Yorkshire and the North East
Newcastle, at the far end of the same table
Newcastle City Council is the planning authority for the city. Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland are not included in that decision. Ofsted’s regional line joins Newcastle to Yorkshire, which is a statistical grouping, not a single children’s department.
Distance from Birmingham changes the logistics, not the framework. A visit has to be worth the day. We agree the scope before anyone travels, and we say when the papers can be read first.
Fiveways is based in Birmingham. This page is about the work in Newcastle upon Tyne, not a local branch.
Planning applications in this area are decided by Newcastle City Council.
- Registration and inspection preparation are the pieces of work that most often justify the journey.
- We will not describe ourselves as a North East firm. The company address is in Birmingham.
- If the deadline is inside a few days, telephone. A long visit that cannot happen in time should be said plainly.
The work that usually belongs here
Questions that come up here
Will you come to Newcastle for an initial conversation?
Sometimes. Often the first conversation is by phone or a video call, and the visit follows if the building or the records need to be seen.
Does Ofsted have a different children’s homes framework in the North East?
No. The framework is England’s. What changes locally is the planning authority and the placing authorities you are actually working with.
Nearby, and not the same
- Leeds — Not the North East, even when the table joins them.
- Manchester — The largest regional count. Still one address at a time.
- Birmingham — Visits are arranged at the service.