Les Petits Sunshine Day Nursery

In November 2024, children at Les Petits Sunshine Day Nursery poured drinks, practised taking turns and explored floating objects: practical examples of learning through everyday experiences. Its emphasis is on play and growing independence, with a key person following each child's development and parents contributing to their learning record. Small achievements matter here.

At its November 2024 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and identified partnership with parents as a strength. That gives families a positive inspection position, tempered by a specific improvement point about matching planned activities to children's learning stages.

The nursery accepts children aged 12 to 60 months at 96 Sibthorpe Road, London SE12 9DP. Full-day, morning and afternoon sessions offer different attendance patterns, rather than a single booking option.

Rooms and Ages

Caterpillar Room is the baby room, Yellow Butterfly Room is for children aged 24 to 36 months, and Blue Butterfly Room serves children aged three to five years. These named stages give families a clear starting point for understanding how their child moves through the nursery, while the youngest child's starting arrangements deserve a conversation before joining.

Indoor spaces support exploration and independent choices, alongside calmer areas for children to manage their emotions. Outdoor learning forms part of daily practice. The combination makes room for active play and quieter experiences, rather than treating the nursery day as one continuous group activity.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework: children learn through play, developing communication, physical skills and relationships alongside early literacy, mathematics and creative expression. It is the foundation of the nursery's educational work, rather than an extra programme. The curriculum information also describes learning as responsive to individual children, whose interests and development help shape their next steps.

In November 2024, younger children practised movement using tunnels, balls and larger play equipment. Older children tackled obstacle activities, raced and jumped into hoops. Those concrete experiences put balance, coordination and movement into play, with different challenges for different stages.

Water investigations gave older children something tangible to discuss in November 2024: they explored objects that floated or sank, used numbers and learnt vocabulary. However, at the November 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that some planned activities did not sufficiently account for children's learning stages and asked the nursery to address this. An interesting activity needs the right level of challenge for the child taking part.

Outdoor and Community Life

Daily outdoor learning adds another setting for movement and exploration. The emphasis includes children's connection with the natural world, with both child-led experiences and activities guided by adults.

In November 2024, families contributed food and recipes to cultural celebrations. A hairdressing activity also explored differences and similarities between people. These are useful examples of how familiar experiences can become opportunities to talk about identity and respect, rather than leaving those ideas as abstract themes.

A key person is allocated to each child and maintains a Learning Journey documenting their progress. Parents can discuss and view that record, and contribute experiences from home. This gives communication a practical purpose: what a child does outside nursery can inform the account of their development inside it.

In November 2024, adults talked children through personal-care routines and involved them in what was happening. At lunchtime, younger children received help with using spoons, while older children served food and poured drinks themselves. Handwashing before eating and clearing plates afterwards added everyday self-care to the learning day.

Support for communication had concrete forms in November 2024. Staff documented concerns, discussed strategies with parents and used signs with children who were not speaking. They also sought help from external agencies when needed. For a family whose child needs additional support, these mechanisms matter more than a general promise of inclusion.

Behaviour was addressed through adults' example in November 2024, with children practising sharing and taking turns. Staff also encouraged children to hear each other's views. Alongside the key-person arrangement, this places relationships and everyday communication within the nursery's work, rather than reserving them for formal learning activities.

Sessions and Attendance

Full-day sessions run from 8am to 6pm, morning sessions from 8am to 1pm, and afternoon sessions from 1.15pm to 6pm. The nursery operates Monday to Friday for 48 weeks of the year. The morning and afternoon options are separate patterns, so families can consider which part of the day fits their routine rather than assuming every booking requires a full day.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, which includes a child's date of birth, desired start date and space to explain the family's enquiry. Visits can also be arranged. This provides a direct route to discussing a child's start and the attendance pattern the family wants.

Getting There

The address is 96 Sibthorpe Road, London SE12 9DP, in Greenwich. Lee, Hither green, Grove Park and Blackheath Train station are nearby transport references, useful for families considering the nursery alongside their usual route.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery participates in government-funded childcare and offers the stated 15 or 30 hours of education and care per week. Funded childcare and privately paid sessions are separate considerations when planning attendance; families should obtain a current written quotation for their chosen arrangement.

Prices include lunch, breakfast, a light tea and snacks in both the morning and afternoon; main meals and snacks are prepared on site. This makes food part of the priced session rather than a separate packed-lunch arrangement. The fees information sets out the session patterns and included food.

• The right learning challenge. The November 2024 improvement point concerned activities that did not fully match children's stages. During a visit, ask how an activity is adapted for children who need more support or greater challenge.
• Your child's first room. Caterpillar Room is the baby stage, followed by Yellow Butterfly Room and Blue Butterfly Room. Ask how starting arrangements and room moves would work for your child's age and development.
• The complete funded arrangement. The nursery offers 15 or 30 funded hours and includes food in its session prices. Ask how funded attendance is scheduled and how meals and non-food consumables are handled within that arrangement.

Les Petits Sunshine suits families seeking play-based learning, an individual key person and an active role in their child's Learning Journey. Its full-day, morning and afternoon patterns also serve different family routines. The November 2024 Good judgement is balanced by a useful question about how activities are adjusted to each child's stage. That is the detail to explore alongside the practical fit of the sessions.