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Play. Learn. Grow.
Services
Flexible Childcare
Perfect for families working shifts. Choose different days each week and we’ll adapt to your schedule, supporting doctors, nurses, police, and more.
School Drop Off & Pick Up
We provide safe drop-off and collection at Brunton Park Primary and Hazelwood. Get in touch if your child’s school isn’t listed.
Holiday
Care
Childcare that fits around school breaks. We offer fun, safe, and engaging care during holidays, giving parents peace of mind at work.
Home
Babysitting
Need an evening out? We provide trusted babysitting in your home, staying until late so you can relax knowing your child is safe.
Term-Time Childcare
Great for teachers. Pay for care during term time, then 25% over holidays to keep your place secured for the next school term.
Sofia Evens
Movement Instructor
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Darryl Smith
Language & Mathematics
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Mia Alexander
Nutrition Expert
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Our Approach
At Tots Are Us, we see ourselves as more than just a childcare provider – we’re an extension of your family. Every child in our care is valued, nurtured, and celebrated as an individual.
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We believe that children learn best when they are happy, safe, and having fun. That’s why our days are filled with engaging activities that spark curiosity, encourage creativity, and build friendships. When children are enjoying themselves, they are naturally learning and developing important life skills.
Our team takes the time to get to know each child and their family, ensuring care is flexible, supportive, and personal. Whether it’s working around shift patterns, providing school runs, or offering extra support during the holidays, we’re here to make life easier for parents while giving children the best possible start.
We also invest in our staff, offering training, apprenticeships, and ongoing development. This means the care we provide is always of the highest quality — rooted in professional standards but delivered with the warmth and love of a family setting.
Sofia Evens
Movement Instructor
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you.
Darryl Smith
Language & Mathematics
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you.
Mia Alexander
Nutrition Expert
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Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
At Tots Are Us, our biggest strength is our people. Every member of our team is not only trained and qualified, but also passionate about creating a safe, nurturing, and fun environment where children thrive.
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We believe children benefit most when they are surrounded by caring adults who feel like family — and that’s exactly the atmosphere we’ve built.
Founder
Claire Maskey
Claire began her childcare journey in 2012, moving from volunteering with children at her local church to establishing Tots Are Us. She is passionate about creating a nurturing, family-style setting and supporting the next generation of childcare professionals through apprenticeships and training.
Qualifications:
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Early Years Level 3 & Level 5 (in progress)
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NPQ Early Years Lead
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SENCO Level 3
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Paediatric First Aid & Safeguarding
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Food Hygiene
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Enhanced DBS
Deputy - Early Years Practitioner
Vikki Blackburn
Vikki brings over nine years of experience across both school and nursery settings. She is passionate about supporting every child to reach their full potential and is particularly dedicated to working with children with additional needs, ensuring an inclusive and supportive environment.
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Qualifications:
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Early Years Level 5 (in progress)
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Level 4 Higher Level Teaching Assistant
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Level 3 Children and Young People’s Workforce
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Paediatric First Aid & Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS & Food Hygiene
Early Years Practitioner
Ellie Parkin
Ellie is a fully qualified Early Years Practitioner with experience working across a number of childcare settings before joining Tots Are Us. She is caring and passionate about supporting children’s learning and development, helping every child to reach their full potential. Ellie is also currently developing her knowledge of SEND to further support children’s individual needs.
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Qualifications:
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Level 3 Early Years Qualification
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SEND Training (in progress)
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Paediatric First Aid
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Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS & Food Hygiene
Early Years Practitioner
Liam Graham
Liam brings over 12 years of experience working across various nursery settings throughout the North East, bringing a wealth of knowledge to his role at Tots Are Us. He is a fun and enthusiastic member of the team who enjoys creating positive experiences for the children while supporting their learning, development and confidence.
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Qualifications:
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Level 3 Early Years Qualification
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SEND Training
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Paediatric First Aid
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Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS & Food Hygiene
Early Years Practitioner
Laura Malia
Laura brings a wealth of experience to Tots Are Us, having worked in a nursery for five years before completing her degree and working as a Social Worker for six years. She has since returned to Early Years and is a caring and nurturing member of the team who builds wonderful relationships with the children and supports their individual needs.
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Qualifications:
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Level 3 Early Years Qualification
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Degree in Social Work
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Paediatric First Aid
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Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS & Food Hygiene
Early Years Practitioner
Hannah Blair
Hannah began her Early Years career as an apprentice with Tots Are Us before gaining valuable experience in another nursery setting and later returning to our team. She has experience supporting children with SEND and is passionate about meeting their individual needs. Hannah is currently developing her SEND knowledge and working towards her Level 5.
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Qualifications:
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Early Years Level 5 (in progress)
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Level 3 Early Years Qualification
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SEND Training (in progress)
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Paediatric First Aid & Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS & Food Hygiene
Early Years Apprentice
Jaime Punton
Jaime is our Early Years apprentice and is currently working towards her Level 3 qualification. She discovered her love for working with children during her school work experience and has continued to develop her skills with us. Jaime is a bubbly and fun member of the team who builds wonderful relationships with the children and brings lots of energy to their day.
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Qualifications:
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Level 3 Early Years Qualification (in progress)
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Paediatric First Aid
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Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS
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Food Hygiene
Early Years Apprentice
Ava Maskey
Ava is an Early Years apprentice and is currently working towards her Level 3 qualification. She is a patient and enthusiastic member of the team who forms wonderful bonds with the children. Ava particularly enjoys supporting children with SEND and has a caring and understanding approach, taking the time to support each child’s individual needs.
Qualifications:
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Level 3 Early Years Qualification (in progress)
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Paediatric First Aid
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Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS
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Food Hygiene
Early Years Apprentice
Abbi Yeaman
Abbi is an Early Years apprentice and is currently working towards her Level 3 qualification. She is a caring, happy and enthusiastic member of the team who brings lots of fun and positivity to the children’s day. Abbi loves making the little ones smile and enjoys creating a warm and happy environment where they can play, learn and grow.
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Qualifications:
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Level 3 Early Years Qualification (in progress)
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Paediatric First Aid
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Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS
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Food Hygiene
Early Years Apprentice
Natasha Wilson
Natasha joined Tots Are Us as an apprentice and has quickly become a valued member of the team. She developed her passion for working with children during her college placements and continues to grow in confidence and experience, bringing enthusiasm and a positive attitude to the setting every day.
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Qualifications:
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Early Years Level 2
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Paediatric First Aid & Safeguarding
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Enhanced DBS & Food Hygiene
Get in Touch
10 Brenkley Way
Blezzard Business Park
Seaton Burn
NE13 6DS
Stay Connected with Tots Are Us
Join our mailing list for updates, availability, helpful tips, and a glimpse into life at our setting.
Pricing
This provides an overview of our current fees, funded childcare options and payment policies. Full terms and conditions will be provided within your childcare contract before your child's place begins.
Childcare Fees
Our current childcare fee is:
£6.50 per hour, per child
This rate applies to all non-government funded childcare hours. Your individual weekly fees will depend on your contracted days and hours of attendance.
The following are not included within our hourly fee:
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Nappies
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Wipes
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Meals
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Formula milk (where applicable)
A £1.00 daily sundries charge applies to cover items such as:
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Sun cream
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Craft materials
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Hygiene products
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Other consumable resources used throughout the day
Government Funded Childcare
We are registered to offer both:
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15 Hours Funded Childcare
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30 Hours Funded Childcare
Eligible families may choose to use their funded hours in one of two ways:
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Term-Time Only - Funding is used during school terms only.
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Stretched Funding - Funding is spread across the year to support families requiring childcare during school holidays.
Example
A family eligible for 30 funded hours per week may choose to use 20 hours per week across the year, allowing their entitlement to continue during holiday periods. Our nursery will monitor your funded hours and keep you informed of your remaining balance. Please note:
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All funded hours must be used before the end of the relevant funding year.
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Unused funded hours cannot be carried forward to the following year.
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Funding cannot be backdated.
Parents are responsible for providing a valid government funding code before the start of each funding period. If a valid funding code is not received, or the code is found to be invalid, full childcare fees will be charged until funding has been confirmed.
Additional Activities & Outings
Throughout the year we organise a range of outings and experiences to enhance children's learning and development. Examples may include:
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Local playgroups
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Farms
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Parks
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Seasonal events
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Community visits
Some outings may incur an additional cost. Where this applies:
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Parents will always be informed in advance.
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Any charges will be added to your weekly invoice.
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Parents may choose for their child not to attend a particular outing by notifying the nursery in writing before the outing takes place.
Late Collection Charges
To ensure we maintain legal staffing ratios and fairly compensate staff who are required to remain after their scheduled shift, the following late collection charges apply.
Up to 30 minutes late:
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£10 per child
More than 30 minutes late:
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An additional £10 will be charged for every further 30-minute period (or part thereof).
In addition to the late collection fee, your normal contracted hourly childcare charge will also apply for the additional time your child remains at the nursery. If you know you are running late, please contact the nursery as soon as possible by telephone or text message.
Please note that notifying us does not remove the late collection charge, although exceptions may be considered at the discretion of the Nursery Manager in genuine emergency situations. Where late collections become frequent, we may ask you to review and amend your contracted collection time to better reflect your childcare requirements.
Fee Reviews
Our fees are reviewed annually. Should our fees change, parents will receive a minimum of four weeks' written notice before any increase takes effect.
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