Parkside Childcare
OutstandingBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Darlington 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 September 2024. Open since 2006, with 34 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 Darlington
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Darlington 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
DL1 5TYWhat 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, 5 September 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
This small and exceptional nursery team demonstrates a passionate commitment to maintaining their high-quality service for the benefit of local families in the community. It reflects on all aspects of the nursery and actively seeks and acts on the views of staff, parents and children. The nursery continues to evolve and make outstanding improvements to enhance outcomes for children, especially for children who are disadvantaged. Children form very close attachments to staff and behave impeccably well. Staff show high levels of respect for children and are excellent role models. This helps children to learn how to show consideration for others. Staff give children who are still learning to self-regulate superb support to help them to calm and learn how their behaviours can affect others. Key persons show children endless kindness, patience and praise and provide a very high level of care.
Staff have an excellent focus on helping all children to develop outstanding communication skills from the day they start. Staff skilfully encourage toddlers to join in spontaneous songs with actions and read a wealth of stories to help them to develop new words. Older children confidently attempt to talk to friends in depth about their activities and ideas for games. Children's use of pictures and hand signs help them to readily show the attentive staff what they have achieved as they play.
Other children approach the inspector and tell them about superheroes and their families in drawings, using familiar words that staff introduce. Children develop a vast array of skills which prepare them extremely well for the next stage of their learning, such as starting school.
- 5 September 2024Outstanding
- 11 December 2018Outstanding
- 16 December 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Parkside 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.