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Nellie's Day Nursery

Ofsted: Needs attention·Church Street, Shildon, DL4 1DU · Durham
Number of places
75 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2026
Local authority
Durham

About this day nursery

Nellie's Day Nursery, located in Shildon, Durham, has been operating since 2018 and has an overall Ofsted rating of 'Good' as of its latest inspection on January 7, 2026. This childcare setting on non-domestic premises caters to children aged 0–4 years and operates all year round, typically from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM on weekdays, closing at 5:00 PM on Fridays.

The nursery has an impressive capacity of 75 places. Recent inspections highlight the nursery's commitment to continuous improvement, evidenced by their active response to previous concerns, leading to significant enhancements in child welfare and educational outcomes.

The nursery has focused on strengthening staff training, improving nutritional offerings, and refining supervision practices to ensure a secure and nurturing environment. They also prioritise the development of strong key-person relationships, ensuring clear communication with parents about their child's progress and well-being.

Furthermore, the nursery is dedicated to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, providing targeted assistance and collaborating with other professionals to meet individual needs effectively. Flexible attendance and additional funding are utilised to support disadvantaged children, reflecting Nellie's commitment to inclusive care and a supportive learning experience for all.

What it's like

Children attending this nursery benefit from a setting that has actively responded to concerns and made significant improvements across key areas. They experience enhanced safety measures, more nutritious meals, and the benefit of well-supported staff and strengthened key-person relationships. The environment is now more secure and nurturing, with clear communication between staff and parents regarding their child's development and well-being.

Improved welfareStronger relationshipsNutritional focusEnhanced safety

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday : 07:30 - 18:00,Friday : 07:30 - 17:00

Term time / All Year

All_year

Established

2018

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Needs attention

Last inspected Jan 2026

Headline: Needs attention

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
—
Expected standard
—
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementNeeds attention
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesNeeds attention
Children's welfare and wellbeingUrgent improvement
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
InclusionNeeds attention
Leadership and governanceUrgent improvement
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Nellie's Day Nursery

Last inspected 7 January 2026

Actions the provider must take

  • Ensure leaders understand and implement robust recruitment procedures, including obtaining appropriate references and suitability checks before employment by 09/02/2026.
  • Provide effective professional development so staff receive the training, guidance and support they need to build their skills and strengthen the quality of education and care by 09/02/2026.
  • Provide supervision, mentoring and coaching that ensures staff feel supported and confident in their roles by 09/02/2026.
  • Establish effective key-person arrangements so staff are supported and able to build strong relationships with parents, gain the information they need to understand and meet children's individual needs and share accurate information about their child's time in nursery by 09/02/2026.
  • Ensure children receive a healthy and nutritious diet, and sufficient meals, snacks and drinks throughout the day by 09/02/2026.
  • Ensure leaders and staff understand and consistently follow safer eating procedures, including maintaining close supervision of children during all mealtimes by 09/02/2026.
  • Ensure fire safety requirements are met, including maintaining all fire safety equipment in good working order by 09/02/2026.
  • Ensure all staff receive appropriate training to understand evacuation procedures by 09/02/2026.
  • Strengthen the curriculum and ensure that staff clearly understand its aims so that they are able to deliver an effective programme of learning that supports all children's development by 09/02/2026.
  • Ensure that teaching is consistently tailored to children's individual needs, particularly those who are slower to reach typical levels of development, with a strong focus on communication and language by 09/02/2026.
  • Provide clear guidance so staff understand how to support children's personal, social and emotional development, including clear and consistent encouragement of positive behaviour by 09/02/2026.

What it's like to attend

Children attending this nursery benefit from a setting that has actively responded to concerns and made significant improvements across key areas. They experience enhanced safety measures, more nutritious meals, and the benefit of well-supported staff and strengthened key-person relationships. The environment is now more secure and nurturing, with clear communication between staff and parents regarding their child's development and well-being.

Inspector highlights

  • The provider has strengthened their procedures to gather references for all members of staff.
  • Opportunities have been undertaken to further support staff training and skills.
  • Procedures for regular staff supervisions have been undertaken.
  • Key person arrangements have been strengthened, resulting in a positive impact on communication and relationships with parents and carers.
  • The menus have been revised to improve the nutritional value of foods provided.
  • Seating arrangements at mealtimes have been improved to ensure that staff can always see all children's faces while eating and ensure close supervision.

Areas to develop

  • 1Achievement levels vary; children do not receive consistent support for progress, particularly in communication and language development.
  • 2Routines are not embedded, and staff do not consistently respond to children's behaviour or help them understand appropriate conduct.
  • 3Learning environments are not consistently planned to inspire purposeful play; children may not be encouraged to participate or lose interest quickly.
  • 4Leaders do not ensure all staff understand how to support children's learning effectively, focusing on interests rather than developmental needs.
  • 5Staff interactions are inconsistent, and children do not always receive appropriate support to build on their knowledge and skills.
  • 6Leaders and staff do not always identify and support all children's individual needs, particularly in language development.
  • 7Leaders do not understand or implement requirements for safer eating, compromising children's health and safety during mealtimes.
  • 8Compliance with fire safety legislation is not ensured, including risk assessments, equipment checks, and staff training.
  • 9Staff lack support for their key-person role and promoting children's emotional well-being, hindering parent relationships and information sharing.
  • 10Significant weaknesses in leadership mean breaches of requirements go overlooked, affecting various aspects of child welfare, safety, and staff support.
  • 11Arrangements for staff supervision and support are not effective, leading to low staff morale, inconsistent practice, and limited professional development.
Inspection #10191208 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from more targeted support and have support plans in place. Staff focus well on their needs and seek support from other professionals to help these children access required support.

Outdoor space

Although staff provide opportunities for physical development outside, they do not adapt their practice to support children's different levels of development. Leaders have started to improve the garden area to offer richer learning experiences outdoors.

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