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Secret Garden Day Nursery in Darlington

Ofsted: Good
(Nov 2022)
·
5.0(12 Google reviews) ·50 Haughton Green, Darlington, DL1 2DF · Darlington
Number of places
40 places
Age range
0–5 yrs
Last inspected
Nov 2022
Local authority
Darlington

About this day nursery

Secret Garden Day Nursery, situated in Darlington's Haughton Green, provides early years care within a charming Grade II listed cottage, enhanced by a thoughtfully designed rear extension added in May 2003. The day nursery focuses on creating a safe, welcoming, and nurturing environment where children feel valued and loved, embodying a strong family ethos built on trust, respect, and genuine care.

They prioritise each child's individual interests to inspire learning and support holistic development across social, emotional, physical, and intellectual domains. The nursery caters to children from 6 weeks old in their Koala Room, transitioning them to the Cubs Room around age two for increased independence, and finally to the Pandas Preschool Room to prepare for school.

To ensure peace of mind, all rooms are equipped with CCTV, and the large, secure garden, featuring both patio and grassy play areas, is also monitored by cameras. Secret Garden (Darlington) Ltd aims to deliver high-quality care and education, fostering a happy nursery experience with its warm atmosphere, spacious outdoor areas, and excellent facilities.

Our ethos

We pride ourselves on creating a warm, welcoming environment that feels like a home from home—where children feel safe, valued, and loved. Our family ethos is at the heart of everything we do, built on trust, respect, and genuine care. With a strong focus on nurturing each child’s development and wellbeing, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Across all rooms, we focus on each child’s individual interests, using these to inspire learning and support their holistic development — helping every child thrive socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually.

What it's like

Children receive a warm welcome from nursery staff and feel safe and secure. There is a warm, family feeling, and staff know the children well, using photos of families to support emotional security and early speech. Children behave extremely well and are becoming confident, curious learners, exploring well-resourced playrooms and making independent choices.

Home from home environmentGrade II listed cottageCCTV in all rooms and gardenHolistic development focus

Pricing & funding

Fees are invoiced monthly in advance and averaged over 12 months to ensure consistent payments. Additional charges apply for lunch and tea for funded children. The nursery is closed during bank holidays and for a week over Christmas.

Good to know

  • Invoices are averaged over 12 months to ensure consistent monthly payments.
  • Payment is due in advance by the last working day of the month.
  • Late payment fees may apply.
  • Closed on all bank holidays and for a week between Christmas and New Year.
  • Lunch and tea fees are charged for funded children who stay for these meals.

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday - Friday: 07:45 am – 06:00 pm. Closed all Bank Holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year.

Age range

6 weeks old onwards

Term time / All Year

All Year

Session types

Full Day, Half Day

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Secret Garden Day Nursery

Last inspected 16 November 2022 · Jan Batchelor

Overall effectiveness
Good

What it's like to attend

Children receive a warm welcome from nursery staff and feel safe and secure. There is a warm, family feeling, and staff know the children well, using photos of families to support emotional security and early speech. Children behave extremely well and are becoming confident, curious learners, exploring well-resourced playrooms and making independent choices.

Inspector highlights

  • Managers have worked hard since the last inspection to improve the quality of education provided, developing an educational programme based on following children's curiosity.
  • Considerable emphasis is placed on helping children to be ready for their next stage of learning, with a new room set up for two-year-old children to support their speech, communication, and personal development.
  • Children are supported effectively to practise the skills they need to develop their independence, such as feeding themselves and serving their own meals.
  • There are many opportunities for children to develop a love of books, including listening to stories, exploring books with different textures, and a lending library for parents.
  • High-quality interactions between staff and children help promote children's speech and communication, with staff using strategies introduced in training to support those needing extra help.

Areas to develop

  • 1strengthen teaching further in the pre-school room, so that all children are given opportunities to be actively engaged in purposeful activities throughout the day
  • 2continue to develop the outdoor area, so that it provides a more stimulating learning environment for children who prefer to learn outside
Inspection #10216972 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Partnership with other professionals is strong. Managers welcome the advice of specialists to help them develop support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Outdoor space

Children benefit from access to a large outdoor area. Staff are well deployed to support children's learning effectively when they are outside, for example, helping younger children to walk along wooden beams safely. Children are invited to join staff on a 'bear hunt'.

Google Reviews of Secret Garden Day Nursery

5.0
(12 Google reviews)
Jasmine Bowlby
a year ago

My son started at Secret Gardens when he was a baby, he started off in Koalas the baby room, then into cubs and finally in his last room at Pandas. His communication skills and confidence have come on so much whilst being at Secret Gardens. All the staff are so friendly and are all so lovely with the children. The staff are always so happy to see him and if he isn't feeling 100% on the day, they will distract him with play and activities and reassure me on the Family app that he is settled and happy playing. Always kept updated throughout the day via Family app of what he's had to eat and how much as well as pictures of what they have been up to that day. Such a beautiful nursery, with lots of activities and a gorgeous garden. I would always recommend this nursery to family and friends, and I would definitely use it again in the future.

Read on Google
Beth Barker
a year ago

The Secret Garden is the most lovely nursery with the most lovely staff! My son is currently in the cubs room and absolutely loves it! All of the staff are absolutely incredible! But in particular his key worker Roxana is brilliant, she is so attentive and kind. They all really care about the kids and their development. We love the Secret Garden, thank you to all the amazing staff!

Read on Google
Emma Deane
a year ago

This nursery is the perfect environment for my daughter, it's homely, the staff are really lovely and attentive, the resources they have available for them are great and their ability to be so creative with their growing developmental needs is highly commendable. She's in the Koala room at the moment and about to move to Cubs, I feel very safe and reassured that I'm leaving my daughter is great hands and I get regular updates on the app, letting me know what she's getting up to when she's there. I wouldn't think of sending her anywhere else.

Read on Google
Stacey Tinkler
a year ago

There’s not enough positive words to describe my experience with this nursery. My son Archie has been going since he was 10 months old. Hes now nearly 4 and in his last year with the pandas before school. He particularly enjoy his football session every Thursday with coach Shane. He has grown up so much and that’s from the help and support from all the staff from the last 3 years. Every member of staff is friendly and welcoming. I’m totally at ease when dropping my son off there. Archie has particularly developed a special bond with Abby. He also loves Gillian, Charlotte, Jo, roxanna and Claire. Sorry for not naming everyone you all do a great job. Would 100% recommend this nursery to anyone looking for a nursery. Thanks for everything secret garden 😀

Read on Google
Sophie Boston
a year ago

My daughter has attended this nursery since she was 8 months old and we couldn’t have chosen a better nursery. The staff are amazing and the communication is outstanding. They deal with any queries and concerns amazingly, making sure all problems are resolved. Our second little girl will be starting with them when I return to work after maternity and I have no doubt she will be absolutely fine.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Secret Garden Day Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history
Improved from Requires improvement → Good in 2022

Date: November 2021

  • November 2022Good
  • November 2021Requires improvement

Frequently asked about Secret Garden Day Nursery

About the setting

Secret Garden Day Nursery registered in 2017 and is located in Haughton Green in Darlington. The nursery operates Monday to Friday, all year round, from 7.45am until 6pm. It provides funded early education for two-, three-, and four-year-old children, as well as wraparound care for children attending local schools. The nursery employs 14 childcare staff, including those with qualified teacher status, early years professional status, and level 5 and 3 appropriate early years qualifications.

URN
EY552521
Registered person
Secret Garden (Darlington) Limited
Day care type
Full day care
Register
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Establishment type
Childcare on non-domestic premises

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more