Acklam Children's Day Nursery
Good★ 4.2 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Middlesbrough for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in April 2022. Open since 1993, with 59 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Middlesbrough
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Middlesbrough from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
TS5 4EBWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 21 April 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happily at the nursery and quickly become immersed in their play and learning. All children develop secure and trusting bonds with their key person and all staff. They have a positive attitude to learning and are eager to join in the activities planned for them. For example, older children relish playing with the play dough. They press natural objects, such as twigs, daisies and leaves, into the play dough to create their own patterns. Children of all ages make marks with various media, including pencils, paint and chalk. This helps them to develop the skills they need for early writing.
Babies and toddlers are relaxed and smile when they see familiar staff. They look to staff for reassurance and cuddles, which they receive in abundance. Together with staff, babies sing songs and clap their hands. Older children seek staff out to show their accomplishments and share their ideas. As they build a tower, they count each block and estimate how many more they will need to reach the ceiling.
They confidently use mathematical language, such as 'more' and 'taller'. Children use their imagination and creativity to create treasure maps. They describe their map and explain that the x spot is where the treasure is hiding.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to focus even more precisely on all the agreed goals for helping children with special educational needs and/or disabilities maximise their learning n support children more consistently to understand the reasons why they need to be careful in certain situations, to raise their awareness of their personal safety.
- 21 April 2022Good
- 27 October 2016Good
- 18 September 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Acklam Children's Day Nursery
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.