Sunshine Pre-School, Kirkhill

Daffodil painting, water experiments with pipettes and growing sunflowers give Sunshine Pre-School, Kirkhill a recognisable character. In March 2022, these activities brought together language, practical exploration and learning about plants. Small everyday tasks mattered too, from putting coats away to pouring drinks.

Ofsted rated the pre-school Good at its 24 March 2022 inspection. It has 12 places in total at 22 Abbey Meadows in Morpeth. The children attending in March 2022 were aged two to six; that is the age range at that visit.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care, bringing play and everyday routines into their education. In March 2022, activities followed children's interests: painting daffodils introduced vocabulary about plants, while comparing toy dinosaurs brought size into play.

Stories and songs were daily experiences that March. Scissors, pretend letter-writing and outdoor painting with water gave children ways to practise hand control. Younger children tackled jigsaws; older children experimented with moving water using pipettes. These were practical tasks with something to work out.

Outdoor play took place daily in March 2022, with visits to nearby parks supporting movement and sunflower growing introducing plant care. Books, pictures and dolls represented differences between people, and children learnt about celebrations including Chinese New Year. Adult-led activities, however, needed closer attention to the skills the youngest children were ready to develop.

At the March 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with staff supervising children carefully and knowing how to raise concerns. Daily checks of the environment and teaching about safe scissor use made safety part of everyday practice.

During that March, games helped children discuss feelings, while staff encouraged sharing and taking turns. Independent toileting, handwashing and pouring drinks gave children responsibility for manageable tasks. Families supplied packed lunches, with staff encouraging balanced food choices.

Parents received spoken feedback after sessions in March 2022, but needed more precise information about their child's development. Activity updates and developmental feedback serve different purposes: the latter helps families understand what to support at home. Staff monitoring and professional development also needed sharper targeting to strengthen practice.

The address is 22 Abbey Meadows, Morpeth, NE61 2BD. In March 2022, opening hours were 7.30am to 6pm on weekdays, with year-round operation except bank holidays and a Christmas closure lasting one week.

Funded early education for children aged two, three and four was provided in March 2022. These hours and funding arrangements describe the offer at that time.

• Activities for younger children. In March 2022, adult-led planning did not consistently address the youngest children's next skills. At a visit, ask how activities are adapted to their stage of development.
• Developmental feedback. March 2022 feedback covered activities more consistently than precise developmental information. Consider how that distinction affects the support you want to give at home.
• Staff development. Monitoring and professional learning needed more targeted attention in March 2022. This matters because useful supervision should translate into better everyday teaching.

Sunshine's March 2022 provision would suit families who value practical play, outdoor experiences and growing independence. The inspection gave a positive overall judgement, alongside specific work on younger children's activities, developmental feedback and staff development. Those strengths and priorities belong together when weighing the pre-school.