Top Of The Tots
GoodBirth to 8+Open a few years
A day nursery in Jarrow for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2025. Open since 2024, with 36 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 South Tyneside
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in South Tyneside 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
NE32 3JAWhat 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.
- 22 January 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 4 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
There is a lovely atmosphere in this welcoming nursery as children play and learn together. Children are supported to feel settled and secure when they arrive. Staff are always available for a cuddle or to provide encouragement and reassurance to children. There is a strong emphasis on helping children to understand their emotions. When children say they are feeling sad, staff ask their friends what they could do to help them to feel happy again. Children are helpful and show consideration towards others. They beam with pride when staff praise them for this. Managers explain that teaching children respect and kindness is at the heart of the nursery.
The learning environment is stimulating and provides children with a wealth of interesting things to do. Children can freely access a wide range of different resources. These have been carefully selected to support children's learning and development. The painting area is popular, as children develop their mark-making skills and learn what happens when they mix different colours. They engage in imaginative play in the home corner and develop their finger muscles as they roll out and cut play dough. Although the outdoor area was not in use on the day of inspection, children benefited from fresh air and exercise as they walked to a local park. Here, they giggled with delight as they played games together and developed their physical skills on the equipment. Throughout the day, children are supported to make progress from their starting points as staff join them in their play. These interactions build on each individual child's knowledge and skills effectively.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance the mathematics curriculum by including more opportunities for children to develop their knowledge and understanding as part of their play and daily routines n review and refine record keeping systems so that these are maintained consistently and information can be accessed more readily to support children's care and development.
- 4 September 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 3 April 2025Inadequate
- 28 November 2024Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Top Of The Tots
- 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.