Gungahlin Montessori Academy Child Care Centre

I couldn't be happier with the care and education my son receives at Gungahlin Montessori Academy Child Care Centre. The staff are incredibly dedicated and nurturing, creating a warm and welcoming environment where my child thrives. The facilities are top-notch, and the curriculum is both engaging and enriching. We've seen significant growth in our son's confidence and skills since he started attending. Thank you to the entire team for your exceptional service and commitment to excellence!

My children both love Gungahlin Montessori and we, as parents, are thrilled with the academy, particularly over the past several months. The centre has done a lot to promote and celebrate cultural diversity and participate in festivals and special occasions, which has been wonderful for my children (to learn about other cultures/festivals and participate in book week/Christmas festivities, etc). The educators care for, and nurture our children and are genuinely invested in their educational growth and emotional and physical well-being. The Gungahlin management is very engaged, present and has fostered a community environment - we are incredibly happy!

Even words can't describe my sickening experience at Gungahlin Montessori Academy I'm extremely disappointed with the level of care and supervision provided by Gungahlin Montessori Academy. My child was involved in an incident that could have been prevented with proper supervision. The incident occurred on 27th November at approximately 9:50 am( as mentioned by organisation upon CCTV footage investigation). However, I was not informed about it until almost an hour later. When I asked the staff about the incident, they admitted that they didn't notice it happening and had to review the CCTV footage to investigate. This lack of supervision and delayed notification led to a significant gap in time, which I believe exacerbated my child's injury. During our meeting to discuss the incident, the area manager offered to end my child's enrolment effective from the date of the incident and waive the fees for the 12-week withdrawal notice period. However, we were expecting a more compassionate and reasonable approach, considering the circumstances. We had hoped that the fees would be waived until my child was in good condition to attend the daycare centre again and until we could regain trust over a period. Instead, the offer was made with conditions, and the area manager's demeanor changed when we expressed our intention to share our experience as a Google review. What's even more concerning is the way the area manager handled the situation. Instead of taking responsibility and apologizing, she became confrontational and threatened to withdraw the offer if we proceeded with the Google review. As a parent, I expect a higher level of professionalism, respect, and accountability from an organization entrusted with the care of my child. Unfortunately, Gungahlin Montessori Academy fell short of these expectations. Moreover, I feel that they treat parents as mere numbers, rather than valued members of the community. The lack of empathy, understanding, and transparency is alarming. What's even more astonishing is that despite experiences like mine, Gungahlin Montessori Academy still maintains a 4/5-star rating. I find it suspicious and question the authenticity of these reviews. It's concerning to think that other parents may be misled by these ratings and unknowingly put their children at risk. I would caution other parents to carefully consider their options before enrolling their children at this academy. If I could, I would give a rating of -100/5 to reflect my extreme disappointment and concern.

Appalling Experience at The Monessori Academy in Gungahlin *Experience Rating Breakdown:* - Quality of Care: 0/5 - Staff Competence: 0/5 - Communication: 0/5 Red Flags *Neglects* # Staffs ignored my 2year child's basic needs (food, water, comfort) - I noticed in several occasions his drink bottle was untouched, didn't eat the whole day and wasn't offer a substitute or a piece of fruit. # I had provided some medication and associated medical forms for my child's eczema on his commencement with the centre to be applied daily. The day I pulled him out, the Director gave it back to me unopened from her desk! I could not believe the irresponsibility and blatant disregard for his welfare. # Isolated him from the rest of the class. E.g. locking him in the classroom with a staff member who just sat on a chair in the middle of the packed up classroom, not engaging with him while the class played outside. Their reason was that they had an occasion with families and families who couldn't make the occasions, the children were isolated. # On more than one occasion, I walked in to find him pressed up against the glass door crying while waiting to be picked up and the staff members ignoring him. # Physical injury - failed to report injuries of my child which occurred at the centre. When I asked the room staff, they all said they had not noticed the blood and cut on my son's ear!!! I have photos to back this, which I attached to the email sent to the admin and was ignored. # Our child's concerns was ignored and no response to our emails. # Unresponsive administration - Several of my emails inquiring about unreported injuries to my child and other concerns were ignored. # Lack of accountability - After I had forwarded several instances of ignored correspondence to the head office, they asked the Director to speak to me at drop off rather than acknowledge the email in writing. # Inadequate supervision - failure to notice injuries and witness my child being scratched and hit by others. *Unprofessional Staffs * # On several occasions I witnessed a staff member care for own child while ignoring the other children in their care. # During pick up I watched a staff member aggressively shove my child away then start playing with their own child. When I raised this with the Director, immediately after, she claimed that they were unable to find footage of the incident. *Advice to Families:* Thoroughly research and inspect this center before enrollment. Ensure your child's specific needs are understood and meant. It is no wonder at all that their most recent rating and assessment, they weren't even meeting the national quality standards for their educational program and practice or their relationships with the children. What you are promised during the tour and what they advertise, is by no means the experience you will have. Now that our son is well settled in a different center, the failing of the centre, its staff and its management is extremely apparent. I decided a review is necessary to prevent other families from experiencing what we went through.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the exceptional service and care provided by Montessori Academy Gungahlin, with special thanks to Centre Manager Leisa. Her leadership and dedication to the children’s well-being are truly evident in everything she does. Leisa’s nurturing approach, combined with her professionalism and warmth, creates a wonderful environment for both children and parents. I only wish that Leisa had started at Montessori when my son first began his journey there, as I know he would have greatly benefited from her guidance and support. Thank you, to all the amazing educators for making such a positive impact on my child's experience at the academy!