Dimples Riverside Day Nursery
OutstandingBirth to 8+Long established
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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 Outstanding by Ofsted in June 2024. Open since 2017, with 110 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
TS3 6DFWhat 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.
- 11 March 2024 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 18 June 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff have very high expectations for all children. They provide activities and experiences that are exciting, enjoyable and challenging for children. Children consistently show high levels of enthusiasm in their learning. Babies demonstrate a love of books and show delight as staff roar like a dinosaur. They listen attentively to the very end of the story before choosing another. Staff help children to be well prepared to start school. They successfully close gaps in children's learning and ensure every child has access to a wide range of experiences. This helps to ensure every child has the best possible start in their education and no child is at a disadvantage when they move on, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Children show excitement to attend their session. Staff know them exceptionally well and use online journals to gather and share information with families. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, parents and families have dropped children off at the reception area, where staff collect them. This has had a positive impact on children's emotional well-being and they demonstrate that they feel safe in the nursery. Staff provide stay and play sessions and host celebration days, to ensure families feel welcomed and included in their children's learning. Children's behaviour is exceptional. Toddlers share bubbles with their friends and support each other to use the wand in the mixture. Staff are always available to provide support and encouragement, but children demonstrate very high levels of resilience and determination from an early age.
- 18 June 2024Outstanding
- 13 July 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dimples Riverside 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.