Rosedene Hemlington

Natural resources, child-led play and outdoor learning give Rosedene Hemlington its character. Based at Hemlington Children's Centre on Cass House Road, this nursery combines early years care with clubs for older children, making it relevant to families whose childcare needs extend beyond preschool.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good on 9 December 2021. That judgement provides a dated assessment, rather than a description of today's practice: communication support and children's understanding of hygiene were the two areas requiring further work.

There are 73 places in total across the setting. Nursery care serves babies and children through to age five, with Holiday Club and Out of School Club provision extending to children aged 11. Full days, half days and flexible childcare give families different attendance options.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) frames children's learning, development and care through play and everyday experiences. Alongside it, the Curiosity Approach gives Hemlington's child-led learning a practical expression through natural resources and hands-on exploration. Children have materials to investigate rather than simply an activity to complete.

In December 2021, children could alter the direction of an activity: one chose to make a dough donkey when a reindeer had been suggested. Another used toy hair straighteners to move objects. These examples show how children's ideas could shape the task, with familiar resources taking on new purposes.

Learning also differed by stage in December 2021. Babies explored sounds with kitchen utensils and looked through picture books; two-year-olds mixed flowers, leaves and herbs outdoors; older children compared quantities while building sandcastles. Counting, language and imaginative play were woven into things children wanted to do.

The same December 2021 account identified uneven communication support. Some books were too difficult for the children listening, and opportunities for conversation during care routines were missed. For parents, the useful distinction is between providing an interesting activity and using it to extend a child's understanding.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School sessions add learning through outdoor exploration. Hemlington's branch information identifies Hardwick Dene Woodland as a setting for these sessions, alongside substantial outdoor space at the nursery that can be used throughout the year. This gives outdoor learning both an on-site base and a named destination beyond it.

In December 2021, older children could choose outdoor play throughout the day. Tyres and planks became building and balancing materials, while babies were taken outside regularly. The physical challenge lay in moving, arranging and balancing on resources, rather than following a single prescribed game.

Relationships and Communication

In December 2021, staff adapted babies' routines to those used at home, working with parents when children started. Familiar patterns helped make the change between home and nursery less abrupt. Some children returning after pandemic restrictions also had extra sessions to help them settle again.

Communication with families in December 2021 included a monthly account of children's learning, conversations with key staff and surveys. Parents therefore had opportunities both to hear about activities and to contribute their views. The distinction matters: useful partnership gives families a voice as well as an update.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), making good progress, with specialist advice helping staff plan support. Those findings belong to that inspection date.

During December 2021, staff helped children manage frustration and think about friends' feelings. Support was embedded in disagreements as they happened, giving children practice in resolving problems with others. The improvement needed in hygiene teaching was equally practical: adults did not consistently explain why hands should be washed before food or after using tissues.

Meals and snacks are prepared at the nursery, and eligible two-year-olds receive meals free of charge. Having food made on site places mealtimes within the nursery's daily arrangements rather than requiring those eligible families to supply lunch.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with the nursery operating for 51 weeks each year. Closures include bank holidays and a week at Christmas, so families arranging year-round care need to account for those breaks.

Full-day, half-day and flexible childcare are offered. These are separate booking choices from the overall opening window. For school-age children, Breakfast Club, Afterschool Club and Holiday Club extend the offer beyond the nursery day; school collection and drop-off arrangements cover Viewly Hill Primary School and Hemlington Hall Primary School.

Those school services provide a practical connection for children already attending the named schools. They should not be read as an admissions advantage for a younger child choosing this nursery.

Getting There

The address is Hemlington Children's Centre, Cass House Road, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, TS8 9EQ. Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by telephone on 01642 686500 or by email to hemlington@rosedenenurseries.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

Private childcare and 30 hour government funded places are offered, with the option of stretching government funding across the year. This lets families consider funding alongside attendance beyond school terms, rather than treating term dates as the only possible pattern.

Eligible two-year-olds receive free meals. Current prices for the family's chosen care arrangement should come in the nursery's written quotation, keeping the attendance pattern and the resulting charges together.

• Communication during ordinary routines. In December 2021, some opportunities to develop language were missed during care, and some books exceeded children's understanding. On a visit, ask how staff now select books and turn everyday routines into conversations suited to each child's stage.
• Hygiene children understand. December 2021 identified inconsistent explanations about handwashing. Ask how children are helped to understand the reasons for washing their hands, as well as following the routine.
• The family booking pattern. Full days, half days and flexible childcare sit alongside school clubs. Before joining, ask how the chosen pattern fits stretched funding and what the written quotation includes for meals and non-food consumables.

Rosedene Hemlington suits families seeking full-day or half-day nursery care, as well as those needing flexible attendance or clubs connected with Viewly Hill Primary School and Hemlington Hall Primary School. Natural resources, child-led activity and Forest School sessions at Hardwick Dene Woodland give the offer a recognisable shape.

The Good judgement dates to December 2021, and its communication and hygiene recommendations remain useful questions for a visit. The strongest reasons to consider Hemlington are the practical breadth of its childcare and its emphasis on exploration indoors and outdoors.