Mains House Nursery
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Chester-Le-Street 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 May 2023. Open since 2017, with 36 places.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
DH3 3HLWhat 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, 18 May 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are highly motivated and eager to learn at this extremely welcoming nursery. They benefit from a wide range of challenging and innovative activities and experiences that staff know will interest and excite them. For example, children build a wormery and care for ducklings they watch hatch from eggs in an incubator. They use real tools as they help staff build planters at the nursery allotment. In these, children help plant radishes, peas and carrots. They help staff water and care for the plants and watch them grow.
Children confidently explore using all their senses, for example as they mix paint with rice to explore textures. Children play imaginatively as they pretend to make fruit teas using real tea leaves, herbs and lemons. Younger children mix flour and water to make dough. Staff provide them with rich opportunities to explore independently with natural and tactile materials and resources. For example, they choose and add fresh herbs, feathers, sticks and pom-poms to their dough creations.
Relationships between children and staff are superb. Staff are very caring, sensitive and kind. They act as excellent role models. Staff model how to talk and act respectfully. They encourage children to use manners and be kind to others.
- 18 May 2023Outstanding
- 11 October 2017Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Mains House 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.