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Nursery at Sunnybrow Primary School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Small-scale provision shapes Sunnybrow’s nursery: five places for two-year-olds and ten for children aged three to four. This is a governor-led nursery within Sunnybrow Primary School on Hunwick Lane, Crook. The two age groups give families a starting point for understanding which provision their child would join.
Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at its inspection on 11 and 12 March 2025. That judgement covers early years within the school; it is not a separate nursery rating.
Playing together and building relationships are central to the early years experience. In March 2025, children were happy, formed warm connections with adults and received help to cooperate in play and shared work. Learning opportunities were planned across the early years areas of development, giving children opportunities to build different skills rather than concentrating on a single subject.
Adult interaction needs attention. During less structured, free-flow activities, adults sometimes missed chances to develop children’s ideas, vocabulary and skills. This slowed progress. The improvement action was staff development focused on making those exchanges more purposeful. For parents, the distinction matters: planning activities is only part of the day’s learning; the conversation an adult adds during play matters too.
Understanding each child begins when they join. In March 2025, staff established children’s initial abilities and needs early, providing a basis for planning their next steps. Before nursery starts, families can attend a parent information meeting and children can visit during the preceding half-term. The school’s SEND transition arrangements also allow additional sessions and meetings with outside professionals where needed, so preparation can respond to the child.
Personal care is approached with parental involvement. School arrangements include discussing a child’s care needs with their family, support with toilet training and, wherever possible, care from familiar staff. These details matter for younger children still developing independence.
For children with SEND, parents can discuss support with the class teacher or SENCO and contribute to reviews of their child’s SEN Support Plan. Talking Mats are used to help children express their views. The school also has a demountable classroom reserved for social, emotional and mental health interventions, including Nurture group. This is a school support resource, rather than a description of the nursery classroom.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a place in Sunnybrow’s Reception. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process and meet the applicable deadline. Sunnybrow directs parents to Durham County Council for primary admission arrangements; treat that application as a separate task from accepting a nursery place.
Preparation for the change is a different matter. The school’s SEND transition arrangements include summer-term visits to the Reception classroom, with extra transition sessions or professional meetings where needed. These opportunities help children become familiar with the next setting. They do not secure admission.
The school office handles nursery waiting-list enquiries on 01388 746 413. Offers are made by telephone when a place becomes available. If a family accepts, the school secretary must see the child’s birth certificate.
For a child with identified special educational needs or a disability, discuss those needs before starting. This gives the school time to plan support and seek advice from the local authority or other agencies where appropriate.
The nursery caters for children aged two to four, with five places for two-year-olds and ten for three- and four-year-olds.
Call the school office on 01388 746 413. The school contacts families by telephone when a place becomes available.
No. A separate Reception application is required through the normal admissions process. Sunnybrow directs families to Durham County Council for primary admission arrangements.
The school’s SEND transition arrangements include a parent information meeting and children’s visits in the half-term before starting nursery. Additional transition sessions or meetings with outside agencies can be arranged where needed.
At the inspection on 11 and 12 March 2025, early years provision was judged Good. Children were happy and developed positive relationships with staff, but adult interactions during free-flow activities sometimes failed to extend learning and thinking.
