Kimberley & Maria welcome you and your children to Starfish Lane Kids Nurseries. Since we opened in September 2006 Starfish has established a fantastic reputation as being the leaders of quality childcare in Doha. Kimberley and Maria attribute this to the fabulous support of the parental community and especially to the wonderful Starfish ladies.
Both branches are located in wonderful, spacious villas - flooded with natural light and filled with soothing scents of our Australian natural aromatherapy oils. The setting at Starfish Lane Kids is calm and tranquil - please come to see us!
Phone numbers: Al Markhiya 487-5939 :: Al Jelaiah 411-0355
Website: www.starfishlanekids.com
Email: starfishkids@hotmail.com
Location of nurseries: Two locations: Al Markhiya and Al Jelaiah
Nearby Landmarks: Landmark Mall, West Bay, College of The North Atlantic - Qatar
GPS Coordinates of Starfish 1 (Al Markhiya): 25° 18' 33"N 51° 26' 27"E
GPS Coordinates of Starfish 2 (Al Jelaiah): 25° 21' 26"N 51° 28' 49"E
Map to schools: Download here
Driving directions: To Markhiya and to Al Jelaiah
Nationality of Management: Australian
Ages of children admitted: 12 months - 4 years
Cost: Please contact Starfish Lane Kids Nurseries for their fee structure.
Fees are paid: By the term
Registration fee: QR1000
Other fees: None
Refund policy: Non-refundable
Application deposit: None
Average length of waitlist: The longest waiting lists are from the ages of one to three years old. Starfish Lane Kids contacts the parents regularly to update them on their waitlist status.
Application procedure: Parents wishing to proceed with an application must first visit Starfish Lane Kids so they can take a look at our wonderful facilities. A simple application form is then completed. Other paperwork is not required and the registration fee is not due until a confirmed placement has been offered.
Hours of nurseries: 7am-2pm
Care options: Three, four or five days per week
Before-school care: Available for working parents only at additional cost.
After-school care: Available for working parents only at additional cost.
Type of curriculum: Australian
Naps: Offered as required for younger children.
Summer sessions offered: The Summer Program is offered to all Starfish families first and then opens up to outside children.
School Holidays: Please visit Starfish Lane Kids Nurseries for more information.
School calendar(s) most closely followed: DESS and the American School of Doha
Size of classes & number of teachers: There are 12 children in the baby classroom. In the other classes there are between 16-20 children on average, with most classes having 18 children (depending on the size of the classroom). There are four staff members in each classroom.
Required teacher trainings/education: All staff are First Aid trained through the British Safety Service. A number of staff have completed the Early Years Foundation Stage training as well. We hold six days per ten months of intensive in-house training for all staff members. Additional training for all staff takes place in DESS, American School of Doha and Compass International School.
Required teacher's assistant trainings/education: Varies on an individual basis.
Languages spoken by teachers: English
Languages spoken and/or taught to children: English
Do the children watch TV/videos? No
Are webcams available for parents to view their children online: No
Grassy Play areas: Both locations have grassed areas.
Shaded outdoor play areas: Both locations use Australian Shade Sails, which are imported from Australia and provide a 98% blocking of the harmful UV rays.
Dedicated indoor play areas: Yes, in both locations
Are snacks supplied for the children: No snacks are supplied due to differing dietary requirements & allergies.
Are lunches supplied for the children: No lunches are supplied due to differing dietary requirements & allergies.
Are the lunches (from lunchboxes) heated for the children: Due to health concerns with respect to heating plastics, children's lunches are no longer heated unless a glass container is supplied.
Nut Policy: We do not allow nuts or foods containing nuts.
Other food policies, if any: No sweets or soda. We follow a Healthy Foods For Our Kids policy at Starfish Lane Kids.
Potty training: We assist our students with potty training.
Are cloth diapers accepted: No
Are diapers and wipes supplied: No
In the education of our children we try to give them roots to feel home wherever they are and to give them wings to explore the world. In this Starfish is one of the best nurseries to attend - let the kids feel safe and happy and, moreover, let them be inspired to learn via a variety of activities, offered in a colorful environment, by a really well-trained and fantastic loving staff!
Michael and Hinke - parents of Sjoerd (4 years), Rienke (2.5 years) and Nora (6 months)
My husband and I have been enormously impressed with Starfish Lane Nursery. It has an amazing, happy vibe that makes it such a welcoming environment for children to be in. In fact, I often want to hang out there myself after I have dropped our son Fletcher (2) off! The facilities are brilliant, particularly the outdoor play area which is filled with a great selection of fun, age-appropriate and safety conscious toys and equipment. There is so much attention to detail and thought that goes into every single day at Starfish. Fletcher is a big fan of theme days at nursery - such as "red" day or the special Halloween party. He has even come home doing baby yoga, which he really loves. In our view, Starfish Lane is a warm, energizing and fun environment that provides a level of quality you won't find in any other nurseries in Doha.
Sarah S - mum to Fletcher (2 years)
Almost two years ago we walked into Starfish Lane 2, still bewildered after our first month in Doha. Making the choice of nursery seemed daunting, but when we walked in we felt at home! There was no hesitation in our minds that our son would love it here, with the beautiful incenses in the air, happy music, beautiful decor, laughter and many friendly faces. But most of all the support given to our family - the 'newbies' in town! Two years on and Carrick still loves every minute and has grown close to his teachers and friends! What has impressed us the most is the social and development skills that he has gained from his time at Starfish and are grateful for the grounding that he has been given to pave the way for his future! Thank you to all at Starfish!
Paul & Natalie - parents to Carrick (3 years)
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