A bridge between home and school.
That's been the aim since the first Mama Bear's opened in Brislington in 2004: a friendly, safe, stimulating place where enjoyment and discovery go together, and where every child is treated as the individual they are. Here's what that looks like day to day, from three months to the first day of Reception.
Our rooms How children learn here
Our approach to care and learning
Your child's key person
Talk to your nursery about your child's key person and how staff share updates with you.
Rooms by age, moves by readiness
Babies, toddlers and pre-school children have age-appropriate spaces. Talk to the nursery about how room moves work for your child.
Free-flow play
Nursery activities give children opportunities to explore, make choices and learn through play.
Outdoor play
Outdoor facilities give children opportunities to explore, move and play.
Cooked on site
Three meals a day from our own kitchens, with allergies and weaning handled with you. See how food works.
Settling in together
Agree a settling-in plan with your nursery so your child can become familiar with the room and staff.
Our rooms
Explore the rooms and photos on each nursery page. Ask the nursery about staffing, age groups and how room moves work.
Ask about age groups and room arrangements
Talk to your nursery about your baby's routine, sleep, feeding and care needs. See the nursery page for its rooms and facilities.
2 years - ask about room arrangements
Paint, water and sand areas, construction, a book library, music and dancing, and child-sized toilets and basins for toilet training at their own pace.
3 to 5 years - learning through play
A main activity room, a wet and messy area, space for reading, writing and drawing, equipment for all seven areas of learning, and a proper run-up to school.
Ask your nursery about the staffing and care arrangements for your child. Facilities and room arrangements are shown on each nursery page.
How children learn here
Nursery activities follow the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children learn through exploration and play in a safe, structured and well-resourced environment.
Three prime areas, the foundation
- Communication and languageAge-appropriate activities support this area of learning.
- Physical development — the garden, climbing, tweezers and orange slices for small hands
- Personal, social and emotionalAge-appropriate activities support this area of learning.
Four specific areas, built on top
- Literacy and mathematics — counting down the tidy-up on fingers, mark-making everywhere
- Understanding the worldAge-appropriate activities support this area of learning.
- Expressive arts and design — paint, music, role play, cooking
Read nursery inspection reports
Read each nursery report for its inspection findings and date. View nursery inspection reports.
Ready for school
Pre-school activities support the seven areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and help children prepare for Reception class.
Children with additional needs
Our SEND Local Offer and inclusion policy explain how we work with families and relevant professionals to support children with additional needs.
See it for yourself
Contact your chosen nursery to arrange a visit and discuss the sessions and support your family needs.