Here are some of the comments parents have made:
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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).
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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
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