclusions. Despite this nursery being a little pricey for me, I couldn’t put my daughter anywhere else confident in the knowledge that I can fully trust the nursery to truly provide what my daughter needs; which is at this young age: sense of community, stimulating tailored activities to encourage her confidence.