Sunflower House Nursery Wentworth

A Scout Hut setting, hands-on play and children aged two to five give Sunflower House Nursery Wentworth a clear identity. This Hayes nursery has capacity for 30 children in total, with learning through play shaping the day. At its September 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and found safeguarding effective, with strengths in children's independence and relationships with parents.

The practical offer includes morning, afternoon and full-day sessions. Daily hot meals are free, while funded childcare is offered for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. Term-time attendance makes the holiday calendar an important part of the decision for working families.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS shapes daily routines and play: children learn through activities that develop language, movement, social understanding and early number skills. It is the shared early-years framework, rather than an extra programme exclusive to this nursery. Here, learning through play is the organising approach.

In September 2025, younger children practised handling spoons and moving rice between containers. The activity combined concentration with the hand movements needed before writing. Older children investigated insects using a chart, moving objects to discover what lived underneath them. These were practical opportunities to explore, make choices and follow an interest.

Counting also accompanied play in September 2025. Children examined spider legs with magnifying glasses and counted their building towers. Number work therefore had something tangible attached to it: an insect to examine or a construction to count. Mark-making took another form through flour trays, where children experimented with patterns.

At the September 2025 inspection, Ofsted identified two improvements: language interactions needed to do more for children learning English as an additional language, and staff needed clearer learning intentions for planned activities. These points matter alongside the enjoyable activities. A child can be interested and busy while still needing a more deliberate extension of their vocabulary or a clearer next step in learning.

Outdoor and Community Life

The September 2025 bug hunt linked outdoor exploration with new words, including crane fly, and learning to handle the natural environment carefully. Children were reminded to treat what they discovered gently. The activity brought language, observation and care for living things together.

Outdoor boundaries were also taught in September 2025, with staff discussing safe play and assessing the suitability of play spaces. For parents, the useful distinction is between simply spending time outside and using that time to teach children how to explore responsibly.

Relationships and Communication

Daily conversations at collection and parent meetings supported communication in September 2025. These gave families ways to connect nursery experiences with learning at home, rather than relying solely on an occasional update. Staff also observed children's play and used their interests when planning activities.

Turn-taking and recognising emotions were part of the September 2025 day. Staff used pictures showing different facial expressions to help children discuss feelings, and encouraged children as they practised sharing with others. These are concrete ways of helping young children understand the social demands of being in a group.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Pretend telephones encouraged conversation in September 2025, and staff responded positively to familiar words. The language improvement point remains relevant for families whose child is learning English alongside another language: encouragement needs to be accompanied by interactions that extend what the child can express.

Healthy routines in September 2025 included handwashing around meals and toilet use, conversations about food, and reminders to drink water. Those small, repeated actions gave children practice in looking after themselves.

A gated entrance and a locked front door form part of the premises arrangements, and trained first-aid staff are on site. These are practical provisions; the dated safeguarding judgement is the separate assessment of effectiveness.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery operates from The Scout Hut, 63-65 Wentworth Crescent, Hayes, UB3 1NW, at the rear of the address. Branch enquiries can be sent to wentworth@shnursery.co.uk.

Morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm, afternoons from 1pm to 6pm, and full days from 8am to 6pm. Those options serve different routines: a morning or afternoon can provide a shorter block of childcare, while the full day covers both. Attendance is term time, with closure during school holidays, so the session choice and the annual childcare calendar need to work together.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for eligible children aged two, three and four. Eligibility is a condition of the offer, rather than an assurance that every child qualifies. Families should obtain a current written quotation for paid childcare.

The group-wide Daily Free Hot Meal offer provides a hot meal each day without a separate meal charge. That removes one food charge from the childcare calculation.

• Language development. September 2025 interactions did not consistently extend language sufficiently for children learning English as an additional language. On a visit, ask how staff now build vocabulary and conversation for a child with your family's language background.
• Purposeful activities. In September 2025, staff were sometimes unclear about the intended learning behind an activity. Ask for an example of how an enjoyable play experience leads to a specific next step for a child.
• Term-time calendar. Closure during school holidays matters even when the 8am-to-6pm full day fits your working hours. Families needing childcare throughout the year must account for those breaks.
• Funded-place terms. Funding covers eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. What attendance pattern would your child's entitlement cover, and which consumables would you need to supply or pay for?

Sunflower House Nursery Wentworth suits families seeking morning, afternoon or full-day childcare for children aged two to five within a term-time calendar. Its September 2025 activities give substance to the play-based approach: rice handling, insect investigations, counting and flour patterns all provided concrete experiences for young children.

The language and activity-planning improvements deserve attention, especially for a child learning English as an additional language. The choice is strongest where the session options and holiday closures fit family life, with the free daily hot meal adding a useful practical benefit.