Forest Friends Childcare
OutstandingBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Billingham 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 Outstanding by Ofsted in November 2023. Open since 2018, with 60 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 Stockton-on-Tees
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Stockton-on-Tees 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
TS23 3HBWhat 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, 2 November 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The provider is absolutely committed to the service which the nursery provides.
Staff are well qualified and highly knowledgeable, and implement an ambitious curriculum successfully. Children flourish and thrive in the inspiring and enabling learning environment, which staff provide for them. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are highly motivated and demonstrate excellent levels of selfcontrol. Children show high levels of care and compassion towards their friends.
For example, they happily give up a toy to make a friend happy. This is because staff are wonderful role models for children. They communicate extremely well and are consistent in the way they gently manage children's behaviour. Staff consistently support children to have consideration for others' feelings and regularly provide children with positive praise. This helps to raise children's confidence and self-esteem extremely successfully.
- 2 November 2023Outstanding
- 27 July 2021Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Forest Friends 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.