URN 113439 · Inspected 2026-01-28 · Published 2026-03-12 · Inspector: Eloise Upfold
Climbing Bears Unique reference number (URN): 113439 Address: School Field, Newpound Lane, Wisborough Green, Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 0EE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 01/06/1992 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Climbing Bears Of Wisborough Green Committee Inspection report: 28 January 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. Strong standard Achievement Strong standard Staff ensure that children make strong progress across all areas of learning. They plan activities carefully to link to each child's next steps. Children with additional needs access the curriculum in small manageable steps, helping them build confidence, achieve their targets and make progress over time, providing a strong foundation for future learning. Children demonstrate high levels of focus and engagement. For example, they explore frozen ice and water, predicting what happens when warm water is added. Staff use thoughtful questioning to extend learning and encourage children to express their ideas. Children confidently use new vocabulary, such as 'universe' and 'solar system', during space-themed play. Staff consistently develop children's communication and language, helping them become confident and articulate. Staff understand each child's learning needs and adapt support to help address gaps, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. They support children to develop emotional vocabulary, which helps them manage their feelings and engage more effectively in learning. Staff and leaders prepare children well for the next stage of learning, particularly school. Parents value the guidance and support that helps children feel confident and excited about the transition. Leaders collaborate with local schools and arrange visits where appropriate, supporting smooth progression to the next stage. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Leaders and staff embed a culture of care and respect throughout the setting. Staff model respectful behaviour in their interactions with each other and with children. For example, they ask children if they would like support to wipe their nose or prefer to do it themselves, and use the same approach during intimate care. Children understand and follow daily routines, such as carpet time and tidy-up time, and staff guide them to care for the environment. When toys are left on the floor, staff encourage children to put them away safely, helping them understand the importance of keeping play areas safe. Leaders carefully record and monitor children's attendance. They identify patterns and work closely with families to improve attendance, helping children develop important habits for future success. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and provide gentle reminders throughout the day. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive proactive support, and staff work together to enable positive behaviour. Children behave very well and show they understand right from wrong. For example, at carpet time, children reminded the inspector that everyone needs to sit on the carpet. Well-established routines, such as tidy-up time followed by singing and story time, help children know what to expect. Children support and encourage each other. For example, one child supported another to find the timers outside for turn-taking on the bikes, creating a safe, respectful and productive learning environment. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Staff and leaders place a high priority on children's wellbeing and welfare. A strong key- person system is in place to ensure children form secure and trusting relationships. This includes a buddy system for staff and, where possible, siblings being allocated the same key person. This supports continuity for families and ensures staff have a strong understanding of children's individual needs and home lives. Staff are highly responsive to children's needs and adapt routines when necessary. For example, staff recognise when a new child is struggling to regulate because they are hungry and bring their lunch forward to support their wellbeing. This responsive approach helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to develop secure attachments and a strong sense of belonging. Staff promote healthy routines that help children to develop long-lasting healthy habits. Children learn about healthy eating, tooth brushing and independence, such as cutting their own fruit at snack time. Parents are supported to provide healthy lunch boxes, and staff talk with children about the benefits of healthy foods. Children also learn about personal hygiene, physical activity and self-care through daily routines, outdoor play and physical education sessions. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders identify children's needs quickly and set high expectations for learning, development and wellbeing. They work closely with staff, parents and other professionals to make sure children receive the right support at the right time and reduce barriers to learning. For example, a child who started less than a month ago already has targeted support in place in partnership with parents and specialists. Staff understand children's individual needs and use one-page reviews and communal displays to share targets across the team. They confidently adapt their practice to help all children make progress. Leaders plan support carefully. For example, during small-world play, a child with speech and language needs works with an adult who models simple phrases, repeats and extends the child's words, and shares key vocabulary with the team to reinforce learning throughout the day. Leaders and staff celebrate diversity well. For example, children enjoy books in other languages and from different cultures. During snack time, children use visual picture cards to choose fruit and vegetables, supporting communication and independence. Leaders and staff closely monitor progress, maintaining support even after children catch up with peers. A clear cycle of assessment and review ensures progress is sustained and any gaps in learning are identified quickly. Expected standard Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders are passionate about children, their families and the staff team. Children greet leaders warmly and confidently when they enter rooms, and children who have previously attended the setting continue to show affection, waving from the playground as leaders arrive. This demonstrates the strong, positive relationships that leaders build with children and families. Parents speak positively about the care their children receive and feel confident that staff genuinely care about their child. One parent shared that they travel out of their way to ensure all their children attend the nursery. Leaders prioritise staff development and wellbeing. They provide regular coaching and guidance, observe practice alongside staff, and offer feedback in a calm encouraging way. Leaders model high-quality interactions and participate in daily routines, supporting staff to implement effective teaching strategies consistently. They ensure staff access targeted professional development. For example, all staff completed 'Songs of Sound' training, while others chose specialist training in areas, such as autism. These actions strengthen staff practice and improve the quality of provision, which benefits children directly. Leaders actively promote a welcoming, family-like environment. They recognise achievements, provide development opportunities, and offer personal support when needed. Staff report that leaders' visible support and clear guidance help them feel valued and confident, creating a stable team and ensuring children experience consistency, security and high-quality learning every day. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders design a curriculum that meets the needs of all children. They focus strongly on communication and language, children's wellbeing and early literacy. Staff embed reading across the curriculum. Children take books home from the outdoor library and access books throughout the environment to support learning. They enjoy books, choosing to read in indoor and outdoor book areas, using books in role play and asking staff to read stories. Children move freely between indoor and outdoor spaces, supporting physical development and wellbeing. Outdoors, they ride bikes, explore the construction area and climb on equipment, developing coordination, strength and confidence. Staff maintain high-quality interactions with children across all areas of learning. They model language, introduce new words and encourage children to use them in play and conversations. Staff consistently prompt children to talk, listen and share their ideas. Leaders teach mathematics explicitly and in meaningful ways. For example, staff support children to count the legs on a minibeast in the garden, helping them use number language in practical situations. However, leaders do not yet evaluate the mathematical curriculum closely enough to ensure that concepts are taught in a clear and progressive sequence for each age group. This will support children to build secure understanding and develop confidence in mathematics as they progress. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children experience a nurturing and inclusive environment where they feel safe, valued and develop a strong sense of belonging. Staff promote a welcoming and respectful culture in which all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and Inspector: Eloise Upfold those from disadvantaged backgrounds are supported effectively. As a result, children settle quickly and form secure, trusting relationships with adults and their peers. Children grow in confidence and develop strong communication and language skills. Staff plan the curriculum thoughtfully, with a clear and consistent focus on extending children's vocabulary and supporting language development across all areas of learning. Staff interactions are purposeful and well timed, enabling children to express themselves clearly and engage fully in their play and learning. For example, staff support children to initiate play in the role-play area but then step back to allow children to develop independence. Consequently, children develop the skills and confidence they need to be well prepared for the next stage of their education. Children form strong trusting relationships with staff, who know them well and respond sensitively to their individual needs. Children's emotional wellbeing is a clear priority and this underpins their confidence to explore, play and learn. The strong partnership with parents ensures children are consistently supported, while leadership's high expectations for learning help children to develop independence, resilience and positive attitudes to learning. As a result, children thrive both personally and academically. Next steps Leaders should ensure mathematical learning is taught in a clear and systematic sequence, with increasing challenge, so that children build on prior knowledge and develop secure understanding over time. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator and parents during the inspection. The leader was new in post at the last inspection and has implemented significant improvements to the setting since then. We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision meets the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage for children's learning, development and care. About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 113439 Address: School Field Newpound Lane, Wisborough Green Billingshurst West Sussex RH14 0EE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 01/06/1992 Registered person: Climbing Bears Of Wisborough Green Committee Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:45 - 15:00,Friday : 08:45 - 13:00 Local authority: West Sussex Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 28 January 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 2 to 4 Total number of places 26 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. 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