Review for Soenëtjie Kleuterskool

As first-time parents, our experience with Soenëtjie Kleuterskool was heartbreaking and unacceptable. After multiple incidents involving safety, hygiene, and disrespect, we made the difficult decision to remove our daughter. I’m sharing this to protect other parents from going through the same.

400g Sudocrem and full wipes pack “used up” in just 8 days: We sent a large 400g tub of Sudocrem and a full pack of wipes. Just 8 days later, we were told both were finished. When we questioned this, they claimed there was no camera footage from Mickyla’s class. We asked to see the empty containers—they couldn’t provide them. When confronting Mickyla directly, she casually asked, “But did you mark it?” That comment was a slap in the face. We are extremely organised parents who go the extra mile—everything is labelled with our daughter’s full name and surname, using stickers. Turning the blame on us was dismissive and deeply disrespectful.

Packed 8 Huggies Gold nappies daily – yet always missing, and returned in someone else’s no-name brand: We packed 8 Huggies Gold nappies every single day. But the daily booklet they gave us never matched up. Some days it said she only used 4 or 5 nappies—yet none were ever returned. When we questioned this, they told us they “keep extras on site.” We accepted that explanation—until the day our daughter came home wearing a no-name brand nappy clearly not from us. That raised the obvious question: Where are all the nappies they were supposedly keeping? For weeks, we watched our supplies disappear while getting vague answers. But seeing our child in another parent’s nappy was unacceptable. This was not only careless—it was completely unhygienic and disrespectful.

Repeated injuries and dishonesty: Our daughter fell multiple times. At first, we were told another baby “pulled her down.” After pushing for camera footage, the teacher returned in tears the next day and admitted that she ****—our child fell because no one was watching her, and she crawled off a step. In another incident, she fell backwards on tiled flooring because no support cushion was provided. In a setting that advertises “high care,” this should never happen.

No communication from the principal: We sent a formal email to inform the principal we were removing our daughter. The email was read (confirmed by a read receipt)—but no one ever responded. No call. No apology. No concern. That silence confirmed to us that we were nothing more than a number.

Only “sick” at school – never at home: We were regularly told our daughter had a high fever or was “difficult,” and we had to fetch her from school—driving all the way from Sandton to Pretoria. Yet at home, she was fine. One evening we even rushed her to Unitas Hospital, only to hear from the doctor that she was simply teething. These incidents often coincided with staff shortages—leading us to question whether these “issues” were real or just convenient.

Burnt bum, missing nappies, and poor hygiene: On more than one occasion, we picked up our daughter with a wet nappy and a visibly red, burnt bum, even though we provided everything she needed. The missing Huggies nappies were never found, and there was no clear explanation. This level of negligence is unacceptable in any care setting.

Constant mix-ups with clothing: We frequently received other children’s clothes and were told staff didn’t know where our child’s belongings went. This happened multiple times and clearly showed a lack of care and organisation.

False promises of “high care”: The school promotes small class sizes and attentive care. What we experienced was the opposite—unsupervised children, missing supplies, no follow-up, and dishonest responses.

Final straw – the sippy cup lid: On the final day, Mickyla casually asked, “Did we forget anything?” When we got home, we saw that our daughter’s sippy cup lid was missing. A small detail, yes—but it was the final cherry on top that showed just how careless and dismissive they were.

Despite raising our concerns politely and giving them multiple chances to improve, nothing changed. Instead, they made us feel like we were overreacting. There was no accountability, no care from leadership, and no genuine concern for our child.

To any parent reading this: we are not complainers. We are loving, attentive parents who gave this school the benefit of the doubt again and again. But the pattern of disorganisation, negligence, and dishonesty was undeniable. Please think carefully before placing your child here. They deserve better.