Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School, Torquay

Counting fruit, inventing potions with flower petals and turning stories into outdoor play give this Torquay nursery a recognisable educational character. These were everyday learning examples in October 2022: children explored ideas through objects, movement and conversation, with adults helping them return to what they had learned. Small moments carried real purpose.

At its 5 October 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated Mama Bear's Outstanding overall. The nursery has capacity for 30 children and accepts ages from 3 to 60 months, covering babies through the preschool years. Its address is St. Margarets School, Barewell Road, Torquay, TQ1 4PA.

The strongest reason to consider it is the combination of practical learning and attention to individual children evident in that dated assessment. Families should distinguish that educational picture from the arrangements they will experience now.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care; in everyday terms, play, conversation and routines become opportunities to learn. In October 2022, mathematics threaded through stories and actions as well as practical tasks. Children counted snack cups and compared quantities of fruit and vegetables in their play. Numbers had something tangible attached to them.

Repetition also had a purpose. During October 2022, staff returned to familiar activities so children could practise earlier learning, including a game that exercised listening. Adults responded to children's ideas and opinions, giving them room to contribute rather than simply follow instructions. For parents, the useful distinction is between keeping children occupied and giving an activity a clear learning purpose.

Language developed through shared storytelling in October 2022. Adults introduced unfamiliar vocabulary during play, and children then used it themselves. After an animated story, children carried its action outside and continued the imaginative game together. A book became the starting point for conversation and movement, rather than an isolated listening exercise.

Outdoor and Community Life

Indoor and outdoor learning spaces were both used for problem-solving in October 2022. Water play included flower petals that children mixed into imagined potions, bringing exploration and make-believe together. Resources encouraged children to investigate independently, while adults adjusted their involvement to the children's age and stage. The detail matters: learning was visible in the way ordinary materials were used.

At the October 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding, excellent progress for children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and strong relationships between staff, children and families. Those judgements belong to that visit. They provide a substantial assessment of care, but should be read with its date in mind.

Independence was encouraged through practical care in October 2022. During toileting, adults recognised children's attempts to manage for themselves and stepped in physically when help was needed. That approach gave children opportunities to practise self-care, with assistance adjusted to what they could already do.

Healthy habits also featured in October 2022. Children brushed their teeth daily, while discussions connected food choices and outdoor activity with looking after their bodies. The emphasis was on understanding routines as well as taking part in them.

Staff adapted support and the way children were grouped in October 2022 to suit individual learning needs. Early years pupil premium funding helped with children's next learning steps. In October 2022, partnership with parents supported children's learning and development.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. For working families, those closure periods belong in the childcare calendar alongside the daily opening window.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01803 316 511 or through the contact form by selecting Barewell Road, Torquay. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Funding and Paid Extras

In October 2022, the setting received early education funding for children aged two, three and four. That describes participation at the time of the visit.

Moving on to School

In October 2022, the nursery operated in the grounds of St. Margaret's Academy. Sharing a school site does not guarantee a Reception place: families still apply through the local authority admissions process. The practical benefit of a familiar location should therefore be kept separate from the decision about a school place.

• The dated assessment. The Outstanding judgement dates to October 2022. On a visit, ask how the counting, storytelling and independent play described here feature in children's days now.
• Your attendance and care costs. With an 8am to 6pm opening window and Christmas and bank holiday closures, ask which booking pattern fits your week and request a written breakdown covering funded hours, meals and consumables.
• A school-site setting. The October 2022 nursery occupied St. Margaret's Academy's grounds. Attendance does not guarantee Reception admission, so plan the school application separately.

Mama Bear's merits consideration from families who value learning through practical play, conversation and growing independence. Its October 2022 assessment gives those priorities concrete substance: counting everyday objects, extending stories into play and supporting children to manage personal routines. It suits parents seeking care across the year within the 8am to 6pm opening window, provided the booking arrangement fits their working week. The school-site address adds convenience for some families, while school admission remains a separate process.