Dubmire Daycare
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in Houghton Le Spring for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2024. Open since 2017, with 30 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 Sunderland
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Sunderland 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
DH4 6HLWhat 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, 20 November 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive in this friendly and caring nursery. They come in happily, and parents comment that their children are happy and relaxed when they come home.
Parents appreciate the support and guidance that leaders and staff give them. Staff are very caring and attentive. For example, they cuddle and nurse children when they show signs of tiredness or distress. Babies are very happy and settle well, even after periods of illness. The nursery has very good procedures for keeping children safe. All doors into the nursery and playrooms are security coded. Staff teach children how they can keep themselves safe. This is evident when older children remind children to put cycling helmets on before using bicycles or scooters.
The curriculum is generally ambitious and well thought out. For example, staff have thought carefully about the order in which children develop their skills in communication and language. They plan a range of activities for children to develop their shoulder muscles and core strength. Children behave well. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children know the rules and expectations. Older children know that they need to tidy up after themselves and walk inside.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- consider the order in which children develop their self-care skills and ensure that the curriculum is sequenced to ensure that children develop the skills that they need over time n focus planning more precisely on what children need to learn next to help children make the best possible progress.
- 20 November 2024Good
- 29 March 2019Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Dubmire Daycare
- 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.