Tots 'R' Us Nursery

Daily movement and practical independence give Tots 'R' Us Nursery its character. Based at Eastlea Community Centre in Seaham, it combines early years learning with a clear emphasis on children's health: physical activity, dental care and sun protection each have a concrete place in its offer. These are useful details for families who want care to reinforce habits they are building at home.

At its 7 November 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding. That judgement belongs to the provision assessed then; the everyday examples beneath it are more revealing than the grade alone, from children preparing fruit to exploring how tadpoles develop.

There are 21 places in total. Attendance follows Durham's term dates, making the nursery a term-time choice rather than a year-round childcare arrangement.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the learning expectations, covering children's communication, physical development, relationships and early understanding of subjects such as mathematics and literacy. Here, playing, exploring and being active provide routes into that learning, indoors and outside. The framework is the common foundation for early years provision; the practical choices made around it give a nursery its character.

Movement has a specific addition in the Ready Set Go Physical Programme, training led by a Durham County Council coach that supports staff in planning daily physical activities. The work addresses both smaller movements and whole-body skills. The associated Physical Activity Badge connects the nursery's emphasis on active play with a named local programme rather than a general promise of exercise.

In November 2022, books supplied starting points for activities and conversations. Children used stories to explore ideas and discover information, while adults made room for them to contribute their own thoughts. For parents, that is a useful picture of language learning: talking and listening were woven into play rather than confined to a separate lesson.

Practical tasks also mattered in November 2022. Children served themselves drinking water, helped prepare bananas and worked towards putting on their coats independently. A ball-and-hoop challenge gave them an opportunity to persist at something difficult. These small tasks connect learning with the things children increasingly want to do for themselves.

Outdoor and Community Life

In November 2022, the outdoor play area supported exploration and learning about manageable risks. Children watched tadpoles develop, grew pumpkins and examined ice. Those examples gave them real changes to observe, with opportunities to talk about living things and materials.

Community participation had a practical form in November 2022: children took food to local residents during harvest celebrations. Stories about children elsewhere and opportunities to taste unfamiliar foods extended their experiences beyond their immediate surroundings. The emphasis was on things children could do, discuss and remember.

Relationships and Communication

A key person is assigned to each child, providing a familiar adult and a main contact for the family. Their role includes learning about the child's interests, tailoring care and activities, and helping parents connect with specialist support where appropriate. That gives families a clear starting point for conversations about both everyday routines and additional needs.

Settling arrangements allow parents to remain when appropriate, with flexible starting and finishing times during the transition. Staff gather information about comfort, interests, dietary needs and allergies before a child starts, then review how settling is going with the family. An optional home visit offers another way for the child and key person to get acquainted in familiar surroundings.

In November 2022, communication included daily conversations and meetings each half-term, alongside a book sent home every week. Staff also worked with families on toilet training and reducing dummy use. These examples show how nursery routines and home routines could support each other at that time.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children with SEND making excellent progress, with staff working alongside other professionals to obtain early support. Current arrangements include a designated SENCO and the opportunity for the SENCO and key person to meet a child with SEND at home before they start. These are identifiable mechanisms for planning support around an individual child.

Millie's Mark recognises paediatric first aid training for every employee working directly with children. The nursery retained the award for 2025-2026. This gives parents a specific account of first aid coverage; the dated safeguarding judgement remains a separate assessment.

Sun Safe Nurseries is a scheme supporting sun protection policies and children's understanding of sun safety. The nursery renewed its accreditation for 2025-2026, with learning through books, songs and activities. Families provide labelled sunscreen, while the nursery supplies a backup if needed. Parents are also asked to provide suitable hats and clothing that covers shoulders.

Dental care has a tangible starting point: new children receive a pack containing a toothbrush, toothpaste and an information leaflet. The nursery has also helped children without a dentist obtain one. This takes its health emphasis beyond discussion alone.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery operates during term time and follows Durham's calendar. In November 2022, it ran Monday to Friday, with session times of 8.30am to 11.30am and noon to 3pm. Those are dated session arrangements, useful context alongside the current term-time calendar.

Joining follows a waiting-list process, with the manager contacting families as places arise. A registration meeting at the nursery or a home visit must take place before a child starts, and parents complete registration and consent forms. The nursery can be contacted through its enquiry form or office telephone.

Getting There

The address is Eastlea Community Centre, Stockton Road, Seaham, County Durham, SR7 8DX. The community centre has an automatic accessible entrance, installed in December 2019 following local fundraising.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible children aged 1 to 4 can use the 15 or 30 hours early education entitlement. Funded hours carry no top-up fee, while hours beyond a family's entitlement are charged separately; the nursery also participates in Tax-Free Childcare. Current prices for paid hours come in the nursery's written quotation.

For non-food supplies, parents provide labelled sunscreen and the nursery keeps a backup. Uniform is optional, and comfortable clothes that can cope with messy play are recommended.

When children move to another nursery or school, staff arrange contact and visits, share the required assessments and prepare a learning journal with photographs and examples of work. This supports continuity between settings and gives the child a keepsake of their time here.

• Starting age. Admissions welcome children from one year to school age, while the home page gives a starting age of two. For families with a one-year-old, the entry age is a material joining question.
• Term-time fit. Attendance follows Durham's term dates. Families needing care during holidays should weigh that calendar against their working arrangements.
• Planning the first weeks. A registration or home visit is required before starting, and settling can include parents staying and adjusted start and finish times. Use the visit to agree how that approach will work for your child.
• Outdoor preparation. The sun protection policy asks families to supply sunscreen, a suitable hat and shoulder-covering clothing. Discuss the sunscreen patch test offered by the nursery if your child may need its backup product.

Tots 'R' Us suits families looking for term-time early years care with practical independence, daily physical activity and explicit health routines. In November 2022, children practised independence through preparing fruit and putting on coats; the current key person and settling arrangements offer a clear structure for getting started.

The strongest fit is with a family whose childcare needs follow the term calendar and who values close coordination between home and nursery. The starting-age question matters for younger children; the daily emphasis on movement, communication and self-care is the more durable reason to consider it.