"Greygates is a lived in nursery and the toys are well-used. Yet from the moment we walked in we knew this was the place we’d been looking for. They raise confident, able children who say what they think.”

Nicola, mother of Olivia, 5, and Henry, 2
 

"Before Greygates, Isabella was at one of the trendy, hugely expensive nursery chains. It was brand new and looked fabulous in the glossy brochure. But we soon found that it was run, above all, as a business. Profits came first, and then the children. We were so glad we switched."

Paul, father of Isabella, 4, and Alexandra,1
 

"It’s not regimented or too structured. The staff are disciplined but realistic, and they’re always ready to chat. They listen to the parents and don’t enforce things on you."

Sabrina, mother of Alex, 3

"It’s like a family. The children are encouraged to hug and play, yet there’s a balanced learning programme that’s multicultural but not elitist."

Donatella, mother of Matilde, 3
 

"I like the diversity. No group is excluded when it come to festivals: European... Asian... Jewish... whatever religion or background. The children learn to understand differences and not be fearful of them. We feel confident and happy dropping Beth off each morning. And I know parents with children at other nurseries who don’t share that security."

Mortimer, father of Beth, 3, and Joseph, 7
 

"I helped my sister and her husband look for a nursery. We knew what we wanted: the right environment. And we liked the idea of a family business. If we were comfortable with it, we thought Jamal would be. And he is."

Maria, auntie of Jamal, 4, and Kahil, 7 months
 

"We decided on a childminder as we thought nurseries were too expensive. So we went to see a few. Some couldn’t speak English; others were mothers with children of their own to look after, just wanting to make some money. One had a TV blaring in each room, and didn’t even bother to turn them off when we visited. So we came to Greygates and have never looked back. I love Denise’s down-to-earth approach and remember her saying to Rosa once, when she was having a drama, ‘Oh, don’t get your knickers in a twist!’. I just had to smile."

Meike, mother of Percy, 4, and Rosa, 8