Kids Academy Symonston Reviews

Stasia Lawerson 2025.08.24

     

Do not recommend sending your children to this centre. Over the 3 years my children were at this centre there were multiple breaches against the NQF. All the breaches happened after this centre was taken over by Affinity. Food quality doesn’t meet nutritional guidelines Safety concerns Staff to children ratio’s were out Cleanliness of the centre multiple raised concerns about the welfare of the children (mine included) completely dismissed. Samara (senior centre manager) herself said to me she doesn’t care if ratio’s are out for 30 minutes. The ACT manager has no interest in dealing with complaints or doing any investigating into any raised with her. They make excuses instead of taking accountability. The fees go up every year but the standard doesn’t. We are not the only family to remove our children from this centre in the last 3 months. Edit to respond to Owner: Complaints are not taken seriously. Leanne and Wayne do not respond or action complaints and all were dismissed. They ignored all email correspondence until the day before our last day at the centre. Leanne & Samara are more concerned about writing and creating a warm and fuzzy wall about how great their staff are than dealing with the actual problems at that centre. We have submitted a complaint to the ACT Regulator/CECA.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2025.06.19

Hi Stasia, thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We value the input from families and are committed to maintaining high standards of care and safety. We take concerns about the wellbeing of children very seriously and continuously review our practices to ensure they meet all regulatory requirements. While we understand your frustrations, we encourage open communication and are always striving to improve. If you would like to discuss your concerns further, please contact us at feedback@affinityeducation.com.au. Thank you.

Shea Marshall 2025.08.06

     

Kids academy Symonston has been amazing for my child. When we first started there we were still going through cancer treatment (still are currently).Samara and the team did everything they could to help and reassure me that my child would be safe and well cared for in the service. The team followed all action plans to a T and never once missed anything that happened or that my child needed. They changed her dietary requirements instantly and only served safe foods for my child while making sure she still felt included in all meal times. They knew the importance of caring for my child appropriately to ensure we only had success. The team there are loving and caring and only want the best for all children.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2025.08.06

Thank you for sharing such a powerful and personal journey with us, Shea! It is an honour to care for your little one, and we are so grateful for the trust you have placed in our team. Samara and the team are truly committed to walking alongside families with love, attentiveness, and unwavering support. Your words mean more than you could ever know.

Tara Page 2025.03.24

     

My son started at Kids Academy Symonston a little over a year ago after a terrible experience at another centre. The educators have been nothing but kind and caring with my son, and have such a special bond with him. His development has come along so well, and he is genuinely happy going to ‘school’. My son has developed little friendships and has become so confident. The centre celebrates arrange of cultural celebrations, which my son loves to participate in. My son definitely has a strong sense of belonging at the service. After my own 10 year career in Early Childhood Education and Care, I highly recommend Kids Academy Symonston for care for your little one ☺️

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2025.03.24

It is so heartwarming to hear how much your son has flourished with us, Tara! Seeing his confidence grow, friendships blossom, and his love for learning shine through means the world to us. We are so grateful for your trust, especially given your background in early childhood education. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Tara Volgyesi 2025.03.24

     

My family have been attending this day care for nearly 4 years now, it has been through a massive change which was really scary but thanks to samara coming when she did and putting in a lot of hard work it has made it through a hard transition and it has excelled with the care they provide. I have nothing but positive feedback for this centre the staff are beautiful and have looked after my children like they are their own, we appreciate everything they have done for us with in the centre and can’t recommend it any higher :)

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2025.03.24

It means so much to hear how supported and cared for your family has felt over the years, Tara. Change can be challenging, but knowing Samara and the team have made such a difference is wonderful. We truly appreciate your kind words and your trust in us to care for your little ones like our own!

Samara Phillips 2025.03.19

     

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2025.03.19

Thank you for the glowing 5 star review, Samara! We truly appreciate your support and the trust you have placed in our team.

Marley Murray 2025.01.28

     

Such a wonderful centre. When our son started there, we were worried he’d find the quick transition difficult, but it was the opposite - we had never seen him take to new people or a new location so quickly. He had such a wonderful experience there and grew so much. The educators were great - they all made a true effort to get to know our son.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2025.01.28

It is so lovely to hear how quickly your son has settled in and begun to thrive with us, Marley. Watching children feel comfortable and grow in confidence is what we aim for, and knowing our educators made that connection with your son means so much. Thank you for sharing this experience ~ it brightens our day!

J 2024.07.20

     

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.07.22

Thank you Josh for the 5 star review!

Ethan & Kristy Edward 2024.04.02

     

Our son loves going to kids academy, he even tells us we need to go to work on weekends and public holidays. So he can go to his work (daycare) and see his friends and teachers. The educators have really helped him to start talking and be social, so much so that because he loves it so much we upped his days there to full time.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.04.09

We are so glad that you have had a great experience with us! Thank you so much.

Phillipa Bates 2024.03.18

     

Having been a part of this daycare for three years, our experience has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly now after a rocky transition from Kids Club to Affinity/Kids Academy. Under the new leadership of Samara, the centre has flourished, offering an engaging and caring environment for our son, especially in the Outback Room. The staff's commitment is evident in their daily interactions, providing personalised updates and actively seeking ways to support each child's development. The facility itself is top-notch, with a variety of activities and learning programs that cater to the children's interests and educational needs. Despite a brief period of adjustment with the change in ownership, the centre has maintained, and even improved, its high standards of care and education. This daycare is a supportive community that we're thankful to be a part of, confidently recommending it to other families.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.03.22

Thank you for sharing your experience with us over the past three years Phillipa! We are so glad to hear that the transition has been positive for your family. It's wonderful to know that your son is thriving and benefiting from our engaging and caring environment. We appreciate your recognition of our staff's dedication and commitment to each child's development. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we are grateful to have you as part of our supportive community!

Jack Mccubbine 2024.03.15

     

A wonderful place with a great team of carers. Couldn't imagine sending my little one anywhere else.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.03.22

Thank you so much Jack!

mounika Undavalli 2024.03.13

     

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.03.22

Thank you for your review Mounika!

Marc Sharrock 2024.02.15

     

Samara and the team at kids Academy have been very supportive of my family and I over the past year and a half my children have been attending their centre. My youngest son has special needs and requires additional support throughout his time at the centre. Samara and the team have worked closely in collaboration with my wife, and I relevant therapist to assist my son. I can’t recommend this centre enough.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.02.19

We are so glad that you have had a positive experience with our service! Thank you for your lovely feedback.

Melissa Needham 2024.02.08

     

If you're looking for daycare for your kids, Kids Academy Symonston has been nothing short of amazing for our family. Since Samara took over as director of the facility, things have really improved for the better. Our son used to cry for nine months at the previous two centres, but now he looks forward to going every day! I've noticed a significant increase in the staff's nurturing and supportive attitude towards the kids. I am grateful to the entire personnel at Kids Academy Symonston for their kindness.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.02.08

Thank you for your wonderful feedback Melissa!

Tessa May Hancock 2023.10.08

     

Avoid!! I would not recommend sending your child to this centre. My son did not have a pleasant experience during his short time there and some of the incidents I witnessed during drop off and pickup was really disheartening to see.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.02.07

Your feedback is important to us. Please email feedback@affinityeducation.com.au to discuss this matter further.

Natalie Milenovic 2023.09.27

     

It’s disappointing that all the comments are a year old - this centre is not five star. I toured the centre last week and what I witnessed in each of the rooms was disturbing. When I finished the tour, I ‘met’ the director (Jess). The way I was spoken to (as a prospective family) was appalling. To think she is the face of the company and supposedly running the centre is nothing but concerning. When I attempted to raise my concerns about this with management, I was met with defensiveness and excuses. It seems there was also no communication between the previous and new owners about transitioning crucial information across. I would not recommend sending your child here.

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Reply from Kids Academy Symonston 2024.02.07

Your feedback is important to us. Please email feedback@affinityeducation.com.au to discuss this matter further.

Toni Pallamountagne 2022.05.09

     

The team at Kids Club Symonston are AMAZING. From the moment I walked in for our tour I knew it was the place for us. I had the challenging job of transitioning a 2 and 3 year old who have never been separated from me. The staff built relationships with my children and even made transition booklets for them to take home in preperation for the next day. I spent a lot of time in the centre ensuring my children felt safe and comfortable before leaving them. In this time I watched the staff interact with ALL the kids in a respectful, kind and genuine manner. They worked tirelessly to cater to all the kids needs. The stuff sent me updates throughout the day and were fantastic with Centre based communication. I highly reccomend them and am so happy we found such a trusting place to send our kids 💓

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Taylor Ban 2022.01.27

     

Kids club have exceeded my expectations! Only two weeks in and I feel so confident that my child is so happy there with the support of all his wonderful teachers! He will defiantly thrive. Everyone is so warm and welcoming and I wouldn’t go anywhere else now that we have a place here ☺️

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Julie Schofield 2021.09.30

     

We've been involved with Kids Club for 4 years and it has been a great experience for our family. I've appreciated how the staff have supported my child and helped him to thrive. They always provide fun and engaging learning experiences and look for opportunities to extend skills based on the interests of the kids. It's given me a lot of peace of mind knowing that my child is in such capable hands.

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Jeremy Spindler 2021.09.14

     

Our son attends Kids Club and loves it. It makes it easier knowing he is enjoying his time and being very well looked after. He always comes home talking about different things he learnt and all the fun they had. All the staff are fantastic and always helpful. I highly recommend Kids Club.

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Peta H 2021.09.06

     

Our eldest was one of the first children in the centre when it opened back in 2017. Our youngest still attends and loves it just as much. I cannot fault the dedication and passion of the Educators, and when we've had questions or concerns about anything to do with the kids they've been able to guide us and provide any extra supports. It's always a difficult thing to find others to help raise your children, but we've always been comfortable with our choice.

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