Little Bears Day Care
OutstandingBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Whitchurch for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in July 2023. Open since 2011, with 51 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 Shropshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Shropshire 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
SY13 1LFWhat 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, 19 July 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff provide children with a wealth of quality interactions and care at this inviting and fun-filled setting. Children arrive eager and excited to start their day. They are greeted with the warmest of welcomes by the caring and friendly staff. All children are happy, settle quickly and develop strong trusting attachments with staff and their key person. Children run to their key person and tightly wrap their arms around them affectionately. Staff know the children exceptionally well. They are attentive and nurturing to their individual needs and genuinely enjoy spending time with the children. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children are kind to each other and their behaviour is impeccable.
The managers and staff place children at the heart of everything they do. They have a superb knowledge of children's interests and plan exciting activities that enrich their learning experiences to the highest level. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make rapid progress in their learning and development.
Children benefit from daily opportunities to play and exercise in the fresh air. They use their core strength and coordination as they confidently navigate challenging obstacle courses, indoors and outdoors. Babies and younger children show excellent control as they climb steps and ramps and become increasingly confident as they develop their physical skills.
- 19 July 2023Outstanding
- 9 December 2022Needs improvement
- 13 April 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Bears Day Care
- 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.