Ferndene Nursery
Day nursery in Darlington, DL3.
64 Elton Parade, Darlington, DL3 8PQ
Run by Busy Bees Nurseries What Ofsted found
Good Inspected 20 August 2025
| Judgement | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall effectiveness | Good |
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
The second of the four grades: a good standard of care and learning. Ofsted now gives report cards instead, so this grade stays until the next inspection.
What a place could cost
Ferndene Nursery sets its own prices. These are the averages for day nurseries in North East, for 50 hours a week in term time once the 30 funded hours are taken off.
| Child's age | You pay a week | About a month |
|---|---|---|
| From 9 months to 2 | £140 | £444 |
| 2 years old | £126 | £398 |
| 3 to 4 years old | £117 | £369 |
A month here is 38 term-time weeks spread over 12 months. Work out your own hours or check your free hours.
Ferndene Nursery against Darlington
| Ferndene Nursery | Darlington average | |
|---|---|---|
| Places | 78 | 58 |
| Ofsted outcome | Good | 92% rated Good or better |
Other nurseries close by
- Danesmoor House Day Nursery Good, 76 places, DL3 8RH
- Upperthorpe Nursery Good, 99 places, DL3 7PZ
- Pierremont Pre-School Good, 26 places, DL3 6DG
Ferndene Nursery is run by Busy Bees Nurseries, which has 332 nurseries in England and 43 rated Outstanding. See its nurseries in Darlington.
Questions parents ask about Ferndene Nursery
- What Ofsted grade does Ferndene Nursery have?
- Ferndene Nursery was rated Good at its inspection on 20 August 2025, under the grading Ofsted used before report cards.
- How many children can Ferndene Nursery take?
- Ofsted registers Ferndene Nursery for 78 places at any one time. The average day nursery in Darlington has 58.
- How much does Ferndene Nursery cost?
- Ferndene Nursery sets its own fees, so ask it for a price list. As a guide, the average nursery in North East charges £166 a week for 25 hours for a child under 2, before any free hours.
- Does Ferndene Nursery offer 30 hours free childcare?
- Any nursery on the Ofsted Early Years Register can offer the funded hours, but each one chooses how many funded places it has and what it charges for meals and extras. Ask Ferndene Nursery how it offers them.
- When was Ferndene Nursery last inspected?
- Ofsted last inspected Ferndene Nursery on 20 August 2025. The full report is on the Ofsted website.
- Is Ferndene Nursery part of a nursery group?
- Yes. Ferndene Nursery is one of 332 day nurseries in England run by Busy Bees Nurseries.
Nursery list and inspection outcomes from Ofsted's register of childcare providers, as at 30 June 2026.
Fees shown are regional averages from the Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2026, not any one nursery’s price. Confirm with the nursery before enrolling.
Eligibility rules are the government’s (childcarechoices.gov.uk). Whether a nursery offers the funded hours, and what it charges for meals and consumables, is the nursery’s decision; ask for its funded-hours terms in writing.