Bear Cubs Day Nursery

Thirty-five acres of private woodland give Bear Cubs Day Nursery its defining setting. Based at Danesmead Scout Campsite in Hoddesdon, it combines a large, bright indoor play space with woodland surroundings and a learning plan that takes bear stories beyond the book. Storytelling, sound play and outdoor exploration supply the character here.

The nursery has capacity for 25 children aged two to five. That is a whole-nursery figure, rather than a promise about the number sharing an activity or attending on a particular day. At its 16 March 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated Bear Cubs Good and found safeguarding effective. The detail behind that judgement included children investigating sounds, experimenting with sensory materials and playing together outdoors.

Full-day, half-day and hourly bookings give families different ways to use the setting. The practical distinction is Friday: opening ends at midday, while Monday to Thursday runs into the evening.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: everyday play supports communication, physical development, relationships and early understanding of words and numbers. Bear Cubs' learning example, BEAR STORIES..., shows how a single theme can connect these areas rather than treating them as separate lessons.

Feelings in stories become a starting point for talking about being lonely, frightened or upset. Repeated story phrases invite children to join in, while acting out events gives them another way to participate. Bear-themed dough cutters, biscuit-making and preparing sandwiches for a teddy picnic connect the story work with practical activity. The value is the variety of ways into the same subject: listening, talking, making and moving.

Read, Write Inc scheme supplies the example's introduction to letter sounds. Alongside that named scheme, children can explore bear information books, invent small-world stories and mix paint to make brown. Searching for bears in the woods extends the theme outside; sorting by size, matching bears to numerals and creating repeating colour patterns bring mathematical ideas into play.

The learning example includes two further named additions. Mini Moos Music is scheduled for Tuesday at 10am, while Broxbourne Sculpture Trail supplies a named outing destination. These sit alongside regular outings more generally. They give the account of nursery life recognisable detail, although the learning example should be read as an illustration of activities rather than a timetable for every child.

In March 2023, children explored animal sounds through books, simple Makaton signs and sound-making resources. Makaton was used as an additional way to communicate during the story activity. Sensory play also linked conversation with early literacy: children described spaghetti's texture and used magnets to retrieve letters from rice before discussing their sounds. These examples show how talk could grow out of something children were already handling or enjoying.

Outdoor and Community Life

In March 2023, outdoor activity included riding bicycles and tractors, noticing how slopes affected speed, and discussing squirrels in the trees. Children also used balancing beams, climbed and practised jumping with staff support. Physical activity and conversation were intertwined: movement supplied things to test, notice and talk about.

The nursery's staffing arrangements also distinguish outdoor activity and outings from time indoors: fewer children are assigned to each adult in those situations. That matters in a setting where exploration beyond the main play space forms part of the offer.

Relationships and Communication

In March 2023, children had formed relationships with staff and other children and were settled in the setting. Staff gathered information from parents about children's interests and used it when planning learning. Communication with families was regular, making the home connection part of the nursery's work rather than something confined to an occasional update.

Mixed-age interaction was another feature of daily life at that time. Younger children spent time with older children, including in quieter spaces, and older children encouraged them to try new words. This is useful context for parents weighing a small nursery: the account describes interaction between ages, rather than separate room-based experiences.

Current staffing arrangements include safeguarding lead and SENDCO roles, alongside staff with first-aid training. For two-year-olds, the stated deployment is one adult for four children, better than the minimum of one for five. The nursery also aims, where possible, to use a smaller group when a child needs additional support; this is a conditional arrangement, rather than a guaranteed individual allocation.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the March 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator brought together family knowledge and professional input to plan each child's learning, with communication strategies helping children make progress. The important mechanism was that shared review: support was linked to the individual child's development and adjusted through discussion.

There were also two clear areas for improvement in March 2023. Domestic tasks sometimes drew staff away from engaging conversation, especially around mealtimes. Staff also needed more regular opportunities to examine their own practice and develop their teaching. Both matter to the everyday experience: an appealing activity plan depends on adults having the time and support to make good use of it.

Food has a practical, familiar character. The sample lunch menu includes chicken risotto, houmous with pitta, roast chicken and beans on toast, with fruit, vegetables or salad accompanying meals. Snack examples include cheese, fruit and vegetable sticks; the menu is illustrative and its options can change.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Danesmead Scout Campsite, Cock Lane, Hoddesdon, EN11 8GG. Full-day and half-day bookings are offered alongside hourly care, so families can choose between longer attendance, a shorter block and hours-based use.

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm from Monday to Thursday and 8am to midday on Friday. These are the nursery's opening times, rather than separate start and finish times for each booking pattern. Saturday and Sunday are closed. The short Friday is a substantial consideration for anyone whose working week needs the same coverage each day.

Place enquiries can be sent through the nursery's enquiry form, and visits can be arranged.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, with funded attendance restricted to term time; attendance during state-school holidays is chargeable. The distinction is between the funded hours and any additional paid attendance, so families using both need to consider the whole booking rather than the entitlement alone.

For private full-day, half-day and hourly bookings, food and milk are included, as are nappies and wipes. A full-day booking includes breakfast, lunch, tea and snacks; the half-day option includes a meal and snacks.

Yoga is excluded from the usual activity inclusions and carries a separate charge. Funded days also carry additional charges, including a separate activity charge. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the fees page sets out the different booking categories and their inclusions.

• Friday coverage. The nursery closes at midday on Fridays, compared with 6pm from Monday to Thursday. Families needing afternoon care throughout the working week should weigh that difference before choosing a pattern.
• Conversation during routines. In March 2023, mealtime organisation and opportunities for staff to reflect on their teaching needed attention. On a visit, ask how mealtimes now protect conversation and how practitioners review their work.
• Funding and additions. Funded attendance is term-time only, funded days carry extra charges, and Yoga sits outside the usual inclusions. Compare a written quotation for the exact combination of funded attendance, paid hours and activities you intend to use.
• Two-year-old staffing. The stated arrangement is one adult for four children, with fewer children per adult outdoors and on outings. Ask how those arrangements work across the mixed-age activities and quieter spaces your child would use.

Bear Cubs suits families seeking a small woodland-based setting with a choice of full-day, half-day or hourly attendance. Its bear-themed learning example is concrete: stories lead into feelings, sounds, making, number play and exploration outside. That gives parents more to assess than a broad promise of learning through play.

The March 2023 Good judgement sits alongside specific improvement priorities around routine-time conversation and staff development. The practical fit is equally clear: longer opening from Monday to Thursday, a midday Friday finish, and term-time funding with separately charged additions.