Sunflower Day Nursery & Kids Club

Books to borrow, nature-reserve walks and playful preparation for school shaped this Harlow nursery's June 2024 inspection picture. Sunflower Day Nursery & Kids Club serves children aged 3 to 60 months at Broadley Road, CM19 5RD.

At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged the provision Good, found safeguarding effective and reported good learning progress, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The clearest improvement point concerned mathematics: staff needed to bring mathematical vocabulary into activities more consistently.

In June 2024, conversation ran through the activities: practitioners listened to children's answers, asked questions and encouraged children to talk together. Books could go home for family reading, while older children explored letter sounds with accompanying actions. These connected nursery learning with something families could continue at home.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care. Here, the June 2024 experiences included puzzles for babies, painting with feathers held in pegs, and practising coats and shoes. Learning involved both exploration and everyday independence.

Outdoor activity had substance. In June 2024, children visited a nearby nature reserve, investigated creatures in the garden and planted and dug. A rain shower became an opportunity to collect water and play in puddles. However, creative activities also revealed missed opportunities to discuss shapes and patterns or introduce counting.

In June 2024, key people comforted tired children and those still settling. Staff used activities to help young children handle their feelings, while visits between rooms helped children become familiar with different adults before moving groups.

Support also involved families. In June 2024, parents contributed words from children's home languages, and practitioners worked with families and other professionals on individual needs. Additional funding bought resources for children's learning. Parent workshops covered Makaton sign language and science activities to try at home, giving families practical ways to participate.

School preparation was concrete: in June 2024, children linked self-portraits with pictures of their future schools and explored school uniforms. These activities helped make the next stage more familiar.

The address is Broadley Road, Harlow, CM19 5RD. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas.

In June 2024, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated description of funding participation, rather than a promise of a particular funded attendance arrangement.

• Mathematics in everyday play. The June 2024 improvement point concerned inconsistent mathematical language. On a visit, ask how counting, shapes and patterns now feature in creative activities.
• Your attendance pattern. The opening window spans the working day. Ask which booking pattern and funding arrangement would fit your child's routine.

Sunflower suits families who value conversation, outdoor exploration and practical independence. Its June 2024 picture combines comforting relationships with activities that extend into family life, from borrowed books to home science. Mathematics deserves a specific discussion, alongside the attendance arrangement that would work for your family.