Leaving your young child with someone takes a leap of faith however good the reviews, and I was really anxious when I returned to work after maternity leave… but I can honestly say I now frequently marvel at how lucky we were to find Leonor. I could not have wished for anyone better to take care of my daughter.

The setting is lovely – a bright and happy homely environment, organised in a very child orientated way. There’s a sunny garden with plenty of space for playing as well as growing fruit and flowers (and butterflies!) and the children play outside when the weather allows, much to my daughter’s delight. It’s idyllic! Leonor is quite modest but she has a complete gift with children; thoughtfully helping them build confidence, she calmly encourages them to learn new skills (often beyond my expectations!) and reports every development with enthusiasm. She’s very accepting of each child’s differences and takes on board their interests and preferences in activities. She’s practical and creative – my daughter enjoyed cooking and painting way ahead of us getting round to it (daring to try it!) at home. Leonor sends regular photos of the children at play which is very reassuring and she’s been very thoughtful in consulting us on my daughter’s familiarity with (and my approval of, if relevant) anything out of the ordinary like food and trips out.

When first looking for a childminder I read a comment from someone who’d left the area who wished they could have taken Leonor and her family with them. I now understand how true that sentiment was! 17 months on, we’ve just moved away too and, much as I liked Plumstead, by far the worst thing about leaving was saying goodbye to Leonor and her lovely family. My daughter loved her time there and I can’t recommend her highly enough!

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication