URN 2858371 · Inspected 2026-08-21 · Published 2026-10-06 · Inspector: Elizabeth Fish
Franklin House Children's Nursery Unique reference number (URN): 2858371 Address: Franklin House, Stockton Road, Sedgefield, TS21 2AG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 09/09/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Corecare N/A Ltd Inspection report: 21 August 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Safeguarding standards met The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Expected standard Achievement Expected standard All children, including those who face barriers to their learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make steady progress form their starting points. They develop a range of skills that support them in the next stage of their learning. For example, 2-year-old children listen during group activities and join in with repeated refrains of songs and rhymes. Children become confident communicators. They count with numbers in order. During the inspection, children in the 'tots' room help staff to count the number of children present. Babies develop their physical skills. For example, they have the space to crawl and pull themselves up on furniture. Toddlers develop their core muscle skills as they stand next to low-level furniture to explore paints. They begin to use their imaginations as they play with baby dolls. They copy what staff do as they pretend to change dolls' nappies, feed them and take them for walks or put them to bed. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders have reviewed the routines in the nursery, and children typically benefit from consistent and predictable routines. This supports children to prepare for and anticipate what will happen next. Two-year-old children wash their hands as soon as they come in from outside. They sit down at the table and wait for their lunch. Children generally develop positive attitudes to their learning. They concentrate intently as they play with blocks. They happily play alongside staff as they build and explore how they can balance the blocks to create structures. Other children are engrossed as they play alongside their friends, exploring what happens when they mix paint and foam together. Staff work with parents to overcome any barriers to attendance. This includes adapting session times to help children to enjoy their time at the nursery. Staff have clear expectations, and children follow the expectations confidently. For instance, children in the 'tots' room line up ready to go outside. They wait at the top of the stairs so that staff can help them down the stairs safely. Staff respond and deal with any behaviour incidents that occur. For example, when toddlers spit out their water and laugh, staff respond immediately with 'no, thank you'. They then tell children to 'swallow' and supervise them carefully to ensure they follow these expectations. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have a well-thought-out curriculum that identifies what children need to learn over time. Staff help children to develop the skills that they need to prepare them to move to the next room in the nursery or the next stage in their learning. Staff working with babies help children to develop their independence as they learn to feed themselves and sometimes fasten their jackets. As children get older, they learn to use cutlery, drink from open-top cups and pour their own water. Leaders are aware that while staff usually identify what children need to learn next, this is not consistently well planned for. They have identified further training to develop staff skills further. Staff place a high priority on babies' personal and social development and physical development. They provide activities for babies to explore paints outside alongside their friends, while others begin to pull themselves up. Activities such as these help the youngest children play alongside each other with increasing confidence. Staff support children's communication and language effectively. They plan a range of enjoyable opportunities to help children to develop their vocabulary. For example, children thoroughly enjoy selecting song spoons and singing songs and nursery rhymes. Children under the age of 2, including those who face barriers to their learning, confidently join in with rhymes, such as 'Wind the Bobbin Up'. They sing the rhyme and beam as they join in with actions. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders and staff support all children's individual needs effectively. They typically gather detailed information from parents and/or carers when children first start. This helps them to identify if children would benefit from further support. Children are typically supported effectively by knowledgeable staff. They identify where children may benefit from additional support and plan various interventions to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make the progress of which they are capable. Staff communicate with a range of professionals, such as health visitors, to ensure that children get the help that they need in a timely way. Leaders are typically aware of funding that they can access to support children and families and apply for this where applicable. Staff discuss how they plan to use this funding. Children who face barriers to their learning, including those who are learning English as an additional language or those readjusting after periods of absence, receive individual support and reassurance. Staff work effectively with parents to develop a shared approach to supporting children's individual needs. Leaders provide tailored support for children who are known or previously known to children's social care. They work effectively with parents and/or carers and professionals to help children to benefit from their time in nursery. For instance, they adapt the days that children attend so that they can regulate their emotions following contact meetings. Leadership and governance Expected standard There have been significant changes in the leadership team and staffing structures since the nursery opened. Leaders have identified that there are still areas for development. They have clear plans in place to support staff to plan for children's next steps in learning even more effectively. When leaders identify areas for improvement, they take effective action. For example, they identify where changes can be made to induction procedures to ensure staff fully understand their role and consistently adhere to policies and practices. Leaders provide effective support to develop staff's knowledge and skills. For instance, staff who are new to a room lead role develop their expertise in this area through further training. Needs attention Leaders typically support staff wellbeing and workload. For example, they take time to listen and support staff. Strategies, such as 'employee of the month' help to boost staff morale. Leaders and staff work exceptionally well with parents and carers. They place a high priority on children's wellbeing and work particularly well to support children who face barriers to their learning or those who are known to children's social care. Staff work with parents to develop a consistent approach to supporting children's communication and language. Parents value the focus on children's wellbeing and feel their children thrive as a result of this. Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention Leaders have clear policies and procedures, but these are not always implemented effectively. For example, on the day of the inspection, procedures for the sanitisation of a dummy were not followed. In addition, risk assessments in the outside area did not identify that rainwater left in the paddling pool was a risk to children's health and welfare. Babies develop effective bonds with staff. Staff are on hand to provide support and reassurance to babies, particularly those who are returning after time off for holidays with family. Staff focus on children's wellbeing. They discuss any changes in children's routines and likes and dislikes with parents so that they can support children's individual needs effectively. They communicate effectively with parents to support those who experience any barriers to their learning. This includes altering the hours of attendance for children who are struggling to settle. Children enjoy a range of healthy meals with fruit and vegetables. Children typically manage their own personal hygiene. For example, they wash their hands before eating and after playing outside. Staff place a high priority on babies' personal and social development and physical development. They provide activities for babies to explore paints outside alongside their friends while others begin to pull themselves up. Activities such as these help the youngest children play alongside each other with increasing confidence. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children's welfare is not consistently assured because of weaknesses in the implementation of policies and practices. However, children are very happy in the nursery and greet their key person and other staff with enthusiasm. Children who are new to the setting or experience barriers to their attendance or wellbeing benefit from attentive staff who prioritise their wellbeing. For example, they enjoy cuddles from their key person and check in regularly with them as they play. Older children settle quickly and learn to play alongside children and staff. Staff work closely with parents to overcome barriers to their attendance. Children develop positive attitudes to their learning. They enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum where staff typically notice and plan for children's interests. Babies and toddlers develop their physical skills as they learn to crawl and pull themselves up. Older children show impressive control and awareness of the space around them as they use bikes outside. They negotiate obstacles and control their speed as they approach their friends. This helps them to keep themselves and others safe overall. Children thoroughly enjoy singing and joining in with actions. They eagerly pick a spoon to select a nursery rhyme. Children wait patiently for their turn. After the group session, children confidently revisit the activity. They pick a song spoon and identify the song and sing it independently. Skills such as these prepare them for the next stage in their learning. Children behave well. They demonstrate a clear understanding of the rules and expectations. For example, they wait patiently for staff to help them to get down the stairs. They line up patiently and wait as others get their jackets on to go outside. They walk outside in a calm and orderly manner. Next steps To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure that risk assessments are thorough enough to identify and remove any potential hazards 11/09/2026 ensure that staff follow all procedures to ensure children's good health, particularly with regard to the use of dummies 11/09/2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the inspection. Inspector: Elizabeth Fish About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2858371 Address: Franklin House Stockton Road Sedgefield TS21 2AG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 09/09/2025 Registered person: Corecare N/A Ltd Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Durham Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 21 August 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 3 We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage. Total number of places 40 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. Expected standard The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. 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