Sunbeams
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Plymouth for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2023. Open since 2005, with 44 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Plymouth
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Plymouth from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
PL3 4NDWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 9 March 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children receive a warm, friendly welcome as they arrive. They form special bonds with the staff, who know the children and their families extremely well. Staff have high expectations for all children and work well together to provide a homely atmosphere. Children show that they feel safe and secure. They confidently explore the learning opportunities that staff provide. Children are very well behaved and cooperate well with their peers. They are kind, show respect towards each other and play harmoniously. Children are encouraged to try new activities with their friends. They learn in a stimulating and fun environment. Children access a good balance of free-choice and adult-led activities, both inside and outside. Babies enjoy cuddles and playing peekaboo with caring staff. Toddlers keenly explore the sand in their own indoor sand area and enthusiastically sing nursery rhymes. Preschool children play well together, building different designs and pushing their toy vehicles across and down the wooden planks.
Staff deliver a suitably challenging curriculum that supports all children to learn the key skills they need to be confident and ready for their next stage in learning. The manager and staff receive valuable support from the owner and share a passion to provide children with the best possible opportunities.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- continue to focus on improving supervision and support of staff to ensure that their interactions with children are of a high quality and contribute well to delivering the curriculum intent n consider more ways to help parents to support and extend their child's learning at home, including how to encourage a love of reading.
- 9 March 2023Good
- 9 November 2022Inadequate
- 27 June 2017Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sunbeams
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.