Opening hours
Monday to Friday, 7.30am until 6pm, all year round.
Buckets & Spades Nursery
Ofsted: Good
(Feb 2025)
Number of places
98 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Feb 2025
Local authority
North Yorkshire
About this day nursery
Buckets & Spades Nursery, located in the heart of Scarborough, has been providing childcare services since 2004. The nursery caters to children ranging from three months to five years old, fostering a welcoming environment designed for learning, sharing, and growth.
They actively support various funded sessions for eligible children aged 9 months and above, encouraging parents to contact them directly or refer to the government's childcare website for further details on available schemes. The team at Buckets & Spades is committed to encouraging and engaging children to reach their full potential, a sentiment echoed in positive testimonials from appreciative parents.
The nursery prides itself on its dedicated staff and a supportive atmosphere where children are eager to attend.
What it's like
Leaders and staff take time to get to know children and their families well. They create a friendly environment where children arrive happily and settle quickly. Staff's understanding of children's individual needs promotes their learning and their safety. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are included in all opportunities.
Established 2004Childcare for 3 months to 5 yearsAccepts funded sessions
Pricing & funding
Funding accepted
15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)
Pricing on request
This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.
Request pricing →Key facts
Age range
three months to five years
Term time / All Year
All Year
Established
2004
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Buckets & Spades Nursery
Last inspected 4 February 2025 · Pat Edmond
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
What it's like to attend
Leaders and staff take time to get to know children and their families well. They create a friendly environment where children arrive happily and settle quickly. Staff's understanding of children's individual needs promotes their learning and their safety. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are included in all opportunities.
Inspector highlights
- Leaders and staff have responded well to challenges and staffing changes, providing consistency and continuity for children and their families.
- Staff work hard to help children regulate their behaviour, with a clear focus on personal, social and emotional development.
- Leaders and staff continually reflect on their practice and provision, including the revision of group time in the pre-school room.
- Children develop a love of books, and staff use focus books, stories, and rhymes successfully in planning and implementing the curriculum.
- Staff help children to become independent in personal care and promote their good health.
Areas to develop
- 1improve children's language skills further, for example, by supporting parents to help children practise their new vocabulary or songs at home
- 2strengthen further the processes for monitoring and improving the provision to provide even greater continuity in children's learning, for example by looking critically at what unsettles children and interrupts their learning and development at certain times.
Inspection #10383228 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
What parents say
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
Parents confirm that their children's confidence has increased considerably since attending the nursery.
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are included in all opportunities. Staff work diligently with other agencies to make sure that children get the support they need.
Outdoor space
Children enjoy developing their physical skills outside in the fresh air. However, access to outdoor play and/or indoor physical play is sometimes impromptu rather than well planned.
Parent Reviews of Buckets & Spades Nursery
4.6
(43)
Janey Holloway
9 months ago
What can I say ! The whole team at bucket and spades have been absolutely professional in their caregiving. There has never been a day that our young one didn't want to go.! In fact, would cry even on a Saturday, because he couldnt !. . A team that works hard to encourage and engage children to fulfil their best potential. A big shout out to Annie and Tom . Such kindness and commitment as well as all the staff. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend such a brilliant nursery . Well done 👏
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Madiyah Imtiaz
10 months ago
Horrible nursery and staff. They don’t care about the welfare of the child it is about business and making money. Charge you £20 if you pick your child up a second late even though it is the staff who bring them down late. The finance staff called Annie and Nicola are very rude, they will trick you into thinking that that all your funding will be sorted and after a couple of months send you thousands of pounds worth of bills and expect you to pay them straight away or will threaten you with legal action. My child went for two hours a day and they charged up £36 for a full session. They don’t communicate with you until the situation gets out of hand. Once they receive there money they will kick your child out of nursery which shows they don’t care about them and there development. If you choose to send your child through council funding make sure you make it very clear and give them a code even if they say they will sort it because trust me they won’t theyll just send you a massive bill and expect you to pay it. The finance staff is very incompetent and never at there desk and it seems like they don’t have much commmunication in there work place with other teams.
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samantha Staley
9 months ago
Bucket and spades have had all my children go through there doors and its a very good nursery i would 100% recommend this nursery. We will miss the wonderful staff.
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rob ingram
a year ago
Our daughter started attending buckets and spades recently. My experience so far has been wholly positive. The staff are attentive and enthusiastic. Our daughter has taken to attending he nursery really well and we completely trust her development and care under their safe supervision.
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kelsey brown
a year ago
Such a brilliant nursery all round! My daughter absolutely loves the time she spends there and is coming along leaps and bounds since starting there at only 13 months. All the staff are wonderful and have really made a bond with my daughter and really care about the work they do !
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for Buckets & Spades Nursery. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: March 2009
- February 2025Good
- September 2019Good
- June 2019Inadequate
- January 2019Inadequate
- April 2015Good
- March 2009Good
Frequently asked about Buckets & Spades Nursery
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