REVIEW OF Children's Garden Nursery School BY parent, Zar Shah

(4.5) Student Experience

My daughter had a wonderful experience at CGNS. One of her favorite things to do was arts and crafts as it taught her so many new concepts in an interactive and creative way. CGNS fostered a very warm and inviting environment, where a child felt heard and encouraged. My daughter was very shy at the beginning of her SK year to put her hand up and ask for help if she ever needed it, but slowly over the course of the year, she was encouraged at her own pace and learned how to without hesitation. I think my daughter would've definitely wanted more interaction with the older grades, especially during recess/lunch, gym, or even free time in the class.

(5) School Leadership

When my daughter was at CGNS I knew from the moment I dropped her off, that she would be in good hands. The individual attention that each child receives from teachers to the principal is incredible, and not only for academics. In JK the teacher took it upon herself to help guide my daughter into becoming more independent when eating and other small transitions during the day. In SK they helped her discover her own leadership abilities and fostered an environment where she could practice them. Both instances were initiated by her teachers and the principal.

(4.5) Teaching

From the start of the toddler program to her years of Kindergarten my daughter always had very dedicated and supportive teachers. Her progression in academics and social skills through the years was an important task for her teachers and one that was discussed at any time with me. I always knew I could reach out if I had any concerns and they would take it upon themselves to address them without any hesitation. The level of patience to navigate between learning different levels of each child is not an easy task, but her teachers always made sure they had plenty for everyone. In particular, I saw this during the pandemic when they switched to remote learning. It was not easy to teach a lesson online whilst giving each child a chance to answer or talk when they please.

(5) Academics

The academic program at CGNS was very well suited to the children's age and developmental stage. What I liked was that it took that extra step to challenge the child but in a steady pace, for example SK students were learning Grade 1 material, and hence when my daughter entered Grade 1 in public school she already knew most if not all the material being taught. So I can confidently say that CGNS more than adequately prepared my child for her next steps. What I also appreciated was that there was no rush to have all the kids reach milestones at the same time, and it was something the teachers reminded parents about, which was wonderful as parents are always are keen to have their children reach academic levels fast!

(4) Extracurriculars

There was definitely a wide range of activities written into the curriculum for the students, and was accurate for the age and grade level. From music to art, sport-ball, and even drama. I appreciated the yearly concerts which encouraged students to build confidence while performing in front of an audience. Music classes were theme-based with an introduction to different genres. The art program introduced different artists and their styles and gave students an opportunity to practice them.

(5) Students

The size of all the classes my daughter attended were the right number of students. The classroom setup in terms of the seating plan was rearranged a number of times but not too many to disrupt the flow of work and concentration. The students all had a wonderful bond with each other, especially for those who had been together for a few years prior. Students were encouraged to work out any miscommunications between themselves with the help of staff. They all played together very cordially and were always inclusive of everyone around them. My daughter learned how to handle herself when she entered a situation she did not feel comfortable and knew who to stay around who would make her the happiest. All of this she learned from her time at CGNS!

(5) School Life

My daughter absolutely loved going to school at CGNS! Not a day went by when she didn't want to go. She loved her teachers to the core and created a close bond with them and the principal. It was a very warm and inviting environment, the door was always open to parents with any concerns or requests. At any time of the day, parents could reach out to teachers or the principal and get immediate responses. The children were not just students attending school, they were treated as individuals and a sense of belonging prevailed over them at the place they loved spending their days and weeks at! Everyone became family at CGNS - teachers, students, and parents. Something I miss very much!

(5) Community

Parents were always involved in school life. What I really liked was that each parent was asked to voluntarily become a class parent and it would be their responsibility to report back to parents of the shared class for important dates throughout the school year. Because it was such a warm and inviting school environment all parents felt a sense of wanting to participate in school events. Unfortunately, our kindergarten days were met with the pandemic so not many opportunities were given for more involvement. Prior to the pandemic, there was an annual Halloween party for the kids and families. Parents were encouraged to participate in organizing the event, and I can honestly say it was definitely a big highlight for me! I loved helping organize and more importantly attending.

(4) School Location

The neighborhood that CGNS is in is a lovely residential area. The children's outdoor play area is located at the corner of the school and is a perfect spot for anyone passing by to hear the laughter and giggles of children playing joyfully. Students very much stayed on the grounds as they had a wonderful outdoor play area to discover nature in.