Little Bear's Day-Care
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Walton on Thames for children from birth to 5, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2025. Open since 2016, with 36 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 Surrey
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Surrey 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
KT12 4ELWhat 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, 24 March 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff have high expectations for all children to make good progress. They arrange the learning environment well, which enables children to quickly settle. Staff follow children's interests to help them to engage in their learning. For instance, when they act out a game of flying into space, staff enthusiastically bring the experience to life for children. Staff encourage them to prepare for their 'flight', such as making sure that everybody is on board and strapped in safely. They support children to share their thoughts and ideas. Children eagerly join in with these discussions and describe the plane ride as being 'shaky'. This provides them with opportunities to practise using different words during conversations.
Overall, children behave well. They actively engage in their learning, such as making 'cupcakes' in the mud kitchen and they show kindness as they offer these to staff. When children get upset and frustrated, staff respond promptly and appropriately, which helps children to modify their behaviour. Staff also teach children the language of emotions. They encourage children to talk about how they are feeling and what has happened to make them feel that way. Children talk confidently, showing that this is a familiar routine. This helps children to recognise the feelings of themselves and others.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance the support for staff to understand how to build on their interactions to more fully develop children's knowledge and understanding as they play.
- 24 March 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 28 May 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Bear's 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.