Opening hours
8:00 am to 5.30pm, five days per week, 51 weeks of the year excluding bank holidays. Early bird services are available at an additional cost from 7.30 am.
The Sunshine Day Nursery @ Seascape Children's Centre
Ofsted: Good
(Sept 2025)
Number of places
30 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
Sept 2025
Local authority
Durham
About this day nursery
The Sunshine Day Nursery, established in October 2001, is a family-operated childcare provider with three highly-regarded locations in the local area: O’Neill Drive, Seascape, and Dene House. The nurseries are committed to delivering exceptional care and education for children, supported by a dedicated team of qualified and experienced practitioners.
They foster a warm and friendly atmosphere through strong relationships between staff and children, promoting positive social interactions. Each nursery is purpose-built with bright, spacious rooms, an abundance of stimulating play equipment, and age-appropriate toys.
Security systems are installed throughout, and wheelchair accessibility is provided. The nurseries also emphasise outdoor play, offering diverse learning opportunities and attractive garden areas.
A key person approach ensures children form strong attachments, aiding their settlement and overall well-being. The curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), blending structured adult-led activities with ample child-initiated play to make learning stimulating and fun, preparing children for school and future success.
Our ethos
The Sunshine Day Nursery is committed to delivering exceptional care and education for children. They follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, blending structured adult-led activities with child-initiated play. A key person approach is used to ensure children form strong attachments, aiding their settlement and well-being.
What it's like
Staff prioritise children's emotional well-being and respond quickly and sensitively to their needs, helping them manage their feelings. Children form close bonds with staff and show a secure sense of belonging, growing in confidence and happiness. Leaders extend support to families beyond the nursery, with projects like food and clothing sharing schemes to meet wider needs.
Family-runThree locationsEYFS curriculumOutdoor play opportunitiesKey person approach
Pricing & funding
Funding accepted
15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)
Pricing on request
This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.
Key facts
Term time / All Year
Term Time
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating
Last inspected 29 September 2025 · Clare Wilkins
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
What it's like to attend
Staff prioritise children's emotional well-being and respond quickly and sensitively to their needs, helping them manage their feelings. Children form close bonds with staff and show a secure sense of belonging, growing in confidence and happiness. Leaders extend support to families beyond the nursery, with projects like food and clothing sharing schemes to meet wider needs.
Inspector highlights
- Leaders are deeply committed and maintain detailed knowledge of every child's needs, interests and developmental profile.
- The broad and engaging curriculum helps all children to learn and remember more, including mathematics and outdoor investigation.
- The quality of education is strong overall, with particularly skilled teaching practice that deepens children's learning.
- The nursery is inclusive and nurturing, with staff tuning into children's emotional needs and creating a supportive environment.
- Staff recognise the importance of movement and physical activity, and children explore new ways to move safely.
Areas to develop
- 1support staff to embed clear and consistent expectations that help children to feel even more secure, confident and ready to learn
- 2give children plenty of time and opportunities to try things for themselves and build further on their independence and problem-solving skills.
Inspection #10408042 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make strong progress, which is supported well by tailored teaching and partnerships with outside agencies. Speech and language is a particular strength, with focused professional development that contributes to staff's confidence in teaching this area.
Outdoor space
Staff weave new skills and knowledge into play, with purposeful enhancements indoors and out, including sensory spaces and collections of curious objects for children to explore. Children enjoy being 'nature detectives', during which they explore all areas of learning through outdoor investigation, measuring worms, learning new words related to autumn and discovering the natural world.
Parent Reviews
1.0
(1)
Skaiste Petraityte
a year ago
I phoned this nursery a month ago to check if they have any spaces for my 3 year old. Receptionist confirmed they do, but when I was forwarded to supervisor she started asking inappropriate questions like why do you want to change the nursery and some other not relevant questions. Then she said she will book me in for a home visit but she never got back to me. Is this how you treat all your potential customers?
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for The Sunshine Day Nursery @ Seascape Children's Centre. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: May 2009
- September 2025Good
- January 2020Outstanding
- April 2014Outstanding
- May 2009Good
Frequently asked about The Sunshine Day Nursery @ Seascape Children's Centre
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