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Climbing Bears

Ofsted: Strong standard·
5.0(7 parent reviews) ·School Field, Newpound Lane, Billingshurst, RH14 0EE · West Sussex
Number of places
26 places
Age range
2–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2026
Local authority
West Sussex

About this day nursery

Climbing Bears in Billingshurst, established in 1992, offers a nurturing "Childcare on non-domestic premises" setting for children aged 2-4 years, operating from Monday to Friday with varied hours. The nursery consistently achieves a 'Good' overall rating from Ofsted, with its latest inspection on January 28, 2026, affirming its high standards.

The dedicated team, celebrated for their passion and commitment, ensures children receive individualised support, especially those with additional needs, fostering strong progress. The curriculum, rooted in the EYFS framework, prioritises communication, language development, and well-being, preparing children for their educational journey.

Children freely explore both indoor and outdoor learning environments, engaging in activities that enhance their physical development and confidence. The setting also thoughtfully integrates support for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) through adaptive activities and close collaboration with parents and professionals.

English as an Additional Language (EAL) is embraced by providing diverse language resources and visual aids, reflecting a commitment to celebrating cultural diversity.

Our ethos

"Climbing Bears champions a learning philosophy where children aged two to five explore, grow, and expand their understanding through spontaneous and meaningful engagement. They are committed to the profound impact of play."

What it's like

Children at Climbing Bears make strong progress across all areas of learning, supported by staff who plan activities tailored to their individual next steps. The setting prioritises children's wellbeing, fostering secure relationships and promoting healthy routines. Strong communication and language development are key focuses, preparing them well for the next stage of education.

Strong progressIndividualised supportNurturing environmentDedicated staffOutdoor learning

Pricing & funding

Charges are based on flat rates for morning, afternoon, and full-day sessions, with additional non-funded hours billed at an hourly rate. The nursery accepts Early Years Funding Entitlement for eligible two, three, and four-year-olds, and requests voluntary contributions for snacks and specific sports sessions.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds
  • Non-funded hours£6.50 / hour
  • Morning Sessions£26 / session
  • All Day Sessions£42.25 / session
  • Afternoon Sessions£16.25 / session
  • Voluntary snack donation (morning session)£0.30 / session

Good to know

  • Fees are structured around morning, afternoon, and full-day sessions.
  • Non-funded hours are charged at an hourly rate.
  • A voluntary donation is requested for morning snacks.
  • A voluntary contribution is requested for Monday and Friday morning sports sessions.
  • Accepts 15 and 30 hours Early Years Funded Entitlement (EYFE) for eligible two, three, and four-year-olds.

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday : 08:45 - 15:00, Friday : 08:45 - 13:00

Age range

2 to 5 years

Established

1992

Waitlist

Waiting list open for September 2019

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Strong standard

Last inspected Jan 2026

Headline: Strong standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementStrong standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesStrong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceStrong standard
Age range
2 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Climbing Bears

Last inspected 28 January 2026 · Eloise Upfold

Safeguarding effective

What it's like to attend

Children at Climbing Bears make strong progress across all areas of learning, supported by staff who plan activities tailored to their individual next steps. The setting prioritises children's wellbeing, fostering secure relationships and promoting healthy routines. Strong communication and language development are key focuses, preparing them well for the next stage of education.

Inspector highlights

  • Staff ensure children make strong progress, especially those with additional needs, by adapting support and linking activities to individual next steps.
  • Children demonstrate high levels of focus and engagement, confidently using new vocabulary and interacting thoughtfully with staff.
  • Leaders and staff embed a culture of care and respect, with well-established routines that help children understand expectations and support positive behaviour.
  • A strong key-person system and responsive staff ensure children form secure attachments and develop a strong sense of belonging.
  • Leaders are passionate, prioritise staff development, and foster a welcoming, family-like environment, resulting in a stable team and high-quality learning.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders should ensure mathematical learning is taught in a clear and systematic sequence, with increasing challenge, so that children build on prior knowledge and develop secure understanding over time.
Inspection #10066657 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Climbing Bears provides proactive support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, adapting activities to progress in small, manageable steps. Staff are highly responsive to individual needs, using one-page reviews and communal displays to share targets and reinforce learning across the team. Leaders work closely with parents and professionals, swiftly identifying needs and implementing targeted support to ensure all children receive appropriate assistance and achieve their full potential.

Outdoor space

Children at Climbing Bears have the freedom to move between indoor and outdoor learning environments. Outdoors, children engage in activities such as riding bikes, exploring the construction area, and climbing on equipment, all of which contribute to their physical development, coordination, strength, and confidence.

EAL / language support

Climbing Bears celebrates diversity by offering books in various languages and cultures, and by using visual picture cards during snack time to support communication and independence for all children, including those with English as an Additional Language.

Parent Reviews of Climbing Bears

5.0
(7)
Amy Boyd
a week ago

My son absolutely loves coming to climbing bears. He has come on so much since starting and always has lots to tell me when I collect him. I definitely recommend. 😊

Read on Google
Emma Jupp
a week ago

We’ve had such a wonderful experience with Climbing Bears Pre-School. The setting is warm, homely, and bright, creating such a welcoming environment for children to learn and grow. The staff are absolutely fantastic - caring, attentive, and genuinely invested in each child’s development and wellbeing. My daughter has built such a lovely bond with her key worker, who has made her feel so safe, supported, and happy at pre-school, which has meant so much to us as parents. What has stood out most for us is the incredible support for additional needs. The SENCO has been exceptionally knowledgeable and proactive, identifying and supporting my daughter’s speech needs from the very beginning and ensuring she has had the right support in place. It’s clear that every child is valued as an individual here, and the level of care, dedication, and communication from the team is outstanding. I would highly recommend Climbing Bears to any parent looking for a nurturing, supportive, and high-quality pre-school.

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Chris Baker
2 weeks ago

Both of my children have attended Climbing Bears and we've had an outstanding experience both times. The staff are brilliant with the children, we particularly appreciated the regular photo and text updates of what the children have been doing. The fees charged are also very reasonable.

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Matt Waymont
2 weeks ago

Supportive, friendly, kind and caring. We are so happy and grateful for the experience our little one has had and continues to have at Climbing Bears. Can’t recommend them enough!

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Catherine Wadey
2 weeks ago

We have been with climbing bears for almost 10yrs with all of our children. The staff are wonderful at supporting the children's interests and getting them involved in activities from baking, planting, sports, and learning to be independent. They have been brilliant at helping our children to thrive and all our kids have left with wonderful memories. We will be sad to leave them at the end of this year when our youngest goes to school. Would highly recommend.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Climbing Bears. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: July 2009

The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Good). We're re-checking it against the original report.

  • March 2020Good
  • February 2016Good
  • July 2009Outstanding

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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