Pierremont Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Darlington 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 March 2023. Open since 1999, with 26 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
DL3 6DGWhat 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 March 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive at the playgroup happily. They are eager to learn and excited to see the friendly and welcoming staff and their friends. Children form close relationships with the staff who care for them. They benefit from staff's nurturing approach to meeting their individual needs. Children are curious and eager to explore the range of interesting activities on offer. For example, they giggle as they become immersed in group time. Children talk freely about their characters linked to World
Book Day. Children focus intently as they play and interact with staff, sharing ideas and suggestions. They develop the skills and knowledge they need to prepare them for their next stage in learning.
Staff have high expectations for children. Children are independent learners. They help to prepare fruit for snack time, peeling oranges or cutting grapes, with and without support. Children behave very well and show care and respect for their learning environment. Children show empathy to each other. Their emotional literacy plays an important part in the curriculum. This enables children to understand how they feel, why they are feeling that way and the impact their actions can have on others. Children develop friendships with their peers. They play well alongside each other, especially as they use their imaginations in the roleplay kitchen making pretend cups of tea for each other.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- build on what children already know and can do, to extend their learning to the highest possible level n extend children's communication and language skills, such as by using more descriptive language to widen children's vocabularies.
- 2 March 2023Good
- 8 June 2017Good
- 25 March 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Pierremont Pre-School
- 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.