Busy Bees at Stratford East Village

My daughter has attended the 3-5 room, after attending the 0-2 and 2-3 rooms at Little Bear's East Village (LBEV). We think the overall provision of childcare is good and our daughter has been quite happy to attend. She has been happy with her key workers in each of the room and whom she has developed good relationships with. We also have a very good relationship with the management. She is quite shy but has become increasingly engaged. While we wish there more natural outdoor play area/natural lighting in the earlier rooms we recognise this is largely infrastructural. Also, we think the ratio of pupils to staff is relatively high (but are assured by management this is Ofsted/London in line) and there are unfortunately no field trips. My daughter attended a school abroad for a few months (with a lower pupils/staff ratio) and we are familiar with Swedish daycare system and have seen other nurseries around in London, which is the basis for comparison.

The administration and the staff have been very accommodating so we are very thankful to the whole team for that. The territory and facilities are very modern and safe.

We've been sending our daughter to Little Bears since she turned one (for 18 months now) and she has thrived. She loves the place and the staff and we feel lucky to have got on the waiting list. They have some good activity people come in too, including a football coach and a music/dance teacher, both of which are a real hit. The food is good too. On the whole, we are very pleased.

We have had a lovely experience at Little Bear's. I have twins and was apprehensive about sending them to nursery but the staff have been great, they have reassured me and made me feel much more comfortable about leaving them at nursery. There was a long settling in period so that they could get used to the nursery and they have really enjoyed their time there. The staff are so lovely and I know they take care of the twins when they are in their care. I love the updates that I get and I can find out what they are up to during the day.

Our daughter has been going to Little Bear's for more than three years now. She is very happy there. I love the relationship she has with her "teachers" (as she would call them). They always make her feel special and are really good at helping her to be more confident (because yes, confidence can be an issue for a 4-year old). I like the way the manager and the staff work with our daughter but also how they support us. Little Bear's has been great at gaining the trust of our daughter but also our trust and this makes Little Bear's special. The separation can be hard and knowing that our little one is in good hands, certainly made the process easier.

We moved into the area and found a real sense of care and community by joining Little Bear's Nursery. The staff is great, so dedicated and hard working. They took the time and care to really help our daughter settle in her new environment. They are very proactive and always looking at new ways to improve their space and the service provided whether it is to do with menus, activities etc. Very easy to talk to and loving, my daughter bonded easily as much with her peers as with her carers or managers of the nursery. Having another one on the way, we will definitely hope to get him looked after at Little Bear's.

My daughter started at Little Bear's aged 11 months and has now been going there for 10 months. We're very happy with the nursery and she loves it. There was a good settling in period over a few weeks where the staff were very kind and reassuring and were very keen to make the process as smooth as possible. She really enjoys her days at nursery and the activities are varied and stimulating. There is a personalised website that is updated daily so that you can see what your child has been up to, which is very handy. Her key worker is particularly lovely and always very welcoming at drop off and pickups.

My son started at Little Bear's when he was 11 months old and he’s been there for a year and a half now.

I feel that being in the nursery has really helped my son with developing his skills like speech development and also his creative side. There is a lot of focus on singing, dancing, painting, reading books and learning nursery rhymes, colours, numbers, days of the week etc. I think this is really important particularly at this age.

There is a wide variety of food offered which is definitely on a positive side. My son really enjoys being in the garden which is big and has nice facilities for children to play.

Overall we are very happy with Little Bear's and we will be sending our second child there soon!

My son started going to this nursery at 7 months, and I am delighted to see how excited he is to see his friends and the staff. The team are very professional and friendly and provide detailed daily feedback on my child’s progress. The team has also been particularly supportive and patient over the past few months while my son has been toilet training. I have no reservations about leaving my child in their care, my son was very shy but has now become more confident, he is learning and talking more... the staff have helped him reach is full potential overall this is the best nursery by far!

My daughter has been attending this nursery since she was two and has developed tremendously!! I couldn’t be happier with the quality and standard that this nursery provides. Staff are friendly always greeted with a smile, the office is always open for parents for a chat even if not about your child they are always open to give advice and help! The new iconnect system is so much better than waiting till the end of the day to find out how much they have eaten if they slept etc, you can plan your night ahead before you're even home! My daughter is always excited and happy to go to nursery. She always wants the weekend to go quick so that she can go back! Definitely recommend. 10 out of 10!!

My daughter has been attending this nursery since she was two. And has developed to her full potential with the help of management and all staff throughout the nursery. The nursery keeps me up to date all throughout the day on the parentzone app about which food she has eaten and if she has eaten all of it or not. Also shows me photos and videos of my child doing certain activities and how well she is doing.

Definitely recommend to a friend or anyone who is looking for the best place for their child to grow and learn in the best of ways.

My son started when he was 16 months and he’s been in Little Bear's for 8 months now. It’s amazing how much he has changed in the past 8 months. He is enjoying it so much that sometimes he doesn’t want to leave when I pick him up. He isn’t only just close to his key worker but also many other staff in the baby room and the 2-3 room. He is not a good sleeper and the staff have put in a lot of effort to put him to sleep during the day. The staff are also very helpful in terms of helping me to understand how he is doing and always keep me posted on his next step of development.

I would definitely recommend Little Bear's to friends and family!

The staff are very good at encouraging her and challenging her. Her key worker identified that she had an aptitude for numbers and letters and spends lots of time with her to develop her in those areas. We get in-depth feedback on her progress in all areas. She loves football and French class as well as the music class. We are very happy with her care at Little Bears. The peace of mind we get from knowing she is so well taken care of is priceless.

Our son has been in the pre-school room at Little Bear's for 6 months and has really thrived. His key worker is excellent and the overall the staff are very supportive and helpful.

He does lots of fun activities both inside and outside in the garden area and his recognition of numbers and letters has really developed.

Our second child is about to start in the baby room and we're looking forward to going back to the start!

We’re moving house which means a new nursery, which has been the hardest decision. We will truly miss Little Bear's and I am truly grateful to the management and staff for their professionalism, care and attention.

I felt quite anxious at her starting childcare but we are both very happy with the care provided and enjoy seeing our daughter thrive in this environment.

My daughter has come on leaps and bounds since being at Little Bear's Nursery, she is quite a shy, sensitive girl but the nursery staff have supported her and helped her to come out of her shell. She has a lovely group of friends there who moved from the baby room together, and whenever she is upset on drop off a member of staff will call to update me on how she is. Even now she has moved from the baby room the staff will still say hi to her and welcome her back into the room with open arms. I am really proud of her and how the staff have supported her development.

Little Bears has looked after both of our children, one in 2013 and one in 2019, and we know that the kids are safe, stimulated and cared for. The staff are excellent and some of them have been there for years - which makes us confident they're happy at work too - very important detail. The management are brilliant and straight-talking. The facilities are great too, lots of space inside and out - the playground is big! 10 out of 10.

We would recommend Little Bears East Village to family and friends because the management are proactive, effective and respond quickly and the nursery teachers provide stimulating activities. We would also recommend the nursery because our daughter really enjoys her time there.