Sandy Bears Nursery + Pre School
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Malpas 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 Good by Ofsted in March 2025. Open since 2018, 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 Cheshire East
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cheshire East 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
SY14 8AQWhat 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, 25 March 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive a warm welcome from the caring and attentive staff. All children show that they are settled and happy. Staff build strong relationships with children and show genuine care for them. They sensitively support new babies, who soon settle and enjoy a cuddle with staff. Staff are very attentive to children's care needs, supporting their well-being closely. They are quick to respond when babies show signs of hunger or tiredness and give them reassurance to meet their needs.
Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure as they confidently follow the daily routine.
Overall, the curriculum is effective in supporting children's progress. Children are curious learners and show an interest in exploration. Babies relish sensory play focused on their interest in animals. Staff plan this carefully to encourage babies to develop their language and communication. Babies excitedly explore different textures, such as yoghurt and dried food items. Toddlers explore, knowing that staff are on hand to give reassurance as needed. They develop confidence and show great interest in the activities that staff plan. For example, children enjoy choosing flowers and dipping them in paint to make colourful marks on their paper, developing their fine motor skills. Pre-school children use readily available pens and paper to practise their early writing skills.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support children to be able to maintain focus and listen more intently, such as by considering the impact of background distractions on children's engagement and learning n strengthen the curriculum by structuring it more precisely for each age group of children.
- 25 March 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 13 May 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sandy Bears Nursery + Pre School
- 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.