Whitley Lodge Under Fives
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Whitley Bay for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open 09:00 to 12:00, 5 days a week. £7.72 an hour, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2023. Open since 1993, with 18 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
-Competitively priced (Hourly rate £7.72)
One published rate. What you pay depends on the days you need and the funded hours you can claim.
Funded hours
Funding available for eligible two and three year olds.
Worth knowing. With regards to consumables , we ask for voluntary contributions.
What childcare usually costs in North Tyneside
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in North 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
NE26 3HWWhat 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, 4 May 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children come into the playgroup happy and confident. If any children are unsettled, staff are quickly on hand to provide reassurance and support. Children know the routine very well. They find their picture cards, self-register and wash their hands. Children demonstrate that they are happy, content and feel safe in the playgroup. This is evident as children keenly wave and give a warm welcome to new visitors to the setting, such as the inspector. Children relish outdoor play, where they get plenty of exercise. They take calculated risks as they jump off equipment and walk across large pillars in the well-equipped garden. Children excitedly use spray bottles and paintbrushes to make marks. Staff encourage children to mix red, white, and blue paint. Children discuss the variety of colours they make.
Children's behaviour is very good. Staff are excellent role models. Children learn how to recognise their emotions. For example, they read the book 'The Colour
Monster' and use colours to indicate their feelings. Staff discuss these at circle time and support children to recognise and understand their feelings. Children have many opportunities to be creative. They practise using scissors, glue and a variety of materials to make coronation bunting and crowns. Staff support children to hold the scissors the correct way. This strengthens their small muscles in preparation for early writing skills.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- ensure planned activities focus more consistently on the intended learning, to help children achieve their full potential.
- 4 May 2023Good
- 27 September 2017Outstanding
- 19 November 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Whitley Lodge Under Fives
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £7.72 an hour still the rate? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.