Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Ashley Park Pavilion, 197 Ashley Park Avenue, Walton-on-Thames KT12 1ET
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9.7 17 Reviews
Little Bears Day Care provides childcare from the age of two-to five-years-old, offering an environment that is calm, welcoming and will nurture each child during their social and emotional development.

At Little Bears, staff believe that children's natural curiosity should be encouraged. Children learn best when they’re having fun and are given the chance to indulge in the urge to explore.

Little Bears is a secure atmosphere where learning, exploration, and playtime are combined.

Set in large private grounds, with access to the great outdoors, a safe outdoor play area and a large inside learning space, every Little Bear will be safe, comfortable and engaged at Little Bears Day Care.
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Type of Service

  • Nursery School
  • Open term time
  • Sessional Day Care

Person in charge

  • Nina Farzaneh (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 3

Total Places for Children

  • 36

Age Range

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

Funding & Fees

  • 2-3 Years:
    Breakfast Club 08:30-09:00 - £10
    Morning 09:00-12:00 - £34
    Extended Morning 09:00-13:00 - £45
    Full Day 09:00-15:30 - £63


    3-5 Years:
    Breakfast Club 08:30-09:00 - £10
    Morning 09:00-13:00 - £43
    Full Day 9:00-15:30 - £61


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

Opening Times

  • Monday 09:00-15:30
    Tuesday 09:00-15:30
    Wednesday 09:00-15:30
    Thursday 09:00-15:30
    Friday 09:00-15:30

When Closed

  • School Holidays

Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames Reviews (17)

9.7

Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.699) out of 10, based on 14 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames has 17 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Little Bears is a very nurturing environment - encouraging each child to achieve their full potential. A very supportive, inclusive and fun filled setting. I feel they go the extra mile to make the environment educational, with a wide variety of activities, toys, and games.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for your lovely review! We appreciate you acknowledging the hard work and dedication from our wonderful staff team who we are so proud of! We are so pleased that your little one has enjoyed all the activities provided. Thank you once again for taking the time to provide such positive feedback.Best wishes, The Little Bears Team

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Little Bears nursery Walton. The staff are warm, attentive and genuinely care about the children. The environment is safe, nuturing and full of engaging activities, our child has grown in confidence made lovely friendships and always comes home smiling.
Would highly recommend for any parent looking for high quality early year care.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review. We are so pleased that you are happy with the service provided at Little Bears. The staff team care so much about each and every child and goes above and beyond to provide a warm and nurturing environment. We are so grateful to hear your kind words of support, so thank you again! Best wishes, The Little Bears Team

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending Little Bears for over two years now, and he absolutely loves it. Before joining, he was at another nursery where he struggled. Despite being very sociable, he found it hard to settle due to overcrowded classes and a lack of personal attention. The difference when we moved him
to Little Bears was incredible.
The outdoor space is great, and the indoor area is spacious, which allows for them to group the children in different zones for play and learning.
My son is always learning exciting things, which we see on the app, the newsletter, and hear about at home. Over the past year, the team has helped get him ready for school, and we're so proud of how far he's come.
The educators are exceptional. I don't have kind enough words to express how much we appreciate them. Kind, caring, and approachable. My son adores them, and we've always felt supported as parents.
He'll be starting school this year, and we'll genuinely miss being part of the Little Bears family.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely review - we are so grateful! Thank you for acknowledging the hard work and dedication of our wonderful team - we are so proud of them. We are so pleased to hear that your little one has enjoyed his time as a Little Bear - we have loved being a little part of his world and we wish him all the best for the next exciting chapter! Thank you once again for your lovely words.Best wishes, The Little Bears Team

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5

My child had an awful experience at this Nursary it wasn't until we started looking at other Nursary's for him I realised how bad it was. There was a lack of organisation and structure which left him completely unregulated most of the time which led to outbursts and us getting feed back every day that
he was just being aggressive. In the end they told me to look for a quieter setting as I'm sure they just couldn't cope with him. If your child has extra needs do not send them here. The 2 year olds are mixed with the 4 year olds so can be very noisy for the older children and again not a lot of structure or getting ready for school, after our experience my child has actually fallen behind. He's at a new Nursary now and seems to be doing so much better as is a lot more stimulated and with children his age.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

We genuinely care about the well-being and development of every child in our care, and it's upsetting to know that you felt we weren't able to provide the right environment for your son. While we respect your perspective and are glad to hear your child is now thriving in a setting that better suits , we would like to clarify that our team works hard to create an inclusive and developmentally appropriate environment for all ensuring their best interests are considered. We do blend age groups at certain times to promote socialisation, while also offering tailored activities to support school readiness and individual needs. The team appreciated the many occasions where you and local authorities praised the hard work and dedication in their work with your son. We're continually reviewing and improving our practices, so thank you for sharing your thoughts as its an important part of that process. We wish your child success and happiness in his new setting.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending Little Bears since April 2024 and settled in very quickly. I'm sure this is due to the lovely staff and how caring and patient they are. We have since increased his days as he asked to go more and always tells me how much fun he's had at nursery!
The little updates are great
and each morning at drop off he can't wait to run inside! I would highly recommend Little Bears. Thank you Little Bears!

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are so pleased you had a positive experience at Little Bears and we are so grateful to be a part of your Little Ones' journey so far.Best wishes, The Little Bears Management Team

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending the nursery for a year. The staff make you feel like part of a family. They are amazing by offering the best support for individual child development. Every day I am confident that my girl is going to receive the best care and support that she can get to flourish.
Thank
you to the amazing staff for all the love and care!

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are so pleased you and your little one have had such a positive experience with Little Bears, we are so grateful for your support and acknowledging the hard work and dedication of our fantastic staff team. Best wishes,The Little Bears Team

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We could not recommend Little Bears Day Care highly enough.
We initially selected Little Bears due to its caring family feel, friendly staff, great facilities and good value for money. During our first tour of the nursery, the manager knew every child by name and all kids seemed to be really happy
and well cared for.
Our little girl joined in April and she wasn't speaking much English. However, the staff have been nothing but patient, caring and understanding and have given our daughter so much love and care to help her settle.
5 months later, our daughter is building 3 words sentences. She is so happy when we pick her up. They have lots of entertainment for kids and great outdoor space.
Thank you Little Bears.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely review. We are so pleased your little one is enjoying her time at Little Bears! The wonderful staff team work so hard to provide a warm and inviting environment that encourages the children in our care to thrive. Warmest wishes, The Little Bears Management Team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very happy with Little Bears Nursery. My daughter settled in very well, she's eager to go in on her days. The staff are very lovely and very caring towards the children.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for for your kind review - it means so much to us! We are so pleased your little one is enjoying her time at Little Bears and thank you for acknowledging our wonderful staff team work who work so hard to provide a warm and caring environment. Warmest wishes, The Little Bears Management Team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My twin boys started Little Bears in September. They have settled in really well this is mainly down to the care of all the staff and how welcoming they have been to them. They always come home and tell me that they've had lots of fun. They love playing outside on the veranda bit and little garden area.
It is in a really lovely location. Even though the manager is new she has been so welcoming and understanding. I love how we get regular updates every day as to what they have been doing and what they have eaten and nappies changed! Also the email communication and app is regularly used.
I have looked at a few local nurseries and so pleased I chose Little Bears for my boys.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has just finished her time at Little Bears before going to big school. She has loved going there and always came home telling me stories of the fun things they had done and talking about all her friends. The location is great and I love that they can play on the veranda outside even if there
is rain. The staff have been great always coming up with fun activities which my crafty daughter has loved. I will definitely send my next daughter there when she is old enough. Thank you Little Bears.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for your feedback. This make us very proud and more determined to work harder to make Little Bears a loving, nurturing and stimulating environment for the children. kind regards Little Bears.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Little Bears has been a wonderful nursery for my son. The setting of the nursery is idyllic and we love how the children get to spend a lot of time outdoors or on the veranda. The nursery always gives us updates on what the children have been up to, from making bread, painting, role-playing, nature
walks and teaching the children about different cultures, job roles, and festivities like Easter and Christmas etc. My son particularly loves snack time! The staff are always kind and welcoming and my son's face lights up when he sees them in the mornings. I couldn't recommend Little Bears enough.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Such a fantastic nursery. My son age 2 has been with Little Bears in Walton for 9 months and is so happy. They provide an excellent level of care for him, communication is always great and updates on his development are regular. All staff members are super caring and friendly and the manager is always
easy to get hold of. We have an older child so have experienced some local nurseries, but Little Bears has really exceeded our expectations we found the groups are much smaller at Little Bears compared to some other nurseries. They also have a lovely outdoor area surrounded by lots of green.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for your feedback. Views and feedback from our parents and children are highly valuable helping us make the nursery a great place for little ones to learn and grow. We are very pleased that you have had a lovely experience and hope to make it even better for you and your child. Kind Regards from Management.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The nursery is excellent. All the staff are amazing and offer excellent care. Every day we get a run down on how our daughter has been, how she's eaten and what they have been up to each day.
We would thoroughly recommend Little Bears to all friends and family.
Best review is that our daughter is
always desperate to go back and is so excited each day she is told she is going.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you very much for your feedback. We take pride in ensuring we provide our lovely children with the best care possible. We are very proud of our staff team who work tirelessly to make the nursery a loving, nurturing and safe place for the little ones. your feedback and support is very valuable to us.
Kind regards,
Little Bears Management

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The staff were always tentative to my child’s needs. They accommodated her needs and maintained professionalism throughout our time there. The setting is beautiful and calming. My child was given lots of opportunities to partake in various activities. One of the highlights for us was the presence of
a professional chef, who provided an array of different foods from various cultures too. Highly recommended.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Very nice nursery. Amazing staff. My son feels great. He is constantly learning new things. He started talking. Little Bears is the best place for it. The teachers are always smiling and helpful.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely review - we are so pleased to hear that your little one has settled so well. We are very lucky to have such a devoted staff team who work so hard to provide such a warm and nurturing home from home environment! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to care for your son. Best wishes, The Little Bears Team

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter started Little Bears Day-Care in June this year and we are absolutely thrilled with her progress already. We were particularly impressed with the settling-in process and how the staff made us feel at ease at all times throughout, which was so comforting being this was a whole new experience
for us as a family! Our daughter is always looking forward to attending preschool each week and talks a lot about it at home. Little Bears has a lovely home-from-home feel and the staff are fantastic! I highly recommend Little Bears.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely review - we are so pleased to hear that your little one has settled so well. We are very lucky to have such a devoted staff team who work so hard to provide such a warm and nurturing home from home environment! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to care for your daughter. Best wishes, The Little Bears Team

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son attended this preschool (formerly Honeypots Walton) for 2 years before he started school and our experience was so good, we enrolled our twin girls when they turned 2. They've been attending since January 2021 and love going to preschool. Highly recommend.

Reply from Katie King, Little Bears Director at Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely review! We are very lucky to have such a devoted staff team who work so hard to provide such a warm and nurturing environment! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to care for your girls. Best wishes, The Little Bears Team

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Current Review Score: 9.7 (9.699)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.7 (9.699) out of 10 for Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 14 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 13 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:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.699 for Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames is calculated as follows: ( (138 Excellents x 5) + (18 Goods x 4) + (2 Satisfactorys x 3) + (4 Poors x 2) + (4 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 166 Ratings = 4.699

  • b) 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 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames is based on 13 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 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 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 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 36 number of registered child places is 7.2, which has been reached with 13 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

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Meet the Team (7)

Nina

Nina

Job Title: 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 the senior management. I am also a parent and 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 the 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 provide 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.
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Anita

Anita

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Hello, my name is Anita.

I have been working in early years for 15 years now. I began as an apprentice, then progressed my way up to Nursery Manager.

I strongly believe that every child needs a caring, nurturing and engaging environment to thrive and develop to give them the best possible start in life.

I will positively grow and develop my team to be the best version of themselves to create a wonderful environment for children to thrive in.
... Read more
Lenka

Lenka

Job Title: Assistant Manager

Joined: 2023

Lenka is a qualified level 3 practitioner and trained SENCO with 30 years of experience in childcare. Her experience ranges from working as an au-pair to supporting children in nurseries with Special Educational Needs. Lenka is a mother to twin girls aged 23. She is calm and patient with the children and likes seeing them learn and develop. Lenka's interests are rowing on the Thames, running and cooking.
... Read more
Iman

Iman

Job Title: Senior Early Years Practitioner

Iman is a skilled practitioner and after raising 3 Little Bears of her own has a wealth of experience working with young children. She is so kind, always smiling and brings happiness in all that she does in the classroom! Iman loves supporting children to flourish and grow and reach their full potential!
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Federica

Federica

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner

Joined: 2022

Federica is one of our wonderful bank workers who is always smiling and looking for the next challenge! Federica is so warm and nurturing and is bilingual so has a wealth of opportunities to offer the children! She is very creative and enjoys craft activities with children.
... Read more
Sherry

Sherry

Job Title: Nursery Practitioner

Joined: 2024

I am a qualified level 3 practitioner with 22 years experience in childcare. I have experience in a nursery setting and working as a private nanny. I am a mother to a little girl aged 4 years, we enjoy exploring the outdoor environment and I enjoy planning a wide range of activities for children to learn and explore to support their ability to learn and thrive at nursery.
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Jo Freeman

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner

Joined: 2024

I have ten years of experience teaching kids all kinds of dance, from Classical Ballet to Street Dance, and I love connecting with them through music and movement in a fun, happy environment. I’m currently working on my Level 3 Early Years Foundation course with Little Bears, and I’m passionate about helping kids build confidence and supporting their unique interests. I believe every child is one-of-a-kind, and I’m here to give them the best guidance I can so they feel free to be themselves.
... Read more

Frequently Asked Questions about Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames

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

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

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

Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames is open: Monday 09:00-15:30, Tuesday 09:00-15:30, Wednesday 09:00-15:30, Thursday 09:00-15:30, Friday 09:00-15:30.

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

Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames has capacity for a total of 36 Children.

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

0.4 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 - Walton-on-Thames to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Little Bears Day-Care - Walton-on-Thames has an Enhanced Service - more info.