Keep Fit Day Nursery Stockton

A purpose-built nursery inside Total Fitness Teesside gives Keep Fit Day Nursery Stockton a recognisable setting: childcare within a leisure-centre building, with an emphasis on clear routines and communication with parents. Its parent app covers meals, rest and activities, making the everyday details of a child's care easier to follow.

At its July 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The strongest practical examples from that period involved emotional development, independence and using the leisure centre's facilities. Two teaching priorities also matter: supporting older children's language and making outdoor learning more complete.

There are 68 places in total, for children aged 0 to 60 months. Full day and School day attendance patterns give families two different lengths of nursery day.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing learning through play together with everyday routines. Here, the July 2023 curriculum placed considerable emphasis on children's relationships and emotions: sharing resources, waiting for a turn and treating others kindly. These are practical foundations for taking part in a group.

In July 2023, a potion-making activity gave older children something tangible to investigate. They mixed ingredients, anticipated what might happen and watched the mixture react. Staff used the activity to support turn-taking as well as prediction, so the learning extended beyond the experiment itself.

Language teaching was more consistent for younger children that month. Staff introduced vocabulary during play, repeated useful words and allowed children time to answer. Older children received less of this support, including some whose language development might be delayed. That distinction matters: an engaging activity still needs purposeful conversation to help children explain ideas and extend their vocabulary.

Visitors from music and library services were also part of nursery life in July 2023. These brought children into contact with people and experiences beyond their usual staff team. They added another route into participation and learning alongside activities organised within the nursery.

Outdoor and Community Life

In July 2023, children used the leisure centre's hall and soft play facilities, adding indoor opportunities for physical activity beyond the nursery area. Outside, searching the soil for bugs provided a different sort of exploration. The setting's leisure-centre location therefore had a practical role in the nursery day at that time.

Outdoor teaching needed attention, however. Staff sometimes brought children indoors while they were still absorbed in an activity. The improvement priority was to make the full curriculum accessible to children who preferred learning outside. The issue was how adults sustained and extended outdoor learning, rather than simply whether children could go outdoors.

Relationships and Communication

The current parent app gives families updates about eating, resting and settling, alongside photographs and activity information. Keeping these details and nursery messages together helps parents follow the day and pick up relevant conversations with staff.

In July 2023, settling arrangements were adapted to families, and parents could spend time in the nursery helping their children become comfortable. Staff working with babies collected detailed information about their routines and paid attention to building relationships. That approach made home routines relevant to nursery care rather than treating settling as a single fixed process.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the July 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff knew families well and provided individual support for children with potential special educational needs and/or disabilities as often as possible, even before a funding allowance was in place. This was a dated example of support responding to children's needs; it should be read alongside the separate language-teaching priority for older children.

During July 2023, home languages had a practical place in care. Children greeted friends in Polish, while staff used familiar words from children's home languages to support toileting. Communication was connected to both social participation and immediate care needs.

Self-care also featured in the July 2023 day: children used tongs to serve peppers, poured water and brushed their teeth. These small tasks gave children opportunities to practise independence. Staff also used stars to help children discuss feelings and behaviour, making emotions something children could talk about.

Fresh meals and snacks are part of the current offer, with attention to agreed dietary needs. Familiar mealtime routines sit alongside the food itself.

Sessions and Attendance

Full day attendance runs from 7.30am to 6pm; the School day pattern runs from 8.30am to 3.30pm. Both carry additional daily charges under the nursery's 30 hours funding arrangements. Families comparing the two patterns should consider the charge structure as well as the length of attendance.

The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01642 676026, and viewing bookings are offered.

Getting There

The address is Total Fitness Teesside, Middlesbrough Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS17 7BN, off the Mandale Triangle. Access is from Middlesbrough Road, with the nursery situated within the Total Fitness building.

Funding and Paid Extras

Grant-funded childcare, including 30 hours funding, is accepted subject to availability. The funded attendance arrangements carry additional daily charges that differ between the Full day and School day patterns; current prices should come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Older children's language. July 2023 teaching gave younger children more consistent language support than older children. Ask how staff now build vocabulary and conversation into older children's play, including support for children with possible delays.
• Learning outdoors. In July 2023, some absorbed outdoor play was interrupted by a move inside. A viewing is a useful opportunity to discuss how staff sustain children's interests outdoors and provide learning there across the curriculum.
• Funded attendance charges. The 30 hours funding arrangements carry different daily charges for Full day and School day attendance. Ask what each charge covers, including food and non-food consumables, before comparing written quotations.

Keep Fit suits families choosing Full day attendance or School day attendance who value a purpose-built nursery within Total Fitness Teesside and app updates about everyday care. Its July 2023 examples give substance to the account: potion-making, home-language support and self-care routines show different ways children participated in the day.

The balance rests on those concrete experiences and the two teaching priorities. For families with older children, the practical decision is how language support and outdoor teaching have developed since July 2023.