Little Bear Cubs Pre-school

Growing vegetables, exploring wildlife and daily garden play give Little Bear Cubs Pre-school its character. Based at The Kidston Institute in Northaw, it combines indoor play with daily garden time for children aged two to five. With capacity for 24 children in total, this is provision for the preschool years rather than a setting spanning babies through to school-age care.

At its November 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good, found safeguarding effective and recognised a curriculum that encouraged curiosity, imaginative thinking and language development. The practical examples give that judgement substance: children explored space through pretend play, experimented with materials and used the garden for physical activity and learning about wildlife.

The pre-school operates during term time, with weekday opening hours from 8am to 4pm. For families, the combination of a preschool age range, outdoor experiences and a school-term calendar is the central proposition.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the educational framework: children develop language, physical skills, relationships and early understanding of reading, numbers and the world through their experiences and play. At Little Bear Cubs, sand and water, construction toys, painting and a quiet reading space give children choices about how to spend their time. Cooking and music add opportunities to take part together.

In November 2024, space-themed play connected imaginative activity with new ideas. Children considered what to pack for a pretend space journey, talked about astronauts and explored gravity and the difference between night and day. Water play brought in mathematical language as children compared quantities while moving model planets between containers. These were concrete ways to bring conversation and early maths into play rather than treating them as separate exercises.

Creative work also crossed between materials and movement. In November 2024, children made models using recycled materials and developed space-themed ideas through dance. Drama, singing, yoga and dance remain part of the current activity offer, with external providers involved. Children therefore have opportunities to express themselves through their bodies as well as through drawing, making and speech.

Outdoor and Community Life

Daily garden use makes outdoor play a regular part of the offer. Children can grow fruit and vegetables, have picnics and take indoor activities outside. Nature and sustainability are explicit themes, giving planting and wildlife exploration a place alongside physical play.

In the Communal Garden in November 2024, children learned to respect nesting hedgehogs and noticed resident toads. They also moved leaves around in wheelbarrows, used wheeled toys and played on a slide and see-saw. The same outdoor space supported both energetic movement and attention to living things.

Community experiences extended beyond the grounds in November 2024. Children saw Remembrance Day poppies at the local church and took care packages to a nearby care home. These outings connected their learning with people and occasions beyond the pre-school. Visits to local schools and visiting theatre performances also form part of the offer, giving children experiences beyond their usual play resources.

Relationships and Communication

Settling starts before the first regular attendance. A parent and child can join a session beforehand to meet staff and become familiar with routines. During the first week, each child receives a key person who provides feedback after sessions and acts as the link between home and pre-school. That gives families a defined person to talk to as their child adjusts.

Daily photographs and updates help parents follow their child's experiences. This complements the key-person conversations: families receive both an account of activities and an opportunity to discuss how their child is settling.

Independence was visible in everyday routines in November 2024. Children managed their coats and footwear and helped themselves to lunch, while conversations about the weather linked clothing choices with changing seasons. Children also helped shape the rules for sharing and treating others kindly. Small responsibilities gave them a practical role in the day.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The team includes SENCO and designated safeguarding lead roles, alongside paediatric first-aid training. At the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted identified a need to evaluate staff training more closely, especially whether it improved teaching and helped children with special educational needs and/or disabilities access the curriculum. This is a specific development point about the effect of training, rather than simply whether training takes place.

A chef prepares meals daily using fresh, organic ingredients, with a rotating two-week menu. Halal, gluten-free and dairy-free diets are catered for, and families are asked to communicate allergies or dietary needs.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Kidston Institute, 7 Northaw Road, Northaw, Potters Bar, EN6 4NW. Opening hours are 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, during term time; the pre-school follows Hertfordshire County school term dates. Holiday coverage therefore needs to fit separately into a family's childcare arrangements.

Enquiries are handled by telephone or email. Joining involves an admissions form and a deposit, followed by a settling session and a start date. Uniforms can also be ordered. These steps make the introduction to the setting part of the joining process rather than leaving it until regular attendance begins.

Getting There

There is a car park at the entrance and free off-street parking. This gives families travelling by car a practical option close to the pre-school.

Funding and Paid Extras

The pre-school accepts 15 and 30 hours of funding for working families with children aged two to five. It also accepts childcare vouchers and participates in the government's tax-free childcare scheme. Private childcare is offered, with fees dependent on the family's childcare requirements.

Meals and consumables are charged separately from childcare. The daily additional charge covers breakfast, snacks, lunch, consumables and enrichment activities; lunch is also described as a separate payment made directly to the chef. The relationship between those two lunch charging arrangements deserves attention before agreeing the overall package.

• Term-time calendar. Weekday opening runs from 8am to 4pm during school terms. Families needing holiday care should consider how this calendar fits their working year.
• Lunch charging overlap. Lunch is included in the daily additional charge and also described as a separate payment to the chef. Request a written quotation explaining which arrangement applies to your attendance pattern, including funded hours.
• Support in practice. The November 2024 development point concerned evaluating the effect of training on teaching and curriculum access for children with SEND. At a visit, ask how staff now assess that impact and adapt activities for your child's needs.

Little Bear Cubs suits families with children aged two to five who want term-time preschool care, daily outdoor experiences and a key-person link with home. Its planting, creative activities and community experiences give the day substance beyond a list of play resources. The weekday opening window offers a clear practical boundary, while the training evaluation point and overlapping lunch charges are matters to weigh when choosing the setting.