Mother Bear Nursery

Mother Bear Nursery
Unique reference number (URN): 2817338
Address: Unit 10 Parkhaus, 1A Downs Road, Hackney, London, E5 8QJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 25/02/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Aurora Futures LTD
Inspection report: 16 September 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children develop a broad range of knowledge and skills as they progress through the
curriculum. Older children confidently draw on their experiences during imaginative play. For
example, they recreate familiar care routines with dolls, explaining that babies need their
nappies changed and cleaned. They extend their play by dressing the dolls, carefully
fastening poppers and buttons and developing their fine-motor skills. As a result, children
develop the age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills they need to be well prepared
for the next stage of their learning.
Children also build their vocabulary through purposeful experiences. As they make pretend
sweetcorn soup, they pour, empty and combine ingredients while using words such as 'mix',
'stir' and 'shake' to describe what they are doing.
Children show developing problem-solving skills in their construction play. They position
large tubes and blocks to create routes for cars and experiment with different angles and
slopes. They recognise that changing the gradient affects how quickly the cars travel and
adapt their constructions to achieve the result they want.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders have established clear expectations for children's behaviour and routines. They
support staff to help children understand these expectations in ways that are appropriate to
their age and stage of development. Children know the routines of the setting well. Most
move confidently between activities and familiar parts of the day, including mealtimes and
sleep. Babies form secure attachments with their key persons and seek them out for comfort
and reassurance.
Staff model kindness and respect. They adapt their approach according to children's age
and stage of development. For example, staff working with babies use distraction effectively
to help them manage their emotions and behaviour. With older children, some staff
encourage them to think about how their actions affect others, asking, 'Was that a kind thing
to do?' and giving them time to reflect. However, this approach is not consistent. At times,
staff do not intervene quickly enough when children interrupt others' play. As a result, some
children become frustrated or leave their play rather than being supported to resolve the
situation.
Children show positive attitudes to learning. Toddlers choose activities that interest them
and remain engaged for sustained periods.
Staff monitor children's attendance and know when patterns of absence may give cause for
concern. Leaders understand the importance of promoting good attendance and punctuality.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing. They establish routines that promote
children's health, personal care and growing independence. Staff follow clear hygiene
routines during nappy changes and protect children's privacy. They gently invite children to
use the toilet or potty but respect their wishes when they are not ready to leave their play.
Staff encourage children to become increasingly independent in managing their personal
care. For example, they help children to find their belongings and patiently teach them how
to put on their shoes and socks.
As the nursery grows, leaders are developing consistent mealtime routines. Children follow
hygiene routines and are beginning to serve themselves. Staff encourage children to try
different parts of their meal, including vegetables, and help them to understand the benefits
of healthy food. Staff adapt their approach for children who are more sensory at mealtimes
or are reluctant to try certain foods. This helps all children to participate positively in
mealtimes without feeling pressured. However, some staff feed older children who could
practise feeding themselves. This limits their opportunities to develop independence
consistently.
Staff know children and babies well and respond sensitively to their verbal and non-verbal
cues. They offer comfort and reassurance when children are tired or hungry.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders have designed a curriculum that builds on what children know and can do, with a
clear focus on developing their communication and language. Staff know the children well
and provide activities that build on their existing knowledge and skills. They interact
purposefully with younger children to develop their language. For example, as children
explore different forms of transport and move them across panels, staff ask questions such
as, 'Where is the bus?'. They build on the words children use by adding further detail, such
as describing a car as a 'small yellow car'. This helps children to hear and use a wider range
of vocabulary.
Staff provide worthwhile opportunities for children to strengthen their small muscles.
Children use a range of tools to make marks, roll and cut dough. Staff talk to children about
what they are making and introduce relevant vocabulary. For example, children touch and
feel flowers before using their observations and senses to create similar patterns in play
dough.
Children have opportunities to learn independently and with others. Staff bring children
together for activities, such as group art and exploration, which help children to develop their
social skills and begin to form friendships. Typically, these shared experiences are
particularly supportive for children who are less confident in social situations. Staff gently
encourage them to join in, interact with others and build confidence in being part of a group.
Staff also provide activities that encourage children to think, notice and make connections.
For example, children complete puzzles, matching and connecting activities. Staff support
them to notice similarities and differences and talk about what they have created.

Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff use regular observations and assessments to monitor children's progress
and development. They discuss how best to support children in the next stage of their
development. Leaders work closely with the local authority special educational needs
coordinator (SENCo) to plan support for children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged children and those experiencing other barriers to their
learning, such as changes in familiar circumstances.
The local authority SENCo works with leaders to develop targeted support plans and
procedures for individual children. As the setting has recently begun to welcome more
children, leaders are appropriately considering how to develop staff knowledge and
expertise further. For example, Makaton training is planned to help staff support children as
they develop language to communicate their needs.
Leaders have appropriate arrangements in place to identify children's needs and provide
additional support. As the number of children attending increases, leaders are continuing to
develop staff expertise and build on their inclusive practice. Leaders also plan to provide
further SEND training for staff.
Leaders use additional funding thoughtfully to provide opportunities that some children may
otherwise not experience. For example, children take part in music and movement and
multi-sports clubs, which support their physical development and social skills. Leaders
evaluate the impact of these additional opportunities and consider the difference they make
for the children who benefit from them.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders support staff wellbeing effectively. They hold regular discussions and provide
training to help staff monitor children's progress and plan what children need to learn next.
Consequently, staff know children well and understand the progress they make from their
starting points.
Leaders work closely with the local authority and health visiting team. They arrange
integrated meetings with parents and other professionals to discuss progress checks for
children aged 2. This partnership working enables parents and professionals to share
relevant information and agree how best to support each child.
Parents speak positively about the nursery. They feel well informed about their children's
progress and work with staff to plan the next steps in their learning and development.
Parents are reassured that staff care for their children and consider their views carefully.
They feel able to speak openly with staff and leaders. However, some families need further
guidance about healthy routines, including reducing older children's prolonged use of
dummies and milk bottles. As a result, some children do not benefit from a consistent
approach between home and the setting to support their oral health and communication.

Since resuming leadership of the nursery, the provider has gradually increased the number
of children attending. This measured approach helps leaders maintain effective staffing
arrangements and meet children's individual needs as the nursery grows.
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children are happy and settled in this welcoming setting. They form warm, trusting
relationships with staff, who know them well and understand how to comfort and reassure
them when needed. Children seek staff out to share their play and experiences. They are
excited to see their friends and the adults who care for them, which helps them to feel safe
and secure. Parents describe how children talk enthusiastically at home about the activities
they have enjoyed at nursery. On their way to the setting, children talk about their friends
and look forward to seeing them. This reflects the strong sense of belonging that children
develop.
Children, including the youngest, develop a love of books. They choose books
independently from the inviting reading area and enjoy sharing them with staff. Younger
children confidently turn pages and lift flaps. They talk about what they see and imitate
words that adults model for them. Children have access to a wide range of fiction and non-
fiction books that reflect different cultures and experiences. For example, older children
enjoy looking at books about different types of transport and use these to extend their
knowledge and understanding.
Children enjoy exploring their local community. Regular walks and visits to the park help
them to develop their physical skills as they learn to climb and balance. These experiences
also encourage children to be curious about the world around them. For example, they
notice seasonal changes, such as there being fewer flowers. Children bring their
observations and experiences back to the setting, where they revisit what they have seen
through their conversations, play and activities. Children learn how people care for local
green spaces and develop their own understanding of caring for nature through
experiences, such as making bird feeders.
Next steps
Leaders should ensure that all staff consistently support children to manage their
interactions with others, so that children learn to resolve difficulties, respect others' play
and play cooperatively.

Inspector:
Davinder Dhaliwal
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2817338
Address:
Unit 10 Parkhaus
1A Downs Road
Hackney
London
E5 8QJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 25/02/2025
Registered person: Aurora Futures LTD
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Hackney
Leaders should ensure that staff consistently encourage older children to feed themselves
so that they have regular opportunities to develop independence and confidence at
mealtimes.
Leaders should strengthen guidance for families about prolonged dummy and bottle use
so that consistent advice supports children's communication, oral health and growing
independence.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with the manager, leaders, practitioners and parents during the
inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 16 September 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 3
Total number of places
32
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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