Shira Daycare
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Gateshead 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 November 2022. Open since 2011, with 50 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 Gateshead
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Gateshead 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
NE8 1RPWhat 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, 8 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children settle quickly and feel secure in this warm, friendly and caring environment. The passionate and enthusiastic leaders want the very best for every child. Together with staff, they share an ethos that values all children. Staff provide well-planned-out, safe and stimulating environments for children. They create spaces and plan activities that reflect children's interests and stages of development. For example, young children have space to roll and enjoy 'tummy time'. Older babies can move along and around furniture, in preparation for starting to walk.
Staff know the children very well and form good relationships with them. They engage the children in conversation and encourage them to participate in activities.
For example, all children learn signing so that they can communicate with their friends and understand their needs. Children are happy and very well behaved.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- ensure the plans to strengthen staff's teaching are firmly in place, to help children develop a wider vocabulary n provide more opportunities for children to learn about equality and diversity, to prepare them for life in modern Britain n improve staff's understanding of the importance of effective rules and boundaries, for example during snack times, and ensure that these are consistently followed.
- 8 November 2022Good
- 9 March 2017Good
- 24 June 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Shira Daycare
- 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.