Opening hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 07:45 - 18:00
Nanny Bears provides a warm, nurturing environment in Exeter for children aged 1 to 3 years, operating Monday to Friday from 07:45 to 18:00. The setting prioritises children's personal, social and emotional development, ensuring they feel a strong sense of belonging, greeted with smiles and reassurance.
Children are absorbed in purposeful play, rich in conversations, and benefit from well-paced routines. The curriculum focuses on developing positive personal, social and emotional skills, fostering confidence, and encouraging a love for learning through activities like exploring colours, early counting, and mathematical skills through planting and cooking.
Physical development is also well-supported, with children confidently engaging in climbing, walking, crawling, throwing, and handling tools. Tailored support is provided for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged children, and those known to social care, helping them to access learning alongside their peers.
Staff adapt activities, use visual resources, and offer extra time for children to process information and respond. Outdoor exploration, such as finding a caterpillar, inspires further learning indoors, like exploring counting resources based on 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'.
The latest inspection, on 08 May 2026, recognised Nanny Bears as achieving an "Expected standard" for its overall effectiveness, with particular strengths in safeguarding, children's welfare and wellbeing, and inclusion.
What it's like
Children experience a warm nurturing environment where their personal, social and emotional development is prioritised. They feel a strong sense of belonging because practitioners know them well and understand their interests, ideas, likes and dislikes. Children are greeted with smiles and reassurance at the door, helping them to feel safe and ready for the day. Throughout the day, children are absorbed in purposeful play, rich in conversations and well-paced routines.
Opening hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 07:45 - 18:00
Last inspected May 2026
Grade summary
Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.
Category grades
Last inspected 8 May 2026 · Kim Gibbard
What it's like to attend
Children experience a warm nurturing environment where their personal, social and emotional development is prioritised. They feel a strong sense of belonging because practitioners know them well and understand their interests, ideas, likes and dislikes. Children are greeted with smiles and reassurance at the door, helping them to feel safe and ready for the day. Throughout the day, children are absorbed in purposeful play, rich in conversations and well-paced routines.
Areas to develop
Inclusion & environment
All children, including disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known to social care, achieve well from their starting points. They benefit from tailored support, helping them access learning alongside their peers and overcome barriers. Staff adapt activities, use visual resources and give extra time for children to process information and respond. Practitioners make adaptations for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, allowing them to meet the setting's expectations.
After finding a caterpillar outdoors, children later explored a tray of counting and comparing resources inspired by 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'.
Most recent inspection
8 May 2026
Only one graded inspection on record — a trend chart will appear here once a second graded report is published.
View full Ofsted reportNanny Bears is a childcare on non-domestic premises, registered with Ofsted on 05/12/2023. It operates from The Old Stables, 85 Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5ED. The setting accepts children on the Early Years Register (EYR) and the Compulsory Childcare Register (CCR).
Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to Nanny Bears.
Exeter · EX2 4NP
Exeter · EX1 2QJ
Exeter · EX1 2ND
Exeter · EX1 2PD
Exeter · EX2 5DW
Exeter · EX2 5JN
Send to a partner, friend or family member.
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