Kiddikins Nursery
Outstanding★ 4.8 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Hartlepool for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 January 2023. Open since 2009, with 33 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 Hartlepool
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hartlepool 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
TS24 0TBWhat 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, 31 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive in this highly effective nursery. The curriculum is underpinned by a strong focus on developing children's life skills. For instance, children learn through a bespoke 'home economics' programme of learning that is run by the nursery's cook. Children begin with simple kitchen skills, such as buttering bread, and progress to independently following recipe cards. This enables them to produce a wide range of food items.
There is a significant focus on children's personal development. Children smile with joy as they play together, developing a range of physical skills as they roll down the hill and crawl through the tunnel. They have secure, positive relationships with the staff who care for them. Children's vital communication and social skills are promoted at all times. Older children enthusiastically wave to the toddlers through the window, and the toddlers eagerly respond, waving back in delight.
Children's behaviour is exceptional. They understand what positive behaviours look like. Children show high levels of care and respect for each other. For instance, older toddlers gently help younger children to undo their coat buttons and hang their coats up. Children consistently demonstrate the learning that they have accumulated over time. For example, they listen carefully and take part at group time. Toddlers who are not yet two years old demonstrate high levels of independence as they collect their lunch tray and wait patiently in line before finding a seat.
- 31 January 2023Outstanding
- 19 April 2017Good
- 3 March 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Kiddikins 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.