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January 2024 by Alexandra VanSant
I do not live locally but have had the pleasure of watching three of my nephews attend and graduate from Portsmouth nursery school. I wish we had such a nurturing, supportive, safe and FUN space for my own children to grow and explore. One of my nephews had difficulty with communication- the staff were incredibly supportive and nurturing. I observed my other nephew develop a new confidence, joy and self assurance under their care. Perhaps most importantly, all of my nephews delighted in the programme and could not wait to go to school. I believe it is a wonderful place for kids to learn and grow.
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January 2024 by Rebecca Farrea
There's nowhere I would prefer to send my child. The teachers are so attentive to the students' needs and after only four months my son has developed so many skills that will be necessary for kindergarten. It is affordable and the quality of care is unmatched.
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January 2024 by Ashley Murphy
I truly cannot say enough good things about Portsmouth Nursery School! After looking into several preschool programs in the area, we chose PNS and enrolled our daughter in their 4 year old program. From the very second that we met the teachers, we knew this was the place for our daughter. She finished the year SO ready for kindergarten and is now thriving there too!The staff is so incredibly nice, knowledgeable, and really care for each of their students. The facilities are clean, and engaging for the kids. They change the learning stations weekly, so there is an incredible range of activities and toys to play with. The PNS teachers kept us updated on our daughter’s progress throughout the year, with progress reports and in classroom conversations, and notes home.We met some of the most amazing families who we are still friends with today. The only problem was our daughter loved school so much she never wanted to come home!We cannot wait for our almost 3 year old to enroll in the fall! He asks daily when he can go to school there!I highly recommended Portsmouth Nursery School to all parents looking for a great program for their kiddos! It’s a truly magical place!
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January 2024 by Alex Wilson
My son attended the 4 year old class a couple years ago, now my daughter is in the 3 year old class and will attend next year too! Our family loves portsmouth nursery school and the teachers . My daughter deals with a speech delay and going to school really has seemed to help bring her out of her shell to play and talk with other kids. I feel completely comfortable leaving my daughter knowing she is in safe and loving hands during the day !
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January 2024 by Melanie Whipple
We are beyond grateful for the experiences both my children have had at Portsmouth Nursery School. My son who is now in kindergarten, gained strategies and skills to set him up for a success from the teachers. My daughter who is currently enrolled has gained confidence and endless skills through the play to learn opportunities she has at PNS.
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January 2024 by Paul R
My 4-year-old has a speech delay that makes her communication with others challenging. She attended Portsmouth Nursery School where the staff were supportive initially, but as my daughter's speech delay persisted, some misunderstandings arose.During group activities, she struggled to express herself verbally. She often used gestures or simple words to communicate, which some of the other children and even staff members found difficult to understand.... Her lunchbox returned nearly untouched every day, despite her being a relatively good eater at home.Despite my daughter's progress in other areas, her speech delay became a focal point for some staff and children, leading to subtle forms of exclusion and misunderstanding.One evening, when my wife went to pick up our daughter, she noticed a bruise on our daughter's forehead. Concerned, we asked her about it, but she seemed reluctant to talk about how she got hurt. WE WERE NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THIS INCIDENT AND LIED TO WHEN INQUIRED ABOUT IT!There were instances when my daughter attempts at communication were met with impatience or dismissal. The staff began excluding her from group play, finding it hard to engage due to her speech difficulties.Me and my wife noticing her growing frustration and withdrawal, approached the daycare staff to discuss strategies to support my daughter communication. However, we felt that our concerns were not fully understood or addressed, and we were advised to seek alternative care.FOR ALL PARENTS:Children with speech delays may face challenges in expressing themselves, which, if not met with understanding and appropriate support, can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion. Nursery School's settings should aim to create an inclusive environment where every child's needs, including those with speech delays, are recognized and supported appropriately.
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January 2024 by Antoinette Jones
I adore Portsmouth Nursery school! It’s a small preschool that runs mornings only. The 3 year old class meets on Tuesday Thursday and the 4 year old class on Monday Wednesday and Friday. It was really special to me to send my children here because my 2 closest friends (35 years old now) went to school and have memories of it. They used the same indoor wooden monkey bars that my children love. I am about to send my 3rd child there in the fall. The 3 teachers really make this place special. One of them who has been there the longest loves children so much you can see the love pouring out of her when she sees the children. She adores all the little quirks that make them unique and is always pointing out cute things they did. You get a feel that the teachers all love being with your children unlike another school we tried where it felt like it was just staff working. Another teacher is a great resource for me regarding questions I have about my older elementary school aged child. The school has a good ratio of free play and more structured learning. We have met lifelong friends here and enjoy interacting with the other families and teachers. My child loves telling me about circle time and the craft and where she played during outdoor time. I love that there is a strong emphasis on artwork and different types of creative work. Each week the toys are rotated and it’s fun to discover what the weeks unit and monthly themes are. There are always sensory bins and playdoh/play sand out. The school is super clean. Both of my children that went/go here speak French at home and aren’t always easy to understand. The teachers take the time to listen and repeat and help her communicate her needs. Her speech as improved tremendously from her time spent at PNS. Even some of the teachers have learned French from my child! We feel safe and loved here! On some days my child eats all her lunch and on other days she says she was having too much fun chatting with others to eat much. She has made her first couple of good friends here! I could go on and on about how much we love this place. I wish they offered grade school here, it’s such a special place.
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January 2024 by Corinne Angeles
From my short experience with this school I definitely feel like their staff are unfit and unqualified to handle young children. They should be very ashamed of themselves; every day I packed a full variety lunch for my daughter to eat, but every time my daughter came home there was only one item touched in her lunch box. She is three, she needs help taking out her food, such as opening the bags and containers for her. They only opened one item for her to eat… They did not ensure my child was properly fed. I am livid at the fact that they were completely negligent to inform how my daughter got injured in their care that left her with a bruise right in the center of her forehead for almost 2 weeks. I had to confront them and get to the bottom of it; they had no idea that it even happened. They never gave any type of progress reports. I would pack my own personal wipes and tissues so they could save theirs to help my daughter wipe her face when she had a runny nose or when she cried but they were never used. My daughter would come home with salty cheeks, bags under her eyes, it literally looked like they just let her cry for a long time and never cared to clean her up. Another HUGE raise of concern is that if your child is not fully verbal like mine I recommend you DO NOT, absolutely do not allow them to attend this facility! I really do feel like they were doing something “shady” behind closed doors because my daughter's behavior at home started becoming more uneasy, short tempered and far more dramatic after she started attending this school… she can express simple needs like when she’s hungry or needs to use the bathroom but she can’t explain herself. My intuition tells me that at some point they mistreated my child there…They did something that altered her personality and I do not like that at all! A mother always knows and I feel like someone there does not have good integrity. Another thing that bothered me is I feel like their staff are lazy and selfish. On the perfectly sunny days that we rarely have through out most of the year, they did not take initiative to bring these kids outside like they promise in their website description. The kids really missed out on some fun outdoor play time. This facility looks nice on the website but in person it’s filthy, they need to step it up. To each their own, but I expect a whole other level of cleanliness for a “nursery school.” That’s how kids get sick. I do not trust these people, and I suggest you don’t either!
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November 2023 by Rebecca Cochran
I chose to send my child to PNS simply because it’s where I had gone as a child and had so many of my own wonderful memories from inside the classroom. But now from a parent’s perspective, I have a whole new love for the place. The teachers are absolutely wonderful and I can’t imagine having sent my child anywhere else. I have watched each teacher make every child feel special, heard, and comfortable. My son comes home each day excited to tell me about what he learned, or the fun craft he did, or the new station they had set up to play with. It is a wonderful place to slowly transition and prepare your child (and yourself) for kindergarten. We look forward to sending our 2 younger children to PNS in years to come.
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November 2023 by Jonathan P
Our family loves Portsmouth Nursery School. My son is in his second year at PNS and wakes up each day excited to go to school. The teachers are supportive, kind, and the best at what they do. While we are sad this will be our last year in attendance, we feel our son has acquired the necessary skills to excel in his transition to kindergarten and beyond.
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October 2023 by Kelsea Godek
My daughter attended Portsmouth Nursery school for two years and my son is currently enrolled in their 3 year old program. It is a gem of a school where children learn through PLAY (as they should at 3 & 4 years old!). My daughter walked into Kindergarten with such confidence and excitement, I couldn't have dreamed of a better preschool for her to attend. PNS is truly a magical place.
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May 2023 by Vanessa Ferreira
Portsmouth Nursery School is exactly what we hoped for our two little girls. We wanted a nurturing, safe environment that felt like home mixed with projects and activities that stimulated their little minds. The hours/days are a perfect fit for our family. Not too long, not too short. We have witnessed such growth and know we made the right choice to get them ready for Kindergarten when we see their excited smiles after a day full of fun. We feel so lucky to be a party of the PNS family.
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May 2023 by Edward Murray
Our daughter has been attending Portsmouth Nursery School for the past two years. The school is very clean and the teachers are phenomenal. Next year, our daughter will be attending kindergarten and I am certain she has gained all the necessary skills to be a successful and confident student. Thank you PNS for everything you have done !
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May 2023 by Jen Viano
Both my daughters have attended Portsmouth Nursery School and we have had the best experience with them! The teachers are so great and nurturing, both my girls were so excited to go every day. They do great projects and learning through play. Flexible drop off window. We are so lucky to have found this school and can’t recommend it enough for 3 and 4 year olds!!!!
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May 2023 by Rebecca Beaulieu
Portsmouth Nursery School is a rare gem. After looking around at several daycares and preschool programs, PNS was a breath of fresh air. The classes are small, the staff are loving and nurturing and are parents themselves. As parents, we couldn't have felt more comfortable leaving our children in the hands of the staff here. It felt like dropping them off with family. The learning and playing is hands-on, interactive, and developmentally appropriate. Our children are now almost 10 and 8 and they still talk about PNS and what a wonderful experience they had there. Thank you PNS for life long memories!
