Sunny Days Broadstone

Bikes, trikes and a grassy stretch for exploring bugs give Sunny Days Broadstone a clear outdoor character. Based at St John's Church Hall in Broadstone, it combines sensory play, regular local outings and an emphasis on children learning to do things for themselves. The nursery has capacity for 28 children, with an accepted age range from six months to five years.

At its April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Good and judged safeguarding effective, while identifying weaknesses in extending learning through conversation and sharing children's learning priorities between staff. Those are useful distinctions: the overall judgement was positive, but consistency of individual support needed attention.

Care is organised around babies, toddlers and preschool children. Flexible hours sit alongside morning, afternoon and full-day bookings, giving families several ways to shape attendance.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning through play, including communication, physical development and growing independence. At Broadstone, this takes practical forms: toddlers practise expressing themselves and receive support with potty training when ready; preschool children work on dressing, hand washing and toileting. These are everyday skills with a purpose beyond the nursery day.

Babies have the same key carers each day, and their care is planned to follow home routines as closely as possible. Support includes the early physical milestones of crawling and walking. For families starting childcare with a younger child, that continuity gives the nursery and home a shared starting point.

Tabletop activities, floor play and tuff trays provide different ways to investigate materials. Making play dough and experimenting with slime put sensory exploration into the day, while books and group games bring language and shared play alongside it. Crafts draw on celebrations including Diwali festival and Roald Dahl Day, connecting making activities with recognisable occasions.

In April 2023, stories were part of the daily routine across ages, with children joining in sounds and discussing ideas from the books. Outdoor block building also brought counting and comparisons of height into physical play. These examples show how familiar activities could carry several kinds of learning at once.

Outdoor and Community Life

A bike and trike play area gives children space for wheeled play; the grassy stretch offers a different setting for investigating trees and bugs. Regular trips take children to the park and other local attractions. Outdoor experiences therefore include both the nursery's own space and places beyond it.

In April 2023, children practised coordination through ball games and wheeled toys, and used sand, water and toy animals in imaginative play. The improvement point concerned what adults added to such activities: some exchanges stopped at describing an action rather than helping children investigate an idea further. Interesting materials matter, but so does the conversation around them.

Relationships and Communication

Settling sessions allow parents to stay with their baby or toddler, or remain nearby, until the child is comfortable. The emphasis is on making separation manageable before parents leave. For babies, this sits alongside the effort to maintain familiar home routines rather than introducing a completely different pattern of care.

Ovivio App updates include photographs, videos and comments from the child's key worker, covering routines such as sleep and toileting. That gives parents concrete information to connect the nursery day with care at home. It is a practical communication mechanism, rather than simply an occasional account of activities.

In April 2023, key persons knew their children's intended next learning steps, but this information did not consistently reach colleagues covering an absence. Some children consequently lost interest and moved between activities. Continuity here means more than having a familiar adult: whoever takes over needs to understand what the child is working towards.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The Broadstone registration form gathers information about additional needs, support already in place, medical conditions, allergies and dietary requirements. This creates an opportunity to discuss the child's circumstances from the start. It also asks parents to choose a secure password for collection and, where required, telephone calls.

In April 2023, staff used signs and short spoken cues to explain routines, and sand timers helped children understand turn-taking. Children also practised everyday responsibilities, including putting toys away and washing their cups and plates. These concrete routines made participation and independence part of ordinary care.

Breakfast and snacks are included, with fresh ingredients used for their preparation and a nutrition programme developed with the Early Years Nutrition Partnership. Dietary variations cover requirements such as vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free food; babies are also supplied with formula, and cow's milk and plant-based milk are provided.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, across the year, closing on bank holidays. Its named bookings cover more than that opening window: Sunny Morning runs from 8am to 1pm, Sunny Morning Plus from 8am to 3pm, Sunny School Day from 9am to 2pm, Sunny Day from 8am to 6pm, and Sunny Afternoon from 1pm to 6pm. Sunny Week comprises five 8am to 6pm days.

Flexible hours are also offered. The permanent weekly booking agreement requires families to choose sessions or hours, rather than combine them, and the standing booking applies when a booking form is absent or a week is left blank. This makes the choice of booking method consequential, especially for parents whose working hours change.

An enquiry can be made directly to Broadstone, followed by its child registration form; the preferred start date is agreed with the administration team. The form also gathers collection permissions and emergency contacts, bringing care arrangements and the attendance request together.

Getting There

The address is St John's Church Hall, Macaulay Road, Broadstone, BH18 8AR. Parking is shared, so the car arrangements are worth considering alongside the session pattern.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, with application choices for Under 2's, 2 year old, 3/4 year old 15 hours and 3/4 year old 30 hours. Funded-hours booking options include term-time attendance and stretching. These are choices in the application process, rather than a guarantee of eligibility or a particular funded booking.

Breakfast and snacks are included in the nursery's care offer. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, allowing families to assess their chosen hours and attendance pattern together.

• Cover for a key person. In April 2023, colleagues did not consistently receive children's next learning steps when their key person was away. On a visit, ask how that handover now works for your child's age group.
• Conversation during play. The April 2023 improvement point concerned adults adapting activities and taking learning further. Ask to discuss an example of how staff build on a child's interest in sensory play.
• Sessions or hours. Broadstone's permanent booking agreement separates these two methods and applies the standing booking when a week is blank. Establish which method best fits your working pattern before choosing attendance.
• Food and funded bookings. Breakfast and snacks are included in the care offer, and the registration form requests allergy information. Ask how lunch, personal care items and food charges work for your chosen booking, and confirm current allergy arrangements if relevant.

Sunny Days Broadstone suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as full days, with flexible hours offering another attendance route. Its outdoor space, sensory activities and baby settling arrangements give parents tangible reasons to consider it.

The April 2023 judgement provides a positive inspection position, with clear questions about staff handovers and the depth of learning conversations. For a family choosing this church-hall nursery, those practical details deserve as much attention as the session timetable.