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Bear Cubs Day Nursery

Ofsted: Good
(Mar 2023)
·
5.0(11 parent reviews) ·Danesmead Scout Campsite, Cock Lane, Hoddesdon, EN11 8GG · Hertfordshire
Number of places
20 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2023
Local authority
Hertfordshire

About this day nursery

Bear Cubs Day Nursery offers a high-quality, welcoming home-from-home childcare experience within a beautiful woodland setting in Hoddesdon. The nursery prides itself on its dedicated team who provide stimulating and engaging opportunities for children, ensuring their development across all learning areas.

They believe in fostering learning through play, incorporating fun extracurricular activities into the daily routine. The nursery features an inclusive pricing structure that covers essentials like nappies, wipes, meals, snacks, and most activities.

They also facilitate government-funded places. Bear Cubs Day Nursery operates from Monday to Friday, offering full-day, half-day, and hourly sessions to accommodate diverse family needs.

What it's like

Children are warmly welcomed, settle well and form good relationships with staff and peers. They engage in stories and cooperative play, explore outdoors and sensory activities, and staff support early reading and communication through targeted activities.

High-quality careWoodland settingInclusive pricingExtracurricular activitiesFunded places available

Pricing & funding

Fees are charged based on full day, half day, or hourly rates. Standard sessions include meals, snacks, milk, nappies, and wipes, alongside most extracurricular activities. Funded places are available with additional daily and activity charges.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)
  • Full day£81 / day
  • Half day£45 / session
  • Hourly rate£10.50 / hour
  • Yoga (weekly)£2 / week
  • Funded half day charge£6 / session

Good to know

  • Standard rates include meals, snacks, milk, nappies, and wipes depending on the session type.
  • Most extracurricular activities are included in standard rates, with Yoga charged separately.
  • Funded sessions incur additional daily charges and extracurricular fees.

Key facts

Opening hours

Mondays - Thursdays: 8am - 6pm; Fridays: 8am - 12pm; Saturdays & Sundays: Closed

Food

Meals, snacks, and milk included (breakfast, lunch, tea for full day)

Term time / All Year

All Year

Established

2021

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Bear Cubs Day Nursery

Last inspected 16 March 2023 · Courtney McAllister

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children are warmly welcomed, settle well and form good relationships with staff and peers. They engage in stories and cooperative play, explore outdoors and sensory activities, and staff support early reading and communication through targeted activities.

Inspector highlights

  • Children settle well and form good relationships with staff and peers.
  • Staff support learning and extend communication and early reading through Makaton, sensory play and letter-sound activities.
  • Children explore outdoors and develop physical skills using bicycles, tractors and balancing equipment.
  • Parents report they are happy and staff adapt care to individual needs, providing regular communication and reassurance.
  • The special educational needs coordinator works with parents and professionals to put effective strategies in place to support communication and reduce learning differences.

Areas to develop

  • 1review the organisation of routines so that staff can engage with children and offer rich opportunities for high-quality interaction during mealtimes
  • 2continue to develop the already good practice and seek further ways to help all staff regularly reflect on their practice and support their professional development.
Inspection #10280915 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

The special educational needs coordinator works with professionals and parents to review children's next steps and decide what to teach; effective strategies are put in place to build children's communication and language skills and reduce differences in learning so they make the best possible progress.

Outdoor space

Children explore outdoors regularly, using bicycles, tractors and balancing beams to develop physical skills and test concepts such as speed, and they observe local wildlife such as squirrels. Outdoor play supports physical development (walking, climbing and balancing) and exploration of the world around them.

Parent Reviews of Bear Cubs Day Nursery

5.0
(11)
Johanna Lowe
a year ago

Both my children attended Bear Cubs and loved their time there. It has a lovely warm atmosphere and all the staff get to know the children really well. There was a lot of consistency with key workers and the setting is amazing. The children explored the forest every day which was such a fantastic place to play.

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Lisa Watson
a year ago

Our baby loves Bear Cubs. She started gradual sessions at 10 months and the staff were patient with us around her settling in. Her smiles and excitement as she is dropped off gives us confidence in the staff, who always keep us up to date and create such a fun environment for them. She’s learnt so many new skills and become very social able since starting. It’s a personable nursery and being set in the woods doesn’t hurt! Thankyou.

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Madeleine Cameron
a year ago

Both my daughters have attended Bear Cubs and love it. The setting itself is fantastic, set in the woodlands the children get to have plenty of outdoor time. The staff are all lovely and always keep me updated with my child’s development x

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Philip Olagunju
4 years ago

Bear Cubs is such a blessing to my daughter and our family, she absolutely LOVES it there. The team clearly have a passion and desire to create the best experience for children. Asher joined after several of the other children had already been there a little while, however within just a few sessions you’d think she had been there from the start! They give her the opportunity to be herself and to experience a huge range of learning opportunities - including extra curricular visits to local parks. Today when my wife collected her, on the way out she said ‘I want to go to nursery… I want to go to nursery again!’ We are so grateful to have found such an incredible team and setting for our daughter. Thank you Bear Cubs!

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Yasmin Agharokh
4 years ago

We have been with Bear Cubs since our daughter was 1 and who just turned 3. We followed Vicki from her childminding setting to the nursery as couldn't imagine our daughter being with anyone else. The nursery itself is literally set on acres of land perfect for a child's growing imagination, i'm obsessed, its so magical and the Team are all amazing!! Each child has a key worker so you get a full update of their day which really makes a difference. They are always doing a activity to keep the children stimulated, whether that be crafting, baking, outside play/foraging and even the odd excursion, Moo Music being our daughters favourite :) There is just something calming you feel instantly as a parent when you go there

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Bear Cubs Day Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Most recent inspection

16 March 2023

Good

Only one graded inspection on record — a trend chart will appear here once a second graded report is published.

View full Ofsted report

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more