Sunhill Day Nursery Fen Drayton

A garden boat became an imaginary voyage, with children taking pencils and paper aboard: the June 2024 picture of Sunhill Day Nursery Fen Drayton gives play a practical purpose. At its 24 June 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall, recognising a curriculum shaped around children's interests while asking staff to improve engagement during planned activities.

The setting occupies The Old School House on High Street, Fen Drayton, CB24 4SJ. It accepts children aged 3 to 60 months and has 40 places in total. Opening hours run from 7.30am to 6.30pm on weekdays.

In June 2024, babies explored paint through touch while staff supplied words for their actions. Older children used the garden boat for shared pretend play, deciding who would steer and bringing writing materials into their adventure. These were opportunities to practise language, cooperation and early writing through something children wanted to do.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: in everyday terms, play and routines provide opportunities to develop communication, social skills and independence. In June 2024, staff helped older children investigate questions through books and encouraged them to consider possible answers before supplying an explanation.

Independence also featured in ordinary routines that June. Babies had time to practise using spoons; older children helped organise lunch by working out the plates and cups needed. Adult-led activities were less consistent: some children lost interest, and staff did not always adapt the activity to bring them back into the learning.

At the June 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that children built affectionate relationships with their key persons and that communication with parents supported learning between home and nursery. Babies shared textured books with staff, while older children's accounts of family outings became starting points for further exploration.

In June 2024, parents received progress and activity updates through a secure electronic app, alongside conversations with staff. Books and resource sacks could be borrowed for use at home. That gave families something concrete to share with their child beyond an account of the nursery day.

The address is The Old School House, High Street, Fen Drayton, Cambridge, CB24 4SJ. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6.30pm, across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. Families planning regular childcare need to account for those breaks.

In June 2024, session times ran from 7.30am to 6.30pm and funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-old children. These are dated attendance and funding arrangements.

• Participation in planned activities. In June 2024, some children disengaged during adult-led learning. During a visit, ask how practitioners now adapt an activity when a child loses interest.
• Care for the youngest children. Children can start at 3 months. Ask how settling, sleep routines and the youngest children's daily group arrangements would work for your baby.
• Holiday planning. Bank holidays and Christmas are closure periods. Families needing care throughout the working year should build those breaks into their plans.

This setting suits families seeking weekday childcare across the year who value learning through play and everyday independence. The June 2024 examples are persuasive: writing travelled into imaginative play, and lunch preparation became practical learning. Engagement during adult-led activities was the point needing attention, making practitioners' response to a child's changing interest a useful consideration when choosing.