Maples Day Nursery

"This nursery doesn't even deserve one star. Yes, it's an expensive nursery and is next to Winterbourne house and gardens (very posh??) - but unfortunately it is absolutely rubbish. If your child is non verbal and has any sort of additional needs they will not support you or your child. My son had the unfortunate experience of going to this nursery in 2021 for a period of nearly 4 months and it was a truly traumatising experience for him and me. Nobody looked after him. He would be left alone to cry for hours. Nobody would bother with him as they couldn't calm him down. And in Heath Bench's words their approach was 'being cruel to be kind'. He once came with cuts on his legs and the staff were clueless as to how this had happened (and didn't seem bothered about it). I once asked Heather if she could help refer him to the autism team but she was not helpful at all. She had a very dismissive attitude. He would take his own water bottle from home (as that's what he would only drink from). On a hot summers day he hadn't had any water at all as some new staff didn't know he had his own water bottle from home. They seem to have a non existant senco team. When I asked if anyone knew makaton, I was told there was one staff member who did and when asked if I could meet her I was told she was on 'leave'. Overall ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS nursery. They even had the cheek to charge me £500 for the notice period (my son did not even attend that month). The whole nursery staff need extensive training. I'd also like to add that some of their practices are totally unhygienic. My son would come back sick every time he went in, he would get some sort of stomach bug/diarrhoea and I presumed it was just one of those things that happened when they went to nursery. But I once happened to witness the children in the dining area and when meal time came to an end, they had a box of damp cloths by the door and a member of staff would use the same wet cloth to wipe the hands/mouths of the children. It was disgusting. That was his last day there! Avoid at all costs. I just wish the people who have reviewed this nursery whose children had additional needs posted their reviews earlier so me and my family were saved from this agony."

"We have had an amazing experience at this nursery, Finn loves it and I would highly recommend it to anyone. The staff are all highly trained and have been excellent at understanding and meeting the needs of my son who has autism. The nursery manager is amazing, helpful and has guided us through the process of getting Finn assessed and his plan in place, treating him with as much love and care as we do. Very suitable nursery for any SEN child. Finn loves the visits to Winterbourne gardens every week and all the activities they do around that. The nursery has a lovely calm feel with lots of sensory areas and activities, including little cushioned pods for quiet dark space to read, nap or have chill time. Finn is always really excited to go and the staff are all really lovely and have got to know him so well."

"Our child has attended the Maples day nursery for just over a year. She has thrived in their care and has really grown in confidence. She loves the Forest School and being close to Winterbourne Gardens. We receive regular updates on her day, with photos. We see such a variety of activities and a genuine willingness to respond creatively to the children's interests. We feel she is cherished and stretched. All the staff, not just key workers, seem to take joy in the children and share stories about her day. We'll be sorry when it's her time to move on."

"An appalling place especially for children who are vulnerable and have special needs. My child came home with multiple cuts on her face and neck without explanation. She is unable to speak due to autism so couldn’t tell us what happened. The nursery blamed my child and suggested she did it to herself with her fingernails despite the fact my daughter had very blunt nails due to nail biting which stemmed from her anxiety of being in such an inhospitable nursery environment. The head, Heather Bench, also broke data protection rules on another occasion by sending out an email to parents containing private personal data of all the families in the email. Heather also has a very poor manner in her communication to parents overall, or perhaps just with certain parents of a different race to her. A terrible place."

"I was very surprised to read any negative reviews on here. Heather and Jen have always been extremely supportive when issues have arisen. Maples is a very inclusive nursery and is always pursuing activities that cover a wide EDI agenda. The staff are very loving and warm to the children. We feel so lucky that our son is able to attend an eco minded nursery, surrounded with such beautiful scenery in the heart of Birmingham. We are extremely grateful to Maples."