Opening hours
8am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to 5pm Friday (51 weeks per year, closed bank holidays and 1 week over Christmas/New Year)
Upperthorpe Nursery
Ofsted: Good
(Nov 2024)
Number of places
99 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Nov 2024
Local authority
Darlington
About this day nursery
Upperthorpe Nursery, located in Darlington, DL3 7PZ, provides high-quality care and education for children aged from birth up to five years old. Situated within a conservation area, it offers a secure and stimulating environment for young learners.
The nursery is conveniently positioned near Darlington Memorial Hospital and the town centre, with on-site parking available, making it easily accessible for commuters. As an Ofsted-registered and Local Authority-approved provider, Upperthorpe Nursery offers free funded education for children from nine months to five years.
The dedicated staff includes Early Years Teachers and highly qualified practitioners, all holding a minimum of Level 2 Safeguarding and valid paediatric first aid certificates. The nursery is equipped with a CCTV system to ensure safety and uses dual biomass boilers to promote sustainability and reduce its carbon footprint.
Upperthorpe Nursery is open 51 weeks a year, closing only for bank holidays and a week over the Christmas and New Year period.
What it's like
Children arrive eager and ready to start their day, confidently leaving their parents and quickly settling in their individual rooms. They benefit from warm interactions with caring and nurturing staff, with a strong key-person approach supporting emotional well-being. Staff provide a well-planned, sequenced curriculum indoors with good-quality resources, allowing children to explore freely and engage with various learning opportunities.
Ofsted-registeredLocal Authority ApprovedSustainable PracticesExperienced StaffCCTV Security
Pricing & funding
Fees are billed monthly in advance, calculated by multiplying the weekly rate by 51 weeks and dividing by 12. A minimum attendance of two sessions per week on different days is required. Government funding for 15 or 30 hours is accepted on either a term-time or stretched basis.
Funding accepted
15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)
Good to know
- Minimum booking of two sessions per week on different days.
- Fees are calculated by multiplying the weekly fee by 51 weeks and dividing by 12.
- Payable monthly in advance by the 25th of the month.
- No refunds or reductions for absences, including sickness or holidays.
- Late payments incur a weekly administration fee.
Key facts
Food
Healthy Food and Fresh Fruit provided (sample menu available)
Age range
Birth to 5 years old
Term time / All Year
All Year
Established
2015
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Upperthorpe Nursery
Last inspected 29 November 2024
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
What it's like to attend
Children arrive eager and ready to start their day, confidently leaving their parents and quickly settling in their individual rooms. They benefit from warm interactions with caring and nurturing staff, with a strong key-person approach supporting emotional well-being. Staff provide a well-planned, sequenced curriculum indoors with good-quality resources, allowing children to explore freely and engage with various learning opportunities.
Inspector highlights
- Children develop a love of books as staff read their favourite familiar stories and introduce new vocabulary.
- Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well through swift identification, referrals, and collaboration with professionals.
- Relationships with parents are very positive, with regular discussions and ideas provided to support children's learning at home.
- Staff embed routines of the day well, explaining transitions to babies and helping older children understand tidying up.
- Children learn about being healthy, enjoying nutritious snacks and meals, and understanding the importance of handwashing and hygiene routines.
Areas to develop
- 1develop the curriculum in the outdoor area to provide more varied learning experiences for children, particularly those children who prefer to play and learn outdoors
- 2organise daily routines more effectively to help all children develop their independence skills and remain engaged at all times
- 3strengthen the ongoing training, coaching and mentoring of new staff to help raise teaching to a consistently high level.
Inspection #10368572 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
What parents say
Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection
Parents comment that staff prioritise children's well-being and that they would highly recommend the setting to others.
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Staff identify and refer swiftly when children need additional support. They collaborate with a wide range of professionals, such as health visitors, speech and language therapists and osteopaths. Children benefit from individual learning plans. This helps to ensure that children receive the right support at the right time.
Outdoor space
Children have access to outdoor play and learning during some of the day. However, the outdoor environment is not as effectively planned as that indoors, and does not provide children with as many purposeful experiences. This means that children who prefer to learn outdoors do not get as many learning opportunities.
Parent Reviews of Upperthorpe Nursery
5.0
(5)
ASHITH BABU
5 months ago
“It’s a very good nursery. The staff are very friendly, and parents don’t need to feed the children before dropping them off. You can drop them anytime and pick them up anytime. There are no unnecessary restrictions, and it’s suitable for working parents.”
Read on Google
Jayne Blackburn
7 years ago
Love this nursery, mine has been going for 9 months and she comes home teaching me songs now. We both love the staff, the children all sit together in the dining room at lunch and dinner, the gardens are amazing.
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Weezabella Owens
9 years ago
Beautiful grounds and the building is amazing. They're flexible and have a great variety of foods for the children and different rooms to play in, and even gardens. Loved the place and miss it still! x
Read on Google
Reece Dave Gregory
a year ago
lynne walker
a year ago
Reviews from Google for Upperthorpe Nursery. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: June 2016
- November 2024Good
- March 2019Good
- June 2016Good
Frequently asked about Upperthorpe Nursery
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