Cleadon Tower Nursery School

An oak-tree climbing frame, a rope swing and a tunnel give Cleadon Tower Nursery School a recognisable outdoor character. The garden is more than a backdrop: children can climb, move through different spaces and explore beyond their rooms. Indoors, Buttercups, Daffodils and Sunflower organise the day around different stages of childhood.

At its February 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. That is a dated assessment, with specific improvements required around early communication, healthy-eating messages and putting staff training into practice.

The nursery is in South Shields and has capacity for 51 children, with an accepted age range of 3 to 59 months. Opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Rooms and Ages

Buttercups, labelled for ages 0–1 year, combines softer lighting and furnishings for shared reading with a creative area for painting and drawing, while doors connect it to decking and a sandpit. Quiet activity and messy exploration therefore have their own physical settings.

Daffodils, for ages 2–3 years, emphasises growing independence and social confidence through activities shaped around children's interests, with construction, small-world play, role play, an IT area and sand-and-water provision. These give children different ways to make choices, practise everyday interactions and develop their ideas.

Sunflower, for ages 3–5 years, introduces a more organised routine ahead of school while retaining adult-guided and child-directed play, with doors opening onto decking that connects to the garden. School preparation here includes the pattern of the day, rather than replacing play with formal lessons.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and practical activities help children build skills alongside everyday routines. The room arrangements give that framework different expressions as children grow, from Buttercups' creative provision to Daffodils' opportunities for independent choices.

In February 2022, children practised counting through activities, explored cutting play dough with scissors and contributed ideas during stories. These were practical experiences rather than isolated exercises: handling objects supported counting, tools offered opportunities to develop control, and stories prompted conversation.

The same visit identified a weakness for the youngest children. Adults sometimes used more language than babies could understand, leaving them quiet or frustrated. More space for babies and toddlers to communicate was an explicit improvement priority. Training also needed to translate more consistently into practice, including the choice of resources for early writing.

Outdoor and Community Life

Infinite Playgrounds developed the garden around the natural surroundings. A slide connects children with the lower garden, alongside the oak-tree climbing frame, rope swing and tunnel. These physical features make outdoor movement a substantial part of the setting's character.

In February 2022, older children discussed the possibility of slipping in mud and took part in assessing outdoor risks. The value was practical: children were learning to recognise a hazard and explain how to respond to it.

At the February 2022 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities received very effective support, including funded one-to-one help and picture cues that helped them choose activities and anticipate changes. Those examples matter because support was connected to participation in the nursery day, rather than simply being a separate intervention.

In February 2022, staff also worked with other professionals, acted on advice and sought additional help for families when needed. Emotional understanding featured in daily activities: younger children practised ways to handle anger, while older children used colours to describe their feelings. These observations belong to that visit, but give a useful picture of the mechanisms behind its assessment.

Food is prepared in the nursery's own kitchens, using locally grown ingredients where possible; dishes include shepherds pie and vegetable soup. Vegetarian and gluten-free alternatives are offered, and children can access drinking water during the day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Cleadon Towers Nursery, Hillside, South Shields, NE34 8ED. The nursery opens throughout the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas, with weekday opening hours of 7.30am to 5.30pm. That window is useful for planning work and care, but the attendance arrangement deserves its own discussion before booking.

An online contact form and email provide enquiry routes. The fee structure distinguishes sessions, days and weeks, so a written quotation should relate to the attendance pattern a family intends to use.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery offers 570 hours free nursery education per year from the term after a child's third birthday, with fees reduced to reflect that entitlement. Additional paid childcare is also offered through the session, day and week fee structure.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The fees page provides the funding description and separates consumable costs from attendance charges.

• Early communication and staff practice. In February 2022, babies and toddlers needed more opportunities to communicate, and training was not consistently reflected in activities and resources. Ask how staff now pace conversation with younger children and put professional development into daily practice.
• Food messages. In February 2022, explanations about healthy choices did not consistently match children's options at mealtimes. Discuss how the current menu and mealtime teaching work together, including any dietary requirements your child has.
• Attendance and the written quotation. Opening hours run from 7.30am to 5.30pm, and the tariff distinguishes sessions, days and weeks. Before committing, ask which booking pattern fits your child, how funding is delivered, and how meals and consumables are treated within that quotation.
• Address details. The nursery's address carries NE34 8ED, while the contact address uses NE34 8EE. Confirm the destination before arranging a visit.

Cleadon Tower suits families who value a garden with substantial climbing and exploring opportunities, together with rooms that change emphasis as children grow. Buttercups' creative space, Daffodils' independence-building activities and Sunflower's school-preparation routine give parents concrete features to weigh.

The February 2022 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, but its improvement priorities deserve attention, especially for families choosing care for babies and toddlers. The strongest decision will connect those questions with the child's needs and a clear written attendance quotation.