Opening hours
8:00 am and 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 Nursery
Ofsted: Outstanding
(Nov 2021)
Number of places
62 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Nov 2021
Local authority
Durham
About this day nursery
The Sunshine Day Nursery, established in October 2001, is a family-operated childcare provider with multiple locations. The main nursery is situated on O’Neill Drive, Peterlee, and has since expanded to include Sunshine Day Nursery at Seascape and Sunshine Day Nursery at Dene House.
The nursery focuses on delivering high-quality care and education for children within a friendly, secure, and stimulating environment. They prioritise creating a warm atmosphere through positive interactions between staff and children, emphasising a strong key person system to foster secure attachments and individual development.
The facilities are purpose-built with bright rooms, stimulating play equipment, and age-appropriate toys, designed to meet the needs of babies and young children. Outdoor play is encouraged with varied learning opportunities and attractive garden areas.
The curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), ensuring learning is both educational and fun through adult-led activities and child-initiated play. The nursery welcomes children from birth to five years, supporting their readiness for school and future successes within a safe, wheelchair-accessible setting equipped with security systems.
Our ethos
The Sunshine Nursery's approach is grounded in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), balancing adult-led activities with child-initiated play to ensure learning is both educational and fun. They emphasise creating a warm atmosphere and fostering secure attachments through a strong key person system, aiming for individual development and school readiness within a safe, stimulating environment.
What it's like
Children thrive at this inclusive and exciting setting, provided with an ambitious curriculum that specifically targets their individual needs and abilities. They demonstrate exceptional confidence and independence, immersing themselves in imaginary role play and exhibiting excellent social skills.
Family-run businessMultiple locationsEYFS curriculumKey person approachOutdoor play opportunities
Pricing & funding
Funding accepted
15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 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
All Year
Established
2003
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for The Sunshine Nursery
Last inspected 11 November 2021
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
What it's like to attend
Children thrive at this inclusive and exciting setting, provided with an ambitious curriculum that specifically targets their individual needs and abilities. They demonstrate exceptional confidence and independence, immersing themselves in imaginary role play and exhibiting excellent social skills.
Inspector highlights
- Children thrive at this inclusive and exciting setting with an ambitious curriculum tailored to their individual needs.
- Leaders and staff place a strong emphasis on communication and language development, creating exciting focused sessions.
- Children have superb opportunities to learn about their local community and develop a love of books, songs, and rhymes.
- The setting has a key strength in its relationship with parents and carers, providing resources and activities to support learning at home.
- Staff are highly skilled, nurture children, and promote awareness of uniqueness, other cultures, and diverse family structures.
Inspection #10209710 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
SEND provision
Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are deeply engaged in their play. Leaders use additional funding to provide an individualised approach to children's learning, including arranging exciting physical education sessions.
Outdoor space
Children show high levels of enthusiasm for outdoor learning. Babies and young children straddle logs in the garden and use pretend steering wheels, while older children draw around their feet with chalks, comparing sizes and taking giant steps to promote physical skills.
Parent Reviews of The Sunshine Nursery
5.0
(9)
Helen Brown
7 years ago
My son has attended this nursery for nearly a year and he absolutely loves it. The staff are amazing, they genuinely care about the children and work hard to ensure they are all happy and love coming to nursery. I can't recommend this nursery highly enough. From a very picky parent.
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Carolanne Robson
8 years ago
Both my son's have attended this nursery from babies. The staff are fantastic and I feel confident and comfortable leaving my children in their care. I cannot recommend this nursery enough.
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Sarah Fortuneliu v
7 years ago
My son has been going to this nursery since april 2017 and he loves it. The girls do a brilliant job with him. he was born 8 weeks early, so his development was behind then the other children In his class. He has come on along great now with the girls who have helped him.
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Louise
7 years ago
Superb nursery best around Peterlee lasses are kind,friendly, easy to talk to always their to lend a hand for you or your children if it's needed definitely recommend this nursery to anyone lookin for their young children.
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Valerie Sample
7 years ago
My son has been going to this nursery since he was a baby. The girls do a fantastic job with the kids, my son has come on leaps and bounds because of them. Highly reccomend!
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for The Sunshine Nursery. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Improved from Good → Outstanding in 2021
Date: March 2012
- November 2021Outstanding
- March 2017Good
- February 2013Good
- March 2012Good
Frequently asked about The Sunshine Nursery
Nearby day nurseries in Peterlee
Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to The Sunshine Nursery.
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0.5 miOfsted: Good
The Sunshine Day Nursery @ Seascape Children's Centre
Peterlee · SR8 5NJ
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0.6 miOfsted: Good
The Sunshine Day Nursery
Peterlee · SR8 5UD
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1.3 miOfsted: Good
Positive Steps Nursery
Peterlee · SR8 2RN
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1.4 miOfsted: Good
Howletch & Shotton Primary Childcare
Peterlee · SR8 2NQ
-
1.4 miOfsted: Good
Hazel Dene Childcare
Hartlepool · TS27 4PT
-
2.8 miOfsted: Good
Shotton Children's Centre
Shotton Colliery · DH6 2JP
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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more