Safari Cubs

A different country each month and daily supervised toothbrushing give Safari Cubs a recognisable combination of cultural learning and practical health habits. At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective. The strongest reasons to consider it are concrete: learning about other cultures, attention to children's independence and communication with families.

Based at Unit 9A, Curtis House Business Centre, Berking Avenue, Leeds, LS9 9LF, the nursery has capacity for 40 children, with its early-years age range running from six months to five years. Its wider childcare services extend to children aged 12. That distinction matters when comparing nursery care with provision for older children.

Flexible hours are offered, and weekday opening runs from 8am to 6pm. The attendance arrangements deserve their own consideration alongside the nursery's educational character.

Rooms and Ages

A calm baby room forms part of the setting, alongside spaces for imaginative play, exploration and relaxation. For families with younger children, that gives the nursery day a quieter setting as well as places for more active play.

In November 2023, familiar dolls, dinosaurs and sand activities were prepared around children's interests. These were starting points for engagement rather than activities chosen regardless of who was attending. A sensory zone also gave children somewhere to take a break from busier activity.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, its practical meaning is learning through play and everyday experiences, with attention to language, early mathematics, physical activity and independence.

Monthly country spotlights add a clear cultural thread. Children explore a new country each month; in November 2023, this included tasting its food, responding to its music and learning about traditions and beliefs. The approach gives differences between people a tangible starting point, rather than leaving cultural learning as an abstract idea.

During that same month, mathematical play included arranging spades by size and considering what remained when one was removed. Comparing objects and discussing changes made early number work part of an activity children were already enjoying. Language support included adults talking alongside younger children's play, although the vocabulary used needed to become richer and more consistent.

Outdoor and Community Life

In November 2023, the nursery had no outdoor area; daily community outings and movement in the large hall provided physical activity. Children played hide-and-seek and took part in regular wake and shake routines, using movement as part of the day.

An outing to purchase fruit and vegetables connected community experience with food and healthy living. These examples help explain the nursery's approach to learning beyond a single indoor activity: everyday errands could become opportunities to explore, talk and make choices.

Relationships and Communication

In November 2023, children built affectionate relationships with their key person, and staff responded gently to those who were uncertain about starting nursery. Preparing familiar play materials was one practical way to help them settle. The emphasis was on recognising individual interests rather than expecting every child to respond to the same activity.

Communication with families included conversations, daily messages and information displays. The current team structure also includes a parents' coordinator, while an open-door approach supports contact with staff. For parents, this combines a designated communication role with opportunities for everyday discussion.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that the special educational needs coordinator sought professional advice and possible funding, with individual plans and small-group work supporting children's progress. This is a specific support mechanism, rather than a general promise about inclusion.

Daily supervised toothbrushing remains part of the current offer, supported by NHS-approved practices and regular checks. In November 2023, children also practised washing their hands and feeding themselves, with adults nearby to support younger children. Health habits were part of ordinary routines, giving children opportunities to practise independence repeatedly.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and flexible hours are offered. Safari Cubs operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. This offers continuity beyond school terms, with those closures to account for in a family's childcare calendar.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form. These provide a direct route for discussing childcare requirements.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for children aged nine months to four years, and the nursery accepts 15 and 30-hour funding. Eligibility needs to be established for the individual child; accepting these entitlements does not itself establish a family's entitlement.

Student finance, college funding and tax-free payments are also accepted. Families with more than one child attending receive a sibling discount for each additional sibling, making this a relevant part of the quotation for those households.

• Younger children's language. In November 2023, adults' commentary during play needed more consistently varied vocabulary. Ask how practitioners now extend babies' and toddlers' language during everyday activities.
• Staff development. Coaching and training needed closer alignment with individual practitioners' development needs in November 2023. A visit is an opportunity to discuss how supervision now translates into changes in practice.
• Flexible attendance and funded hours. Flexible hours sit alongside 15 and 30-hour funding. Ask how your intended attendance pattern would work, including the treatment of meals and non-food consumables in the quotation.

Safari Cubs suits families who value flexible hours, monthly cultural exploration and health routines that children can practise themselves. Its country spotlights and supervised toothbrushing give the offer a clear identity, while the parents' coordinator provides a useful point of contact.

The November 2023 priorities around staff coaching and younger children's language remain sensible topics for a visit. Families choosing it should weigh the appeal of its everyday learning against how those areas are now addressed, and how flexible attendance fits their own timetable.