Sunshine Daisy Nursery

An ancient bread oven used for dinosaur play gives Sunshine Daisy Nursery its most memorable detail. At Priory Farmhouse in Andwell, the building's character carries through into the children's surroundings: wooden equipment, carpets and a kitchen table beside the Aga. Two secure gardens extend the space beyond the farmhouse. This is a setting whose physical environment deserves a close look.

The nursery has capacity for 44 children, with an age range of 3 to 60 months. At its November 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and judged safeguarding effective, while identifying more precise next-step planning and clearer learning intentions during organised activities as priorities for improvement. That dated judgement is useful context alongside the current farmhouse setting.

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays, with closures for bank holidays and a week at Christmas.

Rooms and Ages

Each age group has a suite of rooms, allowing play to extend between spaces with different learning purposes. That arrangement gives the farmhouse a practical role beyond its appearance: children have age-group spaces rather than one shared room for the whole nursery. The wooden furniture and equipment add another concrete element to the surroundings.

The old bread oven brings imaginative play into an unusual part of the building. Used as a dinosaur cave, it connects the farmhouse's character with children's games. The kitchen table beside the Aga provides a different domestic detail. These are useful features to weigh when deciding whether this style of setting suits your child.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, connecting play and everyday experiences with developing skills. Individual planning sits alongside that framework here: each key person plans a child's learning journey rather than treating the age group as a single starting point.

In November 2021, children's interests shaped activities. Discussions about voting led older children into learning about the suffragette movement, while a technology activity involved taking apart a CD player and examining its workings. These examples show the breadth of subjects children could explore through conversation and practical investigation, rather than a day consisting only of familiar toys.

The same November 2021 account gives a useful counterweight. Staff's knowledge of individual children was not consistently translated into sufficiently precise next steps, and some organised activities lost sight of their intended learning. For parents, the relevant distinction is between an engaging activity and a clear understanding of what their child is learning through it.

Outdoor and Community Life

Two large, secure gardens sit within surroundings of farmland and landscaped grounds. The outdoor space is a substantial part of the nursery's physical offer, giving families another environment to consider alongside the rooms inside the farmhouse.

In November 2021, garden visits happened daily. Toddlers experimented with moving bark in wheelbarrows over uneven ground, while younger children had opportunities to practise crawling and walking. The examples connect outdoor play with movement and practical problem-solving. They describe that period's nursery day, rather than a current timetable.

Individual key-person planning is part of the current approach. For a family choosing care for a young child, the practical value is continuity: planning is attached to the child, with their own interests and abilities providing the starting point.

At the November 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that staff knew children well, shared learning ideas with parents and worked closely with families when children needed additional support. Communication therefore extended beyond an account of activities to ways parents could support learning at home.

In November 2021, older children practised managing personal-care tasks, with adults allowing them time before stepping in. Children also negotiated choices during play and took turns selecting stories. These small routines matter because independence and consideration for other children develop through ordinary parts of the day, as well as through organised activities.

Sessions and Attendance

Sunshine Daisy Nursery is at Priory Farmhouse, Andwell, Hook, RG27 9PA. It opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6pm, across the year, closing for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Those hours give parents the opening window against which to assess their working day.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01256 761557 or by email at sunshine@mydaisynursery.com. A nursery tour is offered, making the arrangement of the farmhouse rooms and gardens something families can assess before joining.

Getting There

The setting is just off the A30 between Basingstoke and Hook, with access to junction 5 of the M3. Its rural Andwell address and those road connections are the useful starting points for considering the journey.

• Learning precision. In November 2021, next-step planning and the purpose of organised activities needed greater consistency. On a visit, ask for an example of how a child's current interests become a specific learning goal.
• Farmhouse layout. Age groups occupy suites of rooms, and the setting includes two gardens and an old bread oven used for play. A tour can help you judge how those spaces fit your child's stage and preferences.
• Attendance and costs. The weekday opening window runs from 7.30am to 6pm. Before joining, request a written quotation covering your intended attendance, funded hours, meals and consumables.

Sunshine Daisy Nursery suits families drawn to a farmhouse setting, age-group suites and substantial garden space. The bread-oven dinosaur cave and kitchen table beside the Aga give that character concrete substance. Its weekday opening window also makes it relevant to parents arranging care around work.

The November 2021 Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, with clear learning-planning priorities to discuss. The strongest decision combines an appreciation of the surroundings with a close look at how individual planning works for your child.