Here are some of the comments parents have made:

It’s hard to explain the magic of Smartstart. I’ll admit, I was a bit of a sceptic about a different way of learning (with 2 sisters both teachers!), but I had heard lots of great things and we were lucky to get a place. I got used to the way Smartstart encourages independence, right from the moment you arrive. The environment is humble & simple, but my son’s world has exploded. He comes home speaking in Japanese, Italian and French, he tells me about insects and Komodo dragons, and he practises his Brain Gym. He retains the knowledge because he’s interested, and I believe that is what Smartstart excels at : making learning fun and interesting for inquisitive minds. What a great start to a lifetime of learning.

***************************************
She has been at Smart Start for 2 ½ years. The care Dipti, Annie and the other teachers have shown is amazing. What they believe our little children can learn is inspirational. We are so fortunate that she has been surrounded by such a learning and fun environment, yes she loves Smart Start. I thank you all so much for giving her an amazing attitude to learning and providing the parents with such great information about childrens learning and their health. We will all miss Smart Start so much. I wish there was a Smart Start Primary School because we would be there!!!!!

***************************************
I only commenced my daughter at Smart Start for the social aspect of mixing with other children without me around. I have discovered it is so much more and have learned how play can still be so educational and purposeful. I found my eldest daughter benefit from Smart Start so much that I didn't esitate in starting my youngest daughter at an earlier age. She learned so much at Smart Start that she was definitely ahead in her kindy class, so much so, I've kept her at Smart Start in addition to kindy this year. She impresses us with all the songs she has learned at Smart Start, they include singing about the Continents which she can even point to on a map, I know she hasn't learned that at home. She has also made some wonderful friends at Smart Start, we still enjoy play dates with them nearly 2 years later. Both my daughters now attend Smart Start, they have a 2 year age gap but both of them get different things out of the program and both love attending - it is so lovely hearing them talk about their day afterwards. I've told many friends about Smart Start that have enrolled and are more than happy. The staff at Smart Start make me as a parent feel comfortable leaving my children in their care for the first time I've ever left them.

***************************************
I decided to keep my son (4yrs old) at Smart Start again this year as well as start the 4yr old programme at school kindy. It has been very rewarding to have done both - he has adapted very well to the school situation & made new friends easily whilst maintaining his friendships at Smart Start. However, the level of stimulation would not have satisfied him I believe had he simply done 4yr kindy. He has thrived under Annie's teaching methods & constantly surprises me with his knowledge & abilities he has gained from Smart Start. He is in a mixed Kindy/Pre-primary class at school & keeps up with the older children easily in his skills. The challenges & opportunities Smart Start presents have stretched him to a higher capacity that I believe all children have, given the right learning environment. Maths, reading, creativity, problem solving & concentration levels are all above average compared to the other kids at school - & I am extremely grateful to Annie & her team for their interaction & expertise in helping him develop in all these areas. Also interesting to note is his commitment to complete a task, self-respect & consideration of others - all valuable attributes I believe the Smart Start philosphy has helped to create in him. I would highly recommend 1 or 2 days at Smart Start in addition to the 2 days at school kindy for the best balance of eduction, stimulation & social interaction.

***************************************
Our boy has been at Smart start for the past three years since he was 2 1/2. He is now in his kindy year and attends one day a week. He has formed a lovely relationship with the staff who have been there since he started and gets a real joy out of sharing his accomplishments with them. Smart Start has always encouraged his inquiring mind with the discoveries they make. Since the start he loved being encouraged to complete a task and pack away before getting involved in another activity that interests him. He has always enjoyed the outside play and the gardening. This kindy year he has loved the challenge of extending himself with more complicated jobs involving numbers and maths which is his love at the present.

***************************************
We love our SmartStart! My two boys have both attended SmartStart from 2 and a half years old and it has been enormously beneficial to them in developing some maturity. The SmartStart program assists them in becoming independent, the activities provide well thought out and age appropriate learning and the outdoor play enables them to develop their social skills with children of mixed ages. There is a family feeling to the program and the children have all been friendly and welcoming, as have the staff, who work tirelessly to support the children in their learning. A truly exceptional program run by dedicated professionals.

***************************************
Both my children( one now 6 yrs and at pre-primary and the younger one, 4 yrs and at Smart Start) have benefited from the friendly, secure learning environment, giving them enormous confidence and the ability to try so many different activities that they couldn't do at kindy or even pre primary - specifically the sewing on paper, the music sessions, the particular puzzles that are different from the ones at kindy and preprimary, and friendlier teachers. They both just love it and the older one still wants to come back!!

***************************************
It has been such a joy and fulfilment to watch him grow and develop under your wonderful teaching, kindness and endless enthusiasm. Whenever he astounds us with his sudden burst of brilliance, he has always learned it at "Annie's". I'm still reeling from him suddenly singing" head, shoulders, knees and toes" in French! Talk about a 'jawdropping' experience!

***************************************
We were in a pre-kindy program at a private school in Perth at the same time as being enrolled for a day at Smart Start. We decided to leave the private school and do three full days at Smart Start for the kindy year. We left the private school because our daughter was craving academic exposure that she just wasn't getting in the "social and emotional growth" environment. I'm quite sure that our daughter would have accelerated academically without Smart Start...but it would have taken a lot of time on our part outside of school hours. Now, in the middle of her kindy year, she is reading at a year two level, and doing math at a similar level. She knows her continents, planets, colours of the rainbow, and can sing in French! I am absolutely certain that she wouldn't have been exposed to any of this had she remained in the private school for her kindy year (her friends that have remained at that school certainly haven't!). She has also enjoyed the friends that she has made at "Annie's School", and has benefitted from the social experiences throughout the year. She is very well equipped for pre-primary at any school, and we're very happy with the decision that we made.

***************************************
He loves coming to 'school' and even though this is only his 3rd week, he always asks me at the end of the day, 'can I come again tomorrow?' Smartstart has been a welcome relief for us, having already come from a Montessori playgroup. We found that, from 2.5yrs on, he really needed to be around his own peers and was yearning to stretch out on his own and explore his independence. Smartstart has given him this independence and even though he has never been to daycare, there were no separation issues, which goes to prove he really was ready to begin the next level of learning. The follow on Montessori approach is invaluable as it has enabled him to settle in very quickly and work on familiar jobs in an environment which is both respectful and fun and at the same time offering him challenges which he would not get at home or at his current play group. Smart start has been a natural progression. We have noticed an incredible difference in his confidence, willingness to participate in dancing and singing at home and his language has lept forward in the last 2 weeks as he now has to communicate for himself. Thankyou for giving us such a wonderful program that my son loves and talks about each night when he comes home.

***************************************
We both want to thank you for having him in the programme. He has benefited enormously and just loves it. I am sure that his positive attitude to learning and his first experience of a class environment as being a fun and secure environment will be very valuable as he moves forward into new learning environments. I can only echo my wife's words and thank you for providing such a wonderful developmental opportunity for him. The only thing I could add is that the wider range of activities Smart Start offered has seen the blossoming of his interest in music and art and colour in any form.

***************************************
You’d be proud to know that last week at Kindy she came home so excited because they’d had an activity that day which was ‘make your own sandwich’ and she got to do some grating and chopping and she remembered that she was ‘good’ at those things because she’d done them at 'Annies' - that’s what she used to call Smart Start! This also made me realise that I should let the girls start doing more of those things at home too!

*************************************
I also wanted to tell you that he has started his own garden (his own idea), I don't know if he told you? He also spends a lot of time singing the songs that you do there. (we have a different repetoire so i know it's from you) Just wanted to let you know I've noticed how much he's getting out of being with you in your programe.

*************************************
You are doing an absolutely fantastic job together with the other women. He loves his Kindi and he has improved in so many things. He now can play independently and sings songs all day long (frere Jaque, Kookaboora, and more that I don’t even know).

*************************************
I was really intrigued when we went on the boat this week. He wanted to look at the chart I have on board. Once I'd explained where the water was, he was off tracing where the treasure was etc ..I know you do alot of work with maps so I wanted you to know it's really paid off. I know alot of adults who can't make head nor tail of a nautical map. He is also maddly writing lots of t's in the sand every time we go to the beach. Thanks for your work

*************************************

back to the top