Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

157-159 Whiteway Road, St George, Bristol BS5 7RW
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9.8 40 Reviews
  • Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell), Bristol
Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) is open from 7.30 am to 6.00 pm and aims to provide a safe, caring, happy environment for every child.

Mama Bear’s in Speedwell comprises a Pre-school for 2, 3- and 4-year olds in Whiteway Road plus a dedicated Baby Unit (for under 2’s) two doors down on the corner of Kingsmead Road.

Both settings offer a stimulating, safe and welcoming home from home environment with resources dedicated to their age group. Enjoying and achieving is the focus throughout the day.

They’re particularly proud of their amazing Pre-school garden in which children explore the outside environment and develop gross motor skills. Learning and physical development go hand in hand.

With a five-star food hygiene rating, the children's healthy lunches are prepared on site daily.

With a pre-school, toddler and baby room, children can enjoy exploring their surroundings and developing their skills.

The children can fuel their imagination with role-playing, explore the natural world in the nursery's garden and investigate the mud kitchen area.

There are balancing beams, and balance bikes, as well as a sandpit and access to different types of water play.

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Care Provided by Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Nicola Cockram (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 11
  • Total Places for Children
  • 80
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & Christmas
  • Parking

  • This nursery is on the corner of 2 roads - with plenty of off-street parking.


Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) Reviews (40)

Total of 40, showing 1-20
9.8

Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.755) out of 10, based on 23 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) has 40 reviews.

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Review from Jazlyn P (Mother of Child) published on 21 August 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I could not ask for a more kind and attentive team at Mama Bears!
Thank you for the 3 years of excellent care you've given my little one.
They know my child incredibly well, he feels comfortable with them all and even asks if we can invite them on holiday with us.
really happy we chose this setting,
they have been right here with us every step of the way.
Thank you!

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you very much for your lovely review, we are glad to hear that you have had such a lovely experience at our nursery. Kind Regards.


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Review from H B (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Such a wonderful setting. My son is 3 and has absolutely loved it there from day one. All the staff are really friendly and know him very well, and as a result he is more than happy to run in each morning. They have lots of resources and outdoor space, and we get plenty of updates on an app throughout
the day, showing him doing lots of educational activities as well as messy play. His language and skills have really improved with their help, and he will be more than ready to start school thanks to all their support. This is truly such a lovely nursery and I'm more than happy to give them a top review.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for the lovely comment. I will pass this onto the staff team


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Review from B B (Mother of Child) published on 14 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter started nursery at Whiteway Road Mama Bears last August 2023 and I can't thank the manager and the team enough for how much she now loves it and walks in without a second glance. She loves nursery and has flourished which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for the lovely feedback. I will pass it on to the staff team.
Kind Regards.


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Review from Rochelle S (Mother of Child) published on 8 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at this setting for almost 3 years now. We had to move her from her previous setting and were worried that this would be similar, but it’s not.
We have only good things to say about the nursery. Mama Bear's, Speedwell, has had to face many hard times, like all education and day
care settings, but through it all, they’ve remained both optimistic and fully committed to making sure that our daughter has the best experience while she’s in their care. She’s massively grown in confidence and social skills; developed supportive relationships with staff; and loved every day that she’s gone.
Communication is mostly good, and the staff are always on hand to help with anything you need support with.
We wholeheartedly believe that we couldn’t have sent her to a better place. The focus on outdoor activities and a fun and engaging curriculum to learn from, has all set her up to no doubt be a success when she moves onto primary school.
We love this place!

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for your lovely feedback.
I will pass this on to the staff team.


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Review from S K (Father of Child) published on 8 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Lovely staff, always very friendly. Our son loves his time at nursery. He always has a smile when he goes there. We are impressed with the developmental activities, the food and the themed days too. Thanks a lot.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for this lovely feedback. I will pass it on to the staff team.


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Review from B H (Mother of Child) published on 7 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at Mama Bear's for two years and we have been very impressed. The outdoor area is lovely and a real favourite of my daughter's. They do lots of different activities and every day seems packed.
There was a period where staff turnover was high but things seem settled now and even
during that time, I felt like my daughter was happy to be there. My daughter has additional needs and staff have been very supportive and understanding of the best ways to support her.
I was very anxious about leaving her at a nursery as she is a covid baby and before joining the nursery she hadn't been away from us, but the staff have always done a great job at settling her and - as I have requested - rung me on days she just wouldn't settle.
We will be sad to leave this summer but our daughter is off to school!

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for the lovely reveiw.
I will pass this onto the staff team
Kind Regards.


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Review from D B (Father of Child) published on 7 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot speak highly enough about Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell). My experience with this facility has been nothing short of exceptional. As a parent, the well-being and development of my child are of the utmost importance, and Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) has
consistently exceeded my expectations.
The staff are not only professional but also genuinely caring. They create a warm and nurturing environment where children feel safe and happy. The teachers at the pre-school are experienced and dedicated to providing quality education through play-based learning. My child has shown remarkable progress in various skills and has developed a love for learning.
I wholeheartedly recommend it to any parent looking for a reliable, caring, and stimulating pre-school experience for their little ones.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for your lovely review. I will pass this on to the staff team
Kind Regards.


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Review from Marion H (Mother of Child) published on 7 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been going to Whiteway Road for almost 3 years and loves it there. The staff are really caring, know him well and look after him as if they were family members. My son is so happy there that he started to complain about being home with me on Friday. He preferred being there. That meant a
lot, and allowed me to go back to work full time. We will all be sad when we will have to leave for school at the end of the year.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for your lovely review. I will pass this on to the staff team
Kind Regards.


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Review from S M (Mother of Child) published on 26 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

The nursery has in my opinion too many children with not enough members of staff. Staff seem stressed when answering the door and sounds crowded upon drop-off /pick-up. My child seems happy enough but activities do not seem to have a big range of imagination.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank for you your review. I can confirm that the setting has the correct ratio for staff - children at all times. Sorry you feel it is crowded, we have a lot of children going home at the same time. We are implementing using both main doors on our busy days to reduce this and support staff with giving handovers at the end of the day.


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Review from F A (Mother of Child) published on 17 July 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our experience with Mama Bears has been overwhelmingly positive. The staff are friendly and kind. The children appear to do a wide range of activities, linking to a wide range of cultures and backgrounds and I love the monthly themes the kids have to focus on. I really like the parent zone app used
to update parents on how the child is progressing throughout the day. So nice to have and allows me to build on, at home, what my child has learnt through the day. The children have a good outdoor space to play around in but nice that they go outside of the nursery occasionally. I was so anxious my child wouldn’t settle in as he does like to be next to me at all times. I really value the way the Mama Bears staff settled my son into the setting, providing that emotional support which meant he was able to quickly adapt to the new surroundings in a matter of weeks!

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thankyou for this lovely review. I will pass it onto the staff team
Kind Regards


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Review from H S (Mother of Child) published on 28 May 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have been using Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School for a little over a year now. The nursery has had some staff turn around and some struggles but the staff and management have stayed positive and helpful throughout all their challenges. They are always clear and communicative about changes happening
at the nursery and happy to answer any questions I have. We receive emails with updates and newsletters as well as everything being posted on the nursery door for transparency.
My child’s recent move up from the baby room to the bouncy bears room was seamless. Her key workers helped her make that transition and change of routine with ease. She loves coming to nursery and seeing her nursery friends every day. There always seems to be a variety of activities for her to engage in. We love that they celebrate numerous holidays and my daughter is able to experience and learn about many different cultures. The staff keeps their in house app updated regularly with wonderful pictures which really make my day.

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Review from Kym B (Mother of Child) published on 20 May 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has been going to Mama Bears for 2.5 years now and all the staff during this time have been absolutely amazing. I genuinely have no faults at all, my child is a challenging one and they have done everything they can to accommodate his needs. My child loves going to nursery and seeing all the
staff and other children, the staff go above and beyond and I’m so grateful for them all. Without them, I’d be lost as they have helped us massively with everything. Thank you Mama Bears.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for the lovely feedback. I will pass this on to the staff team.


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Review from Shervonne P (Mother of Child) published on 28 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All the staff are helpful with my son. As I have been trying to get him potty trained and get him out of nappies and to sit on the toilet to do wees and poos. Great support from them all. He has also come out of his shyness and has built a good relationship with some of the teachers.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thankyou for this lovely comment. I will pass it onto the staff team.


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Review from M H (Mother of Child) published on 27 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have been with Mama Bears for 3 years and think it's great. It's had its share of staff and management turnover but the team are great. The manager always responds to emails regarding extra hours/change of days and has made the nursery a positive and organised place, and she is always warm and friendly
when dealing with us. We get newsletters, and notes on the outside of the door about reminders of upcoming events. Our boys love their key workers and look forward to seeing them each day. They are always happy to go to nursery and we have always felt like they are loved and cared for. The update photos and assessments are great, gives us something to talk to them about when they get home.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for the lovely comment. I will pass it on to the staff.


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Review from Tanya R (Mother of Child) published on 27 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot fault the nursery, the staff are very helpful and caring. It is a far cry from the year before when it was understaffed and not managed well. I have to say a big thank you to the manager and her team as they have been very supportive and helpful when I've had to take my child to school. He
struggles with going to nursery but is always happy and pleased when he comes out. The only thing I do have to say is the lady who works in the baby section isn't very polite and always looks very withdrawn and unhappy to be there.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for the lovely comment, I will pass it on to the staff team.


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Review from C B (Mother of Child) published on 27 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Great nursery. My son is happy here and I can see a good improvement in him ever since he started the nursery. The manager and staff are very professional, polite and friendly. I would definitely recommend it.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for the lovely comment. I will pass this on to the staff team.


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Review from S R (Mother of Child) published on 27 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started here when she was 12 months old and although it took some time to settle in, she now is very happy. The staff have been really good at encouraging her to have some independent play but also happy to cuddle her if that's what she wants just adapting to what my daughter would like.
I have found everyone helpful and apart from one cancelled session (which was refunded) I've not experienced any issues.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for this lovely comment. I will pass it on to the staff team.


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Review from Jasmine L (Mother of Child) published on 27 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter attends this nursery as one of the preschool group full time. I’ve always had some ‘mum guilt’ about her full time attendance but she always seems so happy about her time at the nursery and talks fondly about her friends and carers there when at home, so it makes me feel a lot better.
They
are really good at organising themes or activities for the children to do, including the messy play that we don’t always do at home. I love seeing the updates on the app! Plus the garden area is large with plenty of toys. Very happy my daughter attends and it will get her into a good routine for school in the future.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for this lovely review. I will pass it on to the staff team.


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Review from Aimee C (Mother of Child) published on 26 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has such a good time at this nursery. He loves going and all the staff there are all so lovely and are all brilliant with all the children there. I'm glad we chose this nursery for him.

Reply from Nicola Cockram, Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for all of these lovely comments, they are so nice to hear.
The manager and team.


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Review from Shireen T (Mother of Child) published on 26 April 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending the nursery for almost 2 years now. She is very happy and confident since starting here. She has developed good relationships with the staff and they give regular feedback on her progress and where we as a family could support her.
I feel happy knowing she is thriving
and enjoying the setting. I have the most confidence in the staff and there is always someone to speak to regarding any concerns or queries. The online feedback forum of her day helps me grasp where she is or what her nursery day has consisted of. To say it’s a full day is an understatement, the team work extremely hard with the children and as a family, we couldn’t be happier for our little girl.

Reply from Erica Cross, Marketing Manager at Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

Thank you for your lovely comments - we will share these with the team.


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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.755)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.755) out of 10 for Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 23 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 22 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 4.755 for Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) is calculated as follows: ( (226 Excellents x 5) + (35 Goods x 4) + (6 Satisfactorys x 3) + (4 Poors x 2) + (2 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 273 Ratings = 4.755

  • 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 Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) is based on 22 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 80 number of registered child places is 16, which has been reached with 22 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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Frequently Asked Questions about Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell)

What is the Age Range of Children that Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) accepts?

Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) Open?

Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) have capacity for?

Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) has capacity for a total of 80 Children.

How far is Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) to the centre of Bristol?

2.8 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 Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Mama Bear's Day Nursery & Pre-School (Speedwell) has an Enhanced Service – more info.