Dawn Till Dusk Childcare
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Barnard Castle for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 17:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2024. Open since 2003, with 21 places.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
DL12 0TGWhat 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, 7 March 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. They arrive happy and eager to start their day. Staff are very nurturing and show lots of care towards all children.
This helps children to build lasting bonds with all staff. Children regularly seek out staff when they are in need of help or reassurance. This demonstrates how safe and secure children feel at the setting.
Staff know their key children extremely well. When younger children are just starting to walk and climb, staff are vigilant to allow them the experience to move in different ways, while also keeping themselves safe. Children seek out staff to play with. For example, children in the home area show staff how to make tea, and they laugh happily together. Children enjoy mark making. Staff specifically select resources, such as large rolls of paper, crayons and pencils, to support younger children at this stage of their development.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support children more effectively as they develop their perseverance and learn to work things out for themselves.
- 7 March 2024Good
- 22 May 2018Good
- 6 February 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dawn Till Dusk Childcare
- 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.