Alpha Bears Day Care Nursery
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Potters Bar for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2022. Open since 2015, with 41 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Hertfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hertfordshire from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
EN6 5BQWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 21 February 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children quickly form strong bonds with their key person. Babies instinctively turn to staff for reassurance and comfort when they need to. Children learn to be kind to their friends. They apologise from a young age with support from staff. This helps them to develop positive relationships with others around them.
Children settle well at the nursery. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. For instance, they interact positively with visiting adults. Babies show visitors the toys they are playing with. Older children kindly share small ladybird pebbles out with visitors without the need for adult support. They confidently demonstrate their understanding of numbers. Children count the number of ladybird pebbles they have. They point to each one as they say the corresponding number.
Children enjoy learning outside. They develop their larger muscles as they play ball games. They excitedly join in with external sports coaching sessions. Children smile with pride when they receive a certificate from the coach. Their friends clap to congratulate them. This helps children to recognise and celebrate other people's achievements. Children explore different sensory opportunities outside. For example, they use foam to clean toy babies. They talk to staff about how the foam feels on their hands.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop staff's ability to provide the youngest children with appropriate levels of challenge and support so that all children across the nursery have opportunities to make the best possible progress in their learning and development.
- 21 February 2022Good
- 17 August 2016Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Alpha Bears Day Care Nursery
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.