Bear and Bunny Nursery at The Farmhouse

A 13th-century farmhouse, enclosed gardens and woodland give Bear and Bunny Nursery at The Farmhouse a character closely tied to its setting. This is the baby and toddler part of Bear and Bunny in Charlwood, caring for children up to age three. It has capacity for 63 children in total. That is a whole-nursery figure, rather than the size of an individual group.

At its January 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective, with warm relationships between children and staff. The improvement point concerned teaching hygiene and personal care more consistently. Those findings provide a dated assessment of care alongside a current offer built around child-led play and outdoor exploration.

Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings serve different family routines, with both year-round and term-time attendance options.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build skills through play, conversation and everyday experiences. Bear and Bunny's child-led activities are adapted to children's interests and abilities, so an interest can shape what happens next rather than simply fill a gap between organised lessons.

In January 2023, children invented a hiding game with animals beneath paper, and staff used it to introduce words about the animals' characteristics. Staff also listened and responded during conversations. The useful detail is the connection between play and language: an activity the children had chosen became an opportunity to explore vocabulary.

The Bear and Bunny enrichment offer includes Musical Hands, combining dance, signing and music in a weekly session lasting 20-30 minutes. Sports Focus introduces changing sports, while Yoga uses imaginative adventures to introduce movements and poses. These are Bear and Bunny programmes, rather than separate Farmhouse room curricula; the additional lessons are included in regular fees.

Outdoor and Community Life

Large enclosed gardens and surrounding woodland give outdoor play substantial physical space. The free-flow approach lets children choose activities, with craft materials accessible on trolleys and shelves. That combination gives creative play a place alongside movement and exploration outside.

Forest School adds nature-based outdoor learning to the Bear and Bunny offer. At The Farmhouse, its ethos is being incorporated into the baby and toddler suites. The emphasis is relevant to this younger age group: outdoor learning is part of their experience, rather than something reserved for preschool children elsewhere.

In January 2023, children rode bicycles, explored sand and experimented with paint and mud outdoors. Inside, staff acted out We're Going on a Bear Hunt in the sensory room, encouraging children to imagine stumbling over bricks and swimming. These examples show the contrast between physical exploration and pretend play, with different ways for young children to participate.

In January 2023, staff comforted children after sleep and helped them settle back into play. Children also began initiating play together. For families of babies and toddlers, those small interactions matter: support extended beyond organising activities to helping children manage feelings and relationships.

At the same visit, staff worked with parents to learn familiar words in children's home languages, using visual symbols and signing alongside speech. This was a practical way to connect home and nursery communication. The Farmhouse now has a deputy manager who also holds the Designated Safeguarding Lead role, giving safeguarding a defined place in its leadership structure.

Mealtimes also contributed to independence in January 2023. Children practised taking plates to the table and preparing snacks with safety knives. However, teaching personal care was uneven: handwashing routines were established, while staff were less consistent about helping children learn tasks such as cleaning their noses and understanding why hygiene matters.

For private care, regular fees include food and drinks, milk, nappies and suncream. Funded hours have a separate voluntary contribution arrangement for extras and consumables, with an alternatives policy for families who opt out. The distinction matters when comparing a private booking with one that uses funded entitlement.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Farmhouse, Horley Road, Charlwood, Horley, RH6 0BJ. Opening hours run from 7.15am to 6pm on weekdays, across 51 weeks, with a Christmas closure week.

A full day runs from 8am to 6pm, a morning from 8am to 1pm and an afternoon from 1pm to 6pm. A full-day booking can also be a ten-hour period within opening hours. Additional time before or after a session is charged separately, giving families a way to extend their chosen pattern.

Term-time bookings follow Surrey school terms. Invoicing can vary with the sessions charged each month or use equal monthly payments. Under the fixed year-round option, a bank holiday falling on a child's usual day remains chargeable; the per-session option charges according to opening days. This is a meaningful choice for families whose booking falls around holidays.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes eligible two-year-old FEET funding and working-parent funding. Entitlement can be used during term time or spread across the year. The funding offer also includes three-year-old entitlement, although The Farmhouse's age range makes the timing of a child's next step relevant.

Regular private fees include meals and snacks, drinks and milk, plus nappies and suncream. Musical Hands and Forest School are included too. For funded hours, there are no mandatory charges attached to the entitlement, but families are asked for a voluntary contribution towards extras and consumables; those declining it can discuss the alternatives policy with management.

A registration charge and deposit accompany joining. The deposit is credited against the final month's invoice, but is retained if the family decides not to join. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Personal care teaching. The January 2023 improvement point concerned consistent support for hygiene and self-care. At a visit, ask how nose cleaning and other everyday care skills are taught alongside established handwashing routines.
• The next stage at three. The Farmhouse serves babies and toddlers up to age three. Ask how the move beyond this age group is planned for your child.
• Invoice choice. Fixed year-round invoices include bank holidays on a child's normal day, while per-session billing follows opening days. Compare the two against your intended weekly pattern before choosing.
• Funded extras. The contribution for funded hours is voluntary and an alternatives policy applies. Ask how that arrangement would work alongside your child's sessions and care supplies.

Bear and Bunny Nursery at The Farmhouse suits families seeking a garden-based baby and toddler setting with child-led play and organised enrichment. Morning or afternoon sessions make it relevant to shorter childcare needs, while full days and year-round attendance accommodate longer routines; term-time bookings provide another option.

The January 2023 assessment gives a positive, dated foundation, with personal care teaching the clear point to explore. The strongest practical match is for families who value outdoor experiences and want to choose both their attendance pattern and invoicing arrangement.