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Barnwell Daycare

Barnwell Academy, Whitefield Estate, Penshaw, Houghton le Spring DH4 7RT
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Top 20 award
Barnwell Daycare logo
Barnwell Daycare, Houghton le Spring
Barnwell Daycare, Houghton le Spring
Barnwell Daycare, Houghton le Spring

Barnwell Daycare is situated in the Monument Centre at Barnwell Academy and was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in July 2016 and November 2021.





The daycare provision is part of the Academy which is run by the school Governors.





Barnwell Daycare offers high-quality childcare in purpose-built surroundings. They can provide care for babies and children up to five years old.

Funding & Fees

Wraparound care (1 hour extra): £6:00

Late Fee: £6.45

Children are eligible to join the nursery from birth. We accept all childcare vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare.

30 hour funding for working parents is available for parents who meet the eligibility criteria. To find out if you are eligible and apply for the working parents funding you will need to visit the Government website Best Start In Life and apply through your HMRC childcare portal.

15 hour funding for 2 year olds is available for families in receipt of certain benefits.

15 hour universal funding is available to all children 3 and 4 years which starts in the term after their third birthday.

For extra sessions please visit our Daycare Admission and Fees page on our website.

Contact Barnwell Daycare to get a personalised quote:

Type of Service

  • Day Nursery

Opening Schedule

Open all year

Full days available

Yes

Half day sessions offered

Yes

Group/Owner

Person in charge

  • Ashley Emmerson (Trust CEO)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 12

Total Places for Children

  • 36

Age Range

  • from 0 years 0 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Meals Provided

No

Consumables provided

No

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-18:00
  • Tuesday 08:00-18:00
  • Wednesday 08:00-18:00
  • Thursday 08:00-18:00
  • Friday 08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Parking

  • They have on-site parking.

Barnwell Daycare Reviews (58)

9.9

Barnwell Daycare has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.890) out of 10, based on 16 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Barnwell Daycare has 58 reviews.

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Showing 58 reviews matching selected criteria
Review from Y S (Mother of Child) published on 15 October 2025 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Barnwell has been an amazing place for our son. The staff are professional, kind, positive and reliable. The large, well-organised and beautiful classrooms, garden, sports hall and sensory room stimulate children's various interests in nature, physical activities, arts, stories, music, science and cooking. Every corner of these rooms is made comfortable, so they can focus on whatever they want to explore. The daily activities are well thought out and prepared, offering a great balance of group and individual activities. The staff pay close attention to my son's development and provide lots of helpful suggestions. I could talk to them about any minor concerns. My son's verbal, social and physical skills, as well as his creativity and imagination, have developed tremendously. He has also learnt to be kind and understanding, to collaborate with other children, and has become more confident and independent. I cannot express how much I appreciate the wonderful staff team. Thank you so much!

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Review from Rachel T (Mother of Child) published on 18 September 2025 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
Barnwell daycare delivers outstanding care and education!
I cannot sing the praises of Barnwell Daycare enough. My daughter has had THE best start to her educational development from the care given by Barnwell. All of the staff go above and beyond, they truly care about the children within daycare. They are a great support to parents with toilet training, and are very welcoming with educational and stay & play sessions. The bed time stories sessions for book week, have been amazing. Teams sessions to give parents an understanding on phonics have been incredible, it's important for us parents to have an understanding to support the children with the same learning techniques as daycare.
They honestly exceed expectations.

As a family we are pleased we have had the opportunity to have Barnwell Daycare be an integral role at the beginning of our daughters school journey, it's been a pleasure to see her look forward to attend each day. She has flourished massively with their input.

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Review from Ashlea H (Mother of Child) published on 15 August 2025 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

We couldn't be happier with this daycare. Communication is excellent, especially around workshops and activities tailored to our son's developmental needs. Staff and management are open, approachable, and always ready to discuss any concerns. Our son's progress has been incredible-his vocabulary, imagination, singing, maths, and general knowledge have all flourished. The team puts so much thought into planning topics that run through a variety of activities, each with clear learning outcomes. The setting is lovely, with a rich outdoor area full of opportunities to explore nature, phonics, and social skills. The staff are warm, caring, and clearly dedicated to the children's growth. Best of all, our son is so happy to go in every day, which says it all. We honestly can't recommend this setting highly enough!

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Review from R P (Mother of Child) published on 12 August 2025 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

I couldn't recommend this daycare enough! They were absolutely amazing, so loving and caring also very helpful! My daughter had the best day everytime she went. Helped her massively with speech and coming out of her shy shell.

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Review from V M (Mother of Child) published on 25 July 2025 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
My daughter has been at Barnwell Daycare for two and a half years. I cannot fault the staff or the facilities at all. Their attention to detail is second to none. Their compassion and knowledge is absolutely incredible. The staff make parents feel like part of their little family, which is such a unique thing. I am grateful that they have been part of my this small (yet so impactful) chapter in my daughter's life.
My daughter is able to count confidently and will often have outbursts with even more numbers than we knew she could count to.
Recently she started using phonic's to spell ''mat' and was able to identify the word.
Their dedication and love of their job is evident. You'd be hard pressed to find any other nursery that comes close to this one. That is why I am hoping to send my second little girl to experience the love and care that my first has received.

It's a relief when you're at work knowing that the staff are looking after your child with so much love and care!

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Review from L W (Mother of Child) published on 25 July 2025 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My Daughter Loved Her Time Through The Daycare & We Were Always Well Informed Of What She Ate & Did Throughout The Day. She Was Always Happy & Telling Me What She'd Learnt Throughout The Day, She Especially Loved The Pirate Days, Parties, Photographer Days She Took Really Well To All The Staff Aswell.

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Review from T H (Mother of Child) published on 25 July 2025 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

When my son started daycare he was not great with communication, speaking and listening/following instructions. I will be forever thankful to Barnwell daycare for putting in time to help bring him along. Me and his dad are so proud!

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Review from Zoe O (Mother of Child) published on 25 July 2025 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
The nursery is very clean, the staff in each room are very friendly and approachable and we trust whole heartedly. The children have lots of opportunities to play indoors and outdoors with great facilities. The children have learned so much from being there and it's very sad that it is coming to end however they have been set up perfectly to develop further.

Thank you so much for everything !

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Review from Cali S (Mother of Child) published on 18 September 2024 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
My son attended Barnwell Daycare from when he was 10 months old until he was 3.

He has developed amazingly in that time. It was hard when he first started as he'd only been with family but the staff were so caring and professional and nurturing that he loved his time at Barnwell Daycare. He made lots of friends and everyone was so welcoming to him, staff and children. It's a lovely environment. I would definitely recommend this nursery. I am so glad my son got the chance to thrive here.

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Review from Georgia B (Mother of Child) published on 13 September 2024 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My daughter has attended Barnwell Daycare since she was 8 months old, she is now nearly 2. My son also went to the same daycare from 2019 until 2023. It is an outstanding nursery in all areas. My daughter has come on leaps and bounds in every aspect of her development. The staff are friendly and professional, they go above and beyond and offer lots of support to parents too. My children both have loved coming here and I would highly recommend Barnwell Daycare to anyone!

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Review from Robyn P (Mother of Child) published on 11 September 2024 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My little boy has been at Barnwell Daycare since he was 7 months old! I can't praise the staff enough! They have loved, cared and nurtured him from the start of his journey. He is currently still on his nursery journey and I don't have a bad word to say! The nursery are always on hand to answer questions and have a very open door policy with parents. My little boy loves going to nursery even after 6 weeks off! I wouldn't send him anywhere else.

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Review from Emily W (Mother of Child) published on 4 September 2024 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My second child now attends Barnwell Daycare after I was so happy with my son's experiences. She has absolutely loved her time so far (started Feb 24) and always asks to go back, she always has a lovely day and can't wait to tell me all about it. The staff are so lovely here and make me feel at ease having her on long days.

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Review from H B (Mother of Child) published on 4 September 2024 Submitted via Website
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My daughter absolutely loved attending Barnwell Daycare and will now be attending a local academy nursery starting September 2024. The daycare provided her with fun, exciting and educational growth that had made both me and her father so proud. She has come in so much since attending and I honestly believe it's down to the staff who are all amazing and I thank you again. I can't wait for my youngest daughter to start attending April 2025.

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Review from E T (Mother of Child) published on 4 September 2024 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Barnwell is an exceptional daycare, they make your child feel at home from day 1. They are always happy to see my children and they are in return, often running with open arms into daycare. They have a range of activities to stimulate and encourage development.

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Review from C T (Mother of Child) published on 4 September 2024 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

I couldn't recommend Barnwell Daycare enough. All staff are lovely and keep you updated on what the children have down throughout the day and what they have eaten etc through the online journal. the amazing staff has brought my kids out of their shell loads since been there and they have learnt so much from them.

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Review from K L (Mother of Child) published on 4 September 2024 Submitted via Website
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My son attends Barnwell Daycare and absolutely loves it here. He has come on leaps and bounds since starting. All the staff are so friendly and can't help enough. The nursery is very clean and tidy with a lovely outdoor space for the children to run around in. Would 100% recommend this nursery.

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Review from Amy S (Mother of Child) published on 9 May 2024 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

A fantastic nursery! My daughter absolutely loves attending Barnwell Daycare and I feel confident that she is well looked after when she is there. The staff keep us well informed and we love to see what she’s been up to via the online portal. There are always lots of well-planned activities for the children to take part in which keeps the days interesting and different for the children. We are so pleased we found this nursery!

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Review from A M (Mother of Child) published on 7 July 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Staff are all fantastic, and the nursery is amazing. My child’s development has improved massively, and she has come on great since starting. She loves all of the staff, and she is always excited to go to nursery!

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Review from Ambika R (Mother of Child) published on 7 July 2022 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

I can’t recommend Barnwell Daycare enough. They are an amazing facility and really care about the children they work with. My son started going when he was 9 months and is very well settled; he loves going in there. All the staff are amazing, friendly and very helpful.

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Review from L C (Mother of Child) published on 14 March 2022 Submitted via Website
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The staff are fantastic, very caring, and approachable. I'm always kept up to date with my son's progress and achievements. Highly recommend this nursery.

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Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

News (0) & Events (0)

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Awards / Recognitions (9)

  • Recipient: Barnwell DaycareDate: Tuesday 31 Mar 2026
  • Recipient: Barnwell DaycareDate: Monday 31 Mar 2025
  • Recipient: Barnwell DaycareDate: Friday 29 Apr 2022

Meet the Team (13)

Kirsty Harding Job Title: Daycare Leader Joined: 2009
Kirsty Harding
Kirsty holds an Early Years Professional Status and a Degree (BA Hons) in Education & Curriculum Studies.
Kirsty is also the Designated Lead for Safeguarding and the SENCo (Special Needs Co-ordinator) here at Barnwell. She also holds a range of mandatory qualifications such as Paediatric First Aid and Food Safety.

Further areas of training include Leadership and Management; Managing Medication; Autism Spectrum Disorder training; Managing Behaviour and iCan (Communication training)

Ellis Matthews Job Title: Admin Officer Joined: 2025
Ellis Matthews

If you have any queries about Barnwell Daycare or would like to arrange a visit please contact our friendly administrator Ellis who is always happy to help.

Julie Temple Job Title: Senior Daycare Officer Joined: 2015
Julie Temple
Julie holds an NVQ level 4 in Children's Care, Learning and Development. She also holds other associated qualifications such as Autism Spectrum Disorder training; Paediatric First Aid; iCan (Communication training) Safeguarding and Food Hygiene.

Julie is also a friendly keyworker and room leader within the 2-5 room.

Kelly Savory Job Title: Senior Daycare Officer Joined: 2009
Kelly Savory
Kelly holds an NVQ level 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development. She also holds other associated qualifications such as Autism Spectrum Disorder training; Nutrition Awareness- Food Safety; Sensory integration; iCan (communication training) alongside mandatory Paediatric First Aid and Safeguarding training.

Kelly is also a friendly keyworker and a room leader within our 2-5 room.

Christine Montaser Job Title: Daycare Officer Joined: 2010
Christine Montaser

Christine holds an NNEB in Nursery Nursing and a variety of other associated qualifications linked to her role as baby room leader.

These include Early Language and Development; Managing Medication; An intro to Autism Spectrum; Moving and Handling; Paediatric First Aid; Makaton and Safeguarding training.

Laura Brown Job Title: Daycare Officer Joined: 2025
Laura Brown
Laura holds a Level 3 in Early Years.

She also holds mandatory Paediatric First Aid and Food Hygiene qualifications.

Vanessa Steele Job Title: Daycare Assistant Joined: 2016
Vanessa Steele

Vanessa holds a level 3 Nursery Nurse Diploma and has successfully completed her level 2 Food Safety Award

Ruby Thompson Job Title: Apprentice Childcare Assisant Joined: 2024
Ruby Thompson

Ruby holds a Level 2 in Health and Social Care and is currently working towards her Level 3 in Early Years.

Rachael Abbott Job Title: Apprentice Childcare Assisant Joined: 2024
Rachael Abbott

Rachael holds a Level 3 Diploma in Early Years and has successfully achieved a Level 3 in Paediatric First Aid.

Amy Bellas Job Title: Daycare Officer Joined: 2024
Amy Bellas
Amy holds a Level 4 Diploma in teaching and learning.

She has also successfully achieved a Level 3 in Paediatric First Aid.

Rebecca Harle Job Title: Daycare Officer Joined: 2023
Rebecca Harle

Rebecca holds a Level 3 in Early Years. She has also successfully achieved a Level 3 in Paediatric First Aid.

Wendy Tweddle Job Title: Daycare Officer Joined: 2018
Wendy Tweddle
Wendy holds a Level 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development.

She also holds mandatory Paediatric First Aid and Food Hygiene qualifications.

Alisha Sawyers Job Title: Daycare Officer Joined: 2018
Alisha Sawyers
Alisha holds a Level 3 in Health and Social Care.

She also holds mandatory Paediatric First Aid and Food Hygiene qualifications

Frequently Asked Questions about Barnwell Daycare

What is the Age Range of Children that Barnwell Daycare accepts?

Barnwell Daycare accepts Children aged from 0 years 0 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Barnwell Daycare Open?

Barnwell Daycare is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does Barnwell Daycare have capacity for?

Barnwell Daycare has capacity for a total of 36 Children.

How far is Barnwell Daycare to the centre of Houghton le Spring?

2.2 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Barnwell Daycare to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Barnwell Daycare has an Enhanced Service - more info.