Mama Bear's Day Nursery (Speedwell)

We will be sad to leave this summer but our daughter is off to school!

I wholeheartedly recommend it to any parent looking for a reliable, caring, and stimulating pre-school experience for their little ones.

My son has been going to Whiteway Road for almost 3 years and loves it there. The staff are really caring, know him well and look after him as if they were family members. My son is so happy there that he started to complain about being home with me on Friday. He preferred being there. That meant a lot, and allowed me to go back to work full time. We will all be sad when we will have to leave for school at the end of the year.

The nursery has in my opinion too many children with not enough members of staff. Staff seem stressed when answering the door and sounds crowded upon drop-off /pick-up. My child seems happy enough but activities do not seem to have a big range of imagination.

Our experience with Mama Bears has been overwhelmingly positive. The staff are friendly and kind. The children appear to do a wide range of activities, linking to a wide range of cultures and backgrounds and I love the monthly themes the kids have to focus on. I really like the parent zone app used to update parents on how the child is progressing throughout the day. So nice to have and allows me to build on, at home, what my child has learnt through the day. The children have a good outdoor space to play around in but nice that they go outside of the nursery occasionally. I was so anxious my child wouldn’t settle in as he does like to be next to me at all times. I really value the way the Mama Bears staff settled my son into the setting, providing that emotional support which meant he was able to quickly adapt to the new surroundings in a matter of weeks!

My child’s recent move up from the baby room to the bouncy bears room was seamless. Her key workers helped her make that transition and change of routine with ease. She loves coming to nursery and seeing her nursery friends every day. There always seems to be a variety of activities for her to engage in. We love that they celebrate numerous holidays and my daughter is able to experience and learn about many different cultures. The staff keeps their in house app updated regularly with wonderful pictures which really make my day.

My child has been going to Mama Bears for 2.5 years now and all the staff during this time have been absolutely amazing. I genuinely have no faults at all, my child is a challenging one and they have done everything they can to accommodate his needs. My child loves going to nursery and seeing all the staff and other children, the staff go above and beyond and I’m so grateful for them all. Without them, I’d be lost as they have helped us massively with everything. Thank you Mama Bears.

We have been with Mama Bears for 3 years and think it's great. It's had its share of staff and management turnover but the team are great. The manager always responds to emails regarding extra hours/change of days and has made the nursery a positive and organised place, and she is always warm and friendly when dealing with us. We get newsletters, and notes on the outside of the door about reminders of upcoming events. Our boys love their key workers and look forward to seeing them each day. They are always happy to go to nursery and we have always felt like they are loved and cared for. The update photos and assessments are great, gives us something to talk to them about when they get home.

I cannot fault the nursery, the staff are very helpful and caring. It is a far cry from the year before when it was understaffed and not managed well. I have to say a big thank you to the manager and her team as they have been very supportive and helpful when I've had to take my child to school. He struggles with going to nursery but is always happy and pleased when he comes out. The only thing I do have to say is the lady who works in the baby section isn't very polite and always looks very withdrawn and unhappy to be there.

Great nursery. My son is happy here and I can see a good improvement in him ever since he started the nursery. The manager and staff are very professional, polite and friendly. I would definitely recommend it.

My daughter started here when she was 12 months old and although it took some time to settle in, she now is very happy. The staff have been really good at encouraging her to have some independent play but also happy to cuddle her if that's what she wants just adapting to what my daughter would like. I have found everyone helpful and apart from one cancelled session (which was refunded) I've not experienced any issues.

They are really good at organising themes or activities for the children to do, including the messy play that we don’t always do at home. I love seeing the updates on the app! Plus the garden area is large with plenty of toys. Very happy my daughter attends and it will get her into a good routine for school in the future.

My son has such a good time at this nursery. He loves going and all the staff there are all so lovely and are all brilliant with all the children there. I'm glad we chose this nursery for him.

I feel happy knowing she is thriving and enjoying the setting. I have the most confidence in the staff and there is always someone to speak to regarding any concerns or queries. The online feedback forum of her day helps me grasp where she is or what her nursery day has consisted of. To say it’s a full day is an understatement, the team work extremely hard with the children and as a family, we couldn’t be happier for our little girl.

My son has settled well and enjoys his time at Mama Bears. The staff are very welcoming and got to know him quickly. He loves the variety of activities on offer. The communication from staff is effective and the app is a lovely way to see what my son is up to during the day. Thanks to all the staff!

My children have made lots of friends with the pupils and staff and I can see such a difference in their development in just the 5 months they have been going! Highly recommend it to anyone looking for great care and support for your child.

Both myself and my partner are very happy with the care provided at Mama Bears Whiteway Road. The team are very nurturing and our daughter really enjoys attending, so much so that she has started to run to the door to get let in as soon as she's dropped off! The team are very flexible and understanding of last-minute requests which we have found incredibly helpful.

We have had two very happy years at this nursery. It's lovely to see the different activities that the children are engaging in. Staff have been very attentive in helping us resolve any issues our child has been having (settling etc). The only real criticism is the amount of staff turnover, especially in the last year, although staff do their best, obviously, there is less continuity of care and session availability is disrupted. Overall a fantastic team.

Stars relate to care received when at the nursery but sessions are very often canceled due to ‘staffing issues’ and informed with very little notice (e.g. 15 minutes before start time) by email. Very poor and inconsistent communication from the nursery on canceling sessions, ranging from an email to not being informed until you’re at the door! Staffing issues by their own admission, yet still holding open days and taking on new children when unable to provide care for the ones currently on regular hours! Do not use if needing reliable childcare, especially if you’re a working parent.

My son is going off to school in September and although he is very excited for this next big adventure I know he will miss coming here a lot.