CEFA’s South Surrey – Panorama South Unlocking Every Child’s Potential

We recently moved to a new city and were very nervous about enrolling our 2-year-old at CEFA Cottonwood, as she was deeply attached to her previous daycare. But the teachers here have been incredibly kind, patient, and welcoming, and she has adjusted so well in just two weeks! There are a few tears at drop-off, but her days go smoothly and happily.

A big and heartfelt thank you to the entire team for making her feel so comfortable and supported during this transition. I’d also like to give a special mention to Ashley, the owner, who has been wonderful to deal with, so approachable, understanding, and supportive.

We’re so grateful to have found such a caring and nurturing environment for our little one!

We are so grateful for CEFA Capilano Mall. We have been parents of children at this location for almost 4 years and have the utmost respect for the instructors and staff. Everyone is so friendly, caring, and easy to communicate with. Our children have learned so much and are so interested in learning, even out of the classroom. Thank you so much to the administrators (Alexandra, Laura, and Alanna), the instructors, and the chef for running a wonderful learning facility for children.

Our daughter Elise started as a student at CEFA when she was only 15 months old, and we absolutely love it! We have seen her flourish and grow leaps and bounds since she started. Her vocabulary has increased dramatically, and she is so much more inquisitive, and seems so mature compared to her friends!

We chose CEFA because they offer a curriculum program and not just play. Even though Elise has lots of play and exploration in her day, she also is learning to read, and to write, and she is loving the STEM curriculum.

The teachers are so warm, caring and welcoming, and really take a genuine interest in our daughter and our family. Daylene, the Principal, is always smiling and greeting students and parents in the morning – it’s such a great way to start the day!

Breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks are provided by their in-house chef who creates nutritious delicious meals all prepared according to the Canadian food guide, so I have no worries about her nutrition and I especially love that I don’t need to prepare anything for the day – CEFA takes care of everything, which means I have more time to spend with my daughter. Plus, she enjoys the meals so much that I’ve even asked for some recipes to make at home.

I love that I never have to worry about what Elise wears in the morning as she wears a uniform. I drop her off at school with the confidence that she will have a wonderful day and I never need to worry about her wellbeing while at work. She loves school so much that she doesn’t want to come home when I go to pick her up at the end of the day. I couldn’t ask for anything more – CEFA definitely exceeds my expectations!

It is unbelievable that it is the end of the school year already. Nicole has completed JK3 and our time at CEFA has sadly come to an end. At this time, I feel I must write to you to express my thoughts.

Firstly, I must congratulate you on creating a first-class pre-school establishment. I know (from too much previous experience) that there is nothing else out there like it. I wish we had come to CEFA much sooner. It is a wonderful professional environment, and at the same time, one which has a very friendly, easy atmosphere, in which you feel immediately comfortable.

The JK3 teaching staff have been fabulous. With great gentleness and kindness, they fostered an environment of learning that was fun, stimulating and safe. At the same time, they helped guide the children towards an appreciation of higher social values – I find support in this area critical. I admired how the teacher’s, guided by the students’ interests, undauntedly tackled more advanced topics (e.g. the solar system) and achieved incredible success. Nicole’s retention of the facts was amazing, and she loved to recount at home what she had learned! We also very much appreciated the genuine interest the teachers displayed in Nicole’s progress.

We enjoyed the many “extras” CEFA provides, especially in the area of parental support. In particular, we appreciated the extended hours to accommodate working parents’ schedules, and providing meals for the children. Chef Tobin is to be commended on the child-friendly, yet nutritious food he prepares.

Last, but not least, let’s examine the product: Simply stated, Nicole has had a wonderful year. She was eager to get to school each day, and never failed to say “I had a great day” whenever I picked her up. She has made great strides intellectually and emotionally in the past year. Nicole will be a young, yet confident Kindergartener. We know she is well prepared.

Thank you for a very happy association with CEFA. We wish you and all your staff a wonderful summer, and much further success in the future.

In the two months he’s been at CEFA, Matthew’s progress has surprised us. We are especially surprised by our toddler suddenly developing into an independent, interactive little two-year-old who talks cheerfully and cogently about his day at school, bursts into little songs and stories he’s learned in the classroom, and who has learned to reason for himself. Some days ago he told mummy that he went to big boy school where no mummies were allowed because big boys did not need their mummies to help them do many things.

On a personal front, he has (it seems) almost overnight acquired a steady potty-going habit and a marked improvement in his self-feeding (no doubt encouraged by the clever, child-friendly, enticing food prepared by the chef).

Although we were apprehensive at first about leaving our little boy in the hands of strangers for the better part of the day, and although it was really hard in the first few weeks to separate from an anxious toddler who had never been away from mummy before, we now take him to CEFA these days quite comfortable in the knowledge that his physical needs are taken care of, his emotions considered, and his intellect encouraged.

We are also encouraged by the strong parent involvement in the school with parents contacting each other regularly to participate in field trips and other miscellaneous activities which really help to form a sense of community and involvement.

We thank you and all the teachers at CEFA for making Matthew’s first foray into schooling a fun, stimulating and nurturing one.

If your child is asking to go to school… on a weekend, you know you’ve found something special.

That’s exactly what happened to us at CEFA Early Learning. From day one, our little one has been genuinely excited to go to school, and as parents, that says everything.

The growth we’ve seen has been incredible – not just academically, but in confidence, independence, and love for learning. It’s so reassuring to know your child is not only learning, but truly happy.

A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Crystal, Ms. Tina, and the baby class teachers for building that strong foundation, and to the amazing JK1 teachers Ms. Adhraa, Mr. Vincent, and Ms. Anisha for continuing to nurture and inspire her every single day.

To any parent considering this school, this is your sign. You’re not just enrolling your child in a program; you’re giving them a place where they feel excited, supported, and loved. And that is priceless.

We feel incredibly lucky to have found CEFA Jacombs. The teachers are warm, nurturing, and truly dedicated to their work. They have a natural affinity with children and always treat them with kindness and respect. The school is well-organized, and the director and principal are deeply committed and attentive to every detail. This is a place filled with love, and over the past two years, we’ve been so grateful for the wonderful teachers and classmates our daughter has had. She is genuinely happy every single day she goes to school!

My child has been coming here for years, from Baby class all the way to graduation. All the staff and teachers have been amazing, and my child loves it here! Even though we live in Vancouver, we still continued coming here because my child loves it here that much! In addition to the CEFA theme days, there are also field trips (berry picking, pumpkin patch, Ikea visits), which are unique to this location.  

I am so impressed by how much my child has learned and grown in the past 3.5 years! The class set up and daily schedule resemble elementary school, so kids get used to that routine at a young age. The teachers also did a great job preparing the kids for kindergarten so that the transition is as smooth as possible. Thank you for a great 3.5 years, CEFA Jacombs! I am honestly sad to say bye to this amazing community of friends and families.