Sunhill Day Nursery Peckham

Dinosaur dough models and reference books gave play a clear learning purpose in May 2024: children compared the creatures they had made with pictures and identified their features. That concrete example captures the appeal of Sunhill Day Nursery Peckham, alongside an important caution about continuity of care for babies.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 28 May 2024 inspection. The setting now accepts children aged 3 to 60 months, at Unit A-B, 4 Sternhall Lane, Southwark, SE15 4NT.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: in everyday terms, play and relationships sit alongside learning to communicate and explore. In May 2024, children's interests shaped activities, with dinosaur books extending older children's dough play beyond simply making shapes.

Sensory exploration took different forms across the ages. Babies moved sand and water between containers, while older children practised measuring and weighing when making dough. Singing The Wheels on the Bus gave babies opportunities to imitate words and move with the song. These were practical ways to combine language, movement and exploration.

An indoor/outdoor area supported planting and physical activity in May 2024. There was no dedicated outdoor play space at that time, so daily outings provided opportunities to explore outside; older children spotted numbers and discussed construction. Outdoor learning therefore involved the surrounding area as well as activities within the premises.

At the May 2024 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and SEND support effective, with interim coordination arrangements and collaboration between staff, families and other professionals. These are dated judgements, rather than assurances about present practice.

Continuity for babies was the significant weakness in May 2024. Some had spent an extended period without their allocated key person, and leaders had not ensured cover arrangements, leaving gaps in oversight of their development. Communication also needed attention: some parents did not know who their child's key person was or receive enough guidance about continuing learning at home.

Freshly prepared lunches and nutritious snacks formed part of the day in May 2024, with procedures to accommodate children's dietary requirements.

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates throughout the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. That opening window gives families scope to assess how care fits around work and other commitments.

In May 2024, the setting provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This historical participation should be distinguished from the funding arrangements for a new booking.

• Baby key-person cover. The May 2024 weakness concerned prolonged key-person absence and missing cover arrangements, leaving gaps in developmental oversight. At a visit, ask who takes responsibility when a baby's usual key person is away.
• Communication beyond daily care. In May 2024, some parents needed clearer information about their key person and learning at home. Ask to see how those updates work for your child's age group.
• Outdoor routines. Daily outings compensated for the lack of a dedicated outdoor play space in May 2024. Ask how today's outdoor routine balances outings, planting and physical play.

Sunhill merits consideration by families seeking year-round weekday care in Peckham. Its May 2024 examples show learning built around children's interests, with books, sensory materials and outings giving activities substance. For parents of babies, dependable key-person cover deserves particular weight alongside that educational appeal.