Bright Start Childcare at Solway House
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Newcastle upon Tyne for babies from 3 months up to school age, 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 January 2023. Open since 2016, with 75 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
What childcare usually costs in North Tyneside
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in North 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
NE12 8ANWhat 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, 9 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at this highly inclusive nursery ready and eager to start their day.
Children who are new to the setting receive plenty of reassurance. The dedicated staff team place a high priority on promoting children's emotional security. This begins in the baby room, where activities are planned to help the youngest children form strong bonds with their key person. As children progress to different rooms, staff take time to get to know them. Staff use photographs, which children bring in from home, to help to develop their speech and communication. Toddlers enthusiastically point to their family members, as staff encourage them to repeat the names of the people they can see. In the pre-school room, activities to support children who have a new baby in the family are popular. Children practise bathing and dressing baby dolls as they talk about their new family members.
Activities are carefully planned based on individual children's interests and their learning needs. Even the youngest children show confidence as they explore the stimulating playrooms. Babies giggle as they look at their reflection in a mirror.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop the outdoor areas even more to offer a wider choice of activities to benefit those children who prefer to learn outside - consider how to deploy staff in the pre-school room more effectively so that all children's learning opportunities are supported even further.
- 9 January 2023Good
- 12 January 2022Needs improvement
- 27 April 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Bright Start Childcare at Solway House
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- 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.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.