La Petite Academy of Birmingham

Valleydale Location They are currently on a provisional license. A provisional license is a temporary permit issued to a child care facility that is unable to fully meet all the requirements for a regular license. In my opinion, that is too kind of the state to allow. The director would rather the children who are deemed “picky eaters” starve if they do not eat what is offered oppose to allowing parents bring food even after filling out the necessary medical documentation. Kids are able to escape from assigned areas. The director refuses to put safety items on the door because she said “it’s not required and kids should have boundaries”. Also, it is very unprofessional there. You are told one thing and something else is done. Multiple parents were complaining, incident reports were given to multiple parents to prevent their children from coming to school, etc. We were not even there a full week and today is my child’s last day because the director was okay with him not eating anything all day and making claims with no evidence. She also took it further to prevent him from having food. I also watched the camera throughout the day and surprise surprise no incidents and one staff member said “he did fine for his nap and he did not give her any trouble”. Staff members expressed that he was such a sweet child and I honestly feel the director did not want him there and I expressed that.

Take your kids somewhere else! The director and staff don’t care and act as if they don’t know what’s going on. I took a chance on this place given the mixed reviews and the most recent review was 3 months ago and it’s not good. I viewed the website and scheduled a tour for 10am on 3/31/23. I was told they had availability for new infants. We showed up at 0945 and was let in the building and told to wait while someone helps us. I told the lady I had an appointment for a tour and she said, “Let me get a packet for you and how soon do you want her to start?” I told her as soon as possible. The lady then proceeds to tell me that the have a 4:1 ratio for infant to teacher and currently the teacher my daughter would be assigned to has 4 infants. I’m like so do you have openings or not? Then tells me the director won’t be in until 10a… by this time it’s like 0945 and she would have the director call me. She gave me a packet and that was it. I told her we would wait because we schedule a tour.we went back inside at 1030a and they said come back at 11..why would I do that when I scheduled at 10a? The director never shows up until 1045 & came speeding into the parking lot, exited her vehicle, aggressively punched in her code and swung the door open . Body language is everything… the whole staff seemed completely oblivious and I think they knew the director wouldnt be there until 11a. Waste of time.

Waste of time. Spoke with someone on the phone last week. I guess it was someone from the corporate company. She was very nice. She asked if I wanted to schedule a tour for this location for more specific information tailored to what I would need. I was driving and told her I would have to check my schedule when I got home. I ended up scheduling a tour through the website. I showed up for the scheduled time with my ID ready and wasn’t even let in the door. I was told there was no availability until June 2023. I understand that can happen. I still was not given a tour or given any further information to know if this is an option to consider one day, especially with it being 2 mins from home. Honestly, the person made me feel like I was wasting her time to open the door to me as her hands were full of restocking supplies, almost like they had no idea of a scheduled tour. I could have kept asking for more information on the program for the future but since I was never let in the door it felt pointless to me. A call to me before my scheduled appointment would have been the professional way to have handled it before wasting my time and her time too.

I love this Lapetite. My child has been going here for almost 3 months and I absolutely love her teacher(Mrs.Brianna). She treats each child like they are her owns! I have never had any problems with her! She’s the best! Her morning teacher( Ms. Carla) is wonderful and has a great spirit. She always greet us with open arms and a smile. Lapetite Valleydale is overall a great place.

Did not have a problem with this school until my son got to a year 1/2. He has a speech delay and I don't feel as if they were patient with him. I would bring him into the school sometimes with the teachers and the director inside and they would completely ignore him while greeting other kids. Ended up discontinuing taking him when I walked in one day to pick him up and he was getting yelled at, and as it sounded, pulled, because he took his shoes off when he wasn't suppose to. When his teacher realized I was there and had heard what happened she began her excuse by telling me that he had been horrible the 2 hours that he was there and was basically glad that I was there to get him. I knew sometimes was wrong because he was wining like he was hurt when he walked up the stairs which I had never heard from him before. Very verbally abusive. I walked in numerous times to kids getting yelled at. I continuously told them within the 2 years that he was there that if they had ANY issues with him throughout the days he was there to call me and I or someone will come pick him up immediately. He is not a bad kid at all but I know he can be a handful and I was trying to prevent situations like this from happening with it being the first daycare he had ever been to. Would not recommend.