Ashfield Nursery & ELC
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Harton Lane, South Shields for children from birth to 8+, open 07:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 August 2021, though that is 5 years ago now. Open since 2002, with 72 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 South Tyneside
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in South Tyneside 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
NE34 0PLWhat 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, 10 August 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The nursery is a hive of activity, where children play cooperatively under the close nurturing supervision of staff. Staff build secure relationships with their key children, which helps children to feel safe and valued. The curriculum is planned in line with children's interests and emerging learning needs. Children have fun and enjoy attending. Staff working with babies support their exploration and developing mobility well. Toddlers enjoy exploring sensory materials, including play dough, flour and ice. Pre-school children listen carefully to stories and join in at appropriate times. They demonstrate their understanding and develop their confidence to speak in a small group as they contribute to discussions.
Children enjoy being outdoors. Pre-school children demonstrate their motivation to learn as they become fascinated with the bee and slug found in the garden. They consider what will happen if they touch the bee and if they should move it to keep it safe. Children receive regular praise from staff, which helps them to keep motivated during activities. Pre-school children become skilled at regulating their own behaviour. They independently use a sand timer to measure how long it is before their turn, waiting patiently for others to finish. During the COVID-19
(coronavirus) pandemic, staff have made adjustments to the settling-in procedure.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support less confident staff to use the highest quality interactions with children to explore their ideas more fully and build on their interests further.
- 10 August 2021Good
- 15 December 2016Good
- 22 August 2016Inadequate
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ashfield Nursery & ELC
- 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.