Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton

Rushett Road, Thames Ditton KT7 0UX
Review Us
8.9 11 Reviews
  • Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton, Thames Ditton
Little Bears Day-Care is situated in the quaint village of Thames Ditton in Surrey. The team of experienced practitioners provide care for up to 38 children between 2 and 5 years old during term time.

Following the EYFS, the nursery divides its setting into two different areas, Ladybirds for toddlers aged 2-3 years old and Caterpillars for children aged 3-5 years old. This allows the team to plan and deliver age appropriate experiences and ensure children get the time and attention they need. The team also get to know children and their families as much as possible so they can factor in individual requirements and preferences wherever they can.

The nursery has an Ofsted rating of Good (September 2024), and are committed to continuously providing the best care possible to each child.

Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Peggy Mushota (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 6

Total Places for Children

  • 38

Age Range

  • from 2 years 0 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • 2-3 Years Old:
    Term-time full day 8:00-15:30 - £76
    Term-time morning 8:00-13:00 - £60
    Morning 8:30-13:00 - £60
    Afternoon 13:00-18:00 - £60
    Full day 8:00-18:00 - £102
    Full time (full day) 8:00-18:00 - £99


    3-5 Years Old:
    Term-time full day 8:00-15:30 - £74
    Term-time morning 8:00-13:00 - £58
    Morning 8:30-13:00 - £58
    Afternoon 13:00-18:00 - £58
    Full day 8:00-18:00 - £99
    Full time (full day) 8:00-18:00 - £95


    *FEET and FEE 15/30hrs funding accepted - refer to website for full T&Cs

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Cultural Holidays

Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton Reviews (11)

8.9

Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton has a Review Score of 8.9 (8.880) out of 10, based on 4 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton has 11 reviews.

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Reviewer Connection to Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
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Total of 11, showing 1-11
Review from C K (Mother of Child) published on 16 April 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
“Brilliant!” “Amazing!” “One of a kind!” are all inadequate terms when describing Little Bears. Although applicable, they fail to capture the magic of the nursery, warmth of the team and dedication of those who lead. Little Bears, thank you! For all that you are and all that you do. It doesn’t go
unnoticed.
Reply from Scott Humphrey, Little Bears Manager at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Hi C, Well thank you so much for the lovely review! We really appreciate your kind words and we love supporting your little one with his learning journey! Here is too many more memories!
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Review from Jessica B (Mother of Child) published on 3 January 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Little Bears is an excellent nursery. Our daughter literally runs into nursery each morning excited for her day ahead. All the members of staff are so caring towards the children and I feel she is very well supported in both her learning and day-to-day needs. The staff put so much thought and effort
into all the wide-ranging activities on offer for the children every day and even have weekly forest school sessions. We also love how inclusive the activities are including learning about various holidays and important cultural themes throughout the year too. Parents also receive regular picture updates and weekly newsletters through an app about the children’s week which is very much appreciated and something we look forward to reading. I could not recommend Little Bears Thames Ditton enough - thank you for such a great experience!
Reply from Scott Humphrey, Nursery Manager at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
This is such lovely feedback, we have loved watching your daughter grow and develop in the short time since she has been with us. We cannot wait to see what she achieves next in her learning journey.…read more
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Review from Philippa M (Mother of Child) published on 3 January 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son enjoys Little Bears Nursery very much.
We are very pleased with the range of activities they put on for the children including forest school. The staff are excellent with the children. The food is freshly prepared on-site and always includes healthy choices.
Communication is informative and
regular. Adding extra sessions is never a problem. I would highly recommend Little Bears.
Reply from Scott Humphrey, Little Bears Manager at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Thank you so much for your amazing feedback, we pride ourselves on being the best we can be and we have loved watching your son develop and grow! We look forward to what is next in his learning…read more
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Review from S P (Mother of Child) published on 21 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff at Little Bears are so wonderful, you can see they really do care for all the children. My two little girls absolutely love it here and I would recommend this nursery 100%. My little ones come home with paintings piled high, cakes and treats they have baked and after forest school very muddy
welly boots.
Reply from Scott Humphrey, Little Bears Manager at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Thank you so much for your lovely review, we adore both girls and it has been great watching them grow and develop! We look forward to seeing you after the new year!
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Review from E W (Mother of Child) published on 30 November 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent nursery, my son loves attending and is very happy every morning at drop-off. Would highly recommend. Staff are caring, attentive and enthusiastic. He learns new things every week, the activities and themes are well thought of and interesting to the children.
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Review from Sahar A (Mother of Child) published on 9 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Really happy with the nursery, my little one enjoys going there a lot.
The team are all very kind and looking after the children very well.
Can recommend this nursery a lot to anyone.
Thank you for being so great.
Reply from Scott Humphrey, Nursery Manager at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Thank you for your kind words, we are very pleased that you are really happy with the nursery. As a nursery, we strive to be the best we can be for the children and ourselves and we adore each and…read more
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Review from Antony W (Father of Child) published on 24 July 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We cannot speak highly enough of Little Bears Day-Care and their outstanding team. Our 3 year old son has been so happy here and can't wait to leave the house to get there. The manager and the team are exceptional, and pay attention to every detail. Using not only the nursery building and excellent
playground area, they have also introduced a forest school in the recreation ground opposite which is great for the kids to stretch their legs and understand the concept of directions. Parents receive regular updates and photos on the app, and the end of term report was delivered with great attention and details. And it's not only the kids who had a great time. Parents are welcomed in to observe, much to my enjoyment on Father's Day when all the Dads were invited in for bacon sandwiches and croissants, to play with their kids. Such a welcoming and caring community environment, and one in which children can be themselves and thrive. Thank you to the manager and team, and wishing you all the success moving forward.
Reply from Scott Humphrey, Manager at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Thank you for your amazing feedback!! It has been a pleasure caring for your son and we have so many wonderful memories of him! We look forward to welcoming him back in September, even if it is a…read more
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Review from R C (Father of Child) published on 19 July 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter attends Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton. It is a fantastic environment filled with opportunities to learn and experience, including activities like forest school. The staff are warm and kind and work very hard to keep all the children happy and challenged according to their ability.
It's a great community feel with lots of updates via an app and newsletter about what the children have got up to.
Reply from Scott Humphrey, Manager at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Thank you for your kind words, it has been amazing caring for your daughter, she has an amazing personality and she is credit to you! We strive to be the best we can be and I am thankful that you can…read more
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Review from M C (Mother of Child) published on 10 July 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I can't thank them enough in how well they looked after my son.
My son joined the nursery as soon as he turned 2. Until he turns 2, he couldn't wait to go inside as we always walked past and he was so interested in going into the nursery as he can see lots of outside toys - looks exciting.
Since then
2 years on, he loves nursery so much as we expected him to. He's always happy to go and never looks back but runs into the nursery every day.
The staff is so nice, and the staff is what makes it a warm, caring and welcoming environment.
Same staff since he joined makes a massive difference in his development and what I like the most. You can definitely feel that your child is well cared for and looked after. Now at the end of the summer term, it will be so hard to move on to Reception soon.
I highly recommend this nursery. This place is a real hidden gem.
Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Thank you for your kind words, We are so happy that you are happy with us too! It has been a real pleasure caring for your son and we have some wonderful memories! We still have 2 weeks left and many…read more
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Review from C C (Mother of Child) published on 15 March 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot praise Little Bears highly enough. My daughter now the eldest there, runs in every day and is beyond happy. The staff are warm and kind and work very hard to keep all the children happy and challenged according to their ability. She comes home telling me all about the things she has done. It
is a very happy environment, the children are so well looked after and I feel very lucky that my daughter is part of the nursery. I feel strongly that the children get the individual attention they need from the teachers and it is a very happy place.
Reply from Scott Humphrey, Little Bears Manager at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Thank you so much for this wonderful review of the nursery. We pride ourselves on giving the best start to every child. Your daughter is so lovely and a credit to you, we love teaching her and caring…read more
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Review from Fay M (Mother of Child) published on 12 December 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My twins attend Little Bears Day-Care in Thames Ditton/Long Ditton and I couldn't honestly want for more for my girls. They are loved, cared for and encouraged by the carers to grow into the little ones they are today. They originally started for a few mornings a week when they turned two and are now
full-time at three and a half which allows me to work whilst they are having the times of their lives.
Little Bears is a home-from-home for my girls. They feel safe and comfortable being themselves and expressing themselves. They talk about the staff at home on such a personal level and I love hearing how emotionally supported they are day-to-day. The girls are spoilt with so many varied activities - some planned to assist learning and others relaxed to encourage free play. The girls come back messy which means they've explored and had fun! Love the weekly updates with learning intentions and photos - feels like I'm not missing out.
Ultimately Little Bears has that community feel I was looking for. We love it!
Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton
Thank you so much for such a lovely review! We are so glad your Little Bears are happy with us and feel like they are at home! Our fabulous staff team work so hard to provide a balance of education,…read more
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Current Review Score: 8.9 (8.880)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.9 (8.880) out of 10 for Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 4 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.9 out of 5 from 4 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.979 for Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton is calculated as follows: ( (47 Excellents x 5) + (1 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 48 Ratings = 4.979
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 3.901 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton is based on 4 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 = 3.375
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 38 number of registered child places is 7.6. 4 Positive Reviews ÷ 7.6 = 0.526
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Meet the Team (5)

Nina

Nina

Job Title: Group Registered Manager

My name is Nina Farzaneh and I am the nursery manager for Little Bears Nursery at Whitely Village. I have built up considerable experience in the day-to-day operations and management of both new and established nurseries, having worked with children for 15 years and my role over the last ten years as a key decision maker and member of senior management. I am also a parent so fully understand the importance of choosing the right nursery with the right staff team. We also recognize the importance of our partnership with the parents and children in achieving the best results.


My qualifications include a level 5 diploma in Early Years and Childcare as well as a degree in English studies. I have been fortunate to have spent the last 15 years working in a variety of settings with different Early years philosophies and teaching approaches, different people, cultures and management styles.


This invaluable knowledge and experience has helped to shape the Little Bear’s methodology:
•   At Little Bear’s, my team and I will create a loving, nurturing and safe environment;
•   At Little Bear’s, we create experiences and memories for your children;
•   At Little Bear’s, children will be encouraged to develop so that they flourish and achieve their potential.


We are extremely passionate about Little Bear’s and therefore have invested in a staff team that is fully qualified. This ensures that our setting meets all the Early Years requirements at all times and provides high-quality care to children and their families.


We hope that we can demonstrate our vision and approach to childcare by welcoming you to our nursery.

Lisa

Lisa

Job Title: Assistant Manager Joined: 2020

Lisa is our level 3 qualified Assistant Manager who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with her in her daily practice! Lisa has the ability to build fantastic relationships with the children in her care and offers the children a wonderful variety of learning and play opportunities with lots of new and stimulating activities linked to the children’s interests.

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Mushiirah

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner Joined: 2024

Mushiirah joined Little Bears in 2024 and has been an integral part of the team ever since. Bringing patience and kindness, she is committed to creating a nurturing and supportive environment where young children feel safe, valued, and inspired to learn.


In her time at Little Bears, Mushiirah has loved watching the children grow, learn, and thrive—celebrating every milestone whilst at the same time ensuring that early years education is not only about teaching but also about listening and building strong relationships with both children and families.


Grateful for the journey so far, Mushiirah looks forward to continuing to make a positive impact and growing alongside the children in her care.

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Sue

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Sue has over 20 years of experience in childcare, beginning as an unqualified assistant in a Reception Class and progressing through a variety of roles in day nurseries, school nurseries, and as a nanny. Along the way, she achieved her Level 3 qualification and worked her way up to Deputy Manager.


Sue’s experience, both professionally and as a mum of two, has given her a deep understanding of how children develop and thrive. Sue is passionate about supporting children as they grow in independence and confidence, and finds it incredibly rewarding to help nurture their early learning journey.


Outside of work, Sue enjoys spending time with her family, reading, dancing, and practising yoga.

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Clare

Job Title: Nursery Chef

Clare is our nursery chef, bringing with her many years of experience in preparing healthy, balanced meals for children. She is passionate about helping children make positive food choices and enjoys watching them gain confidence as they try new flavours. Clare takes pride in creating menus that give our Little Bears the energy they need for a busy day of learning and play.

Frequently Asked Questions about Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton

What is the Age Range of Children that Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton accepts?

Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton accepts Children aged from 2 years 0 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton Open?

Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton have capacity for?

Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton has capacity for a total of 38 Children.

How far is Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton to the centre of Thames Ditton?

0.6 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Little Bears Day-Care - Thames Ditton has an Enhanced Service - more info.