Sunflower Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Harlow for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2024. Open since 2010, with 50 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 Essex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Essex 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
CM19 5RDWhat 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, 11 June 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Babies and children demonstrate by their positive behaviour that they feel safe and secure in the nursery. They are happy and excited to explore the play environment and activities provided by staff. Staff are kind and supportive of children's individual needs. Babies and children who are settling in or feeling tired snuggle into the arms of their caring and nurturing key person. Staff are skilled in the way they help young children to manage their emotions. They distract them with interesting activities, such as brightly coloured puzzles. Babies practise developing their fine motor skills as they examine the pieces and attempt to fit them into place.
Managers and staff understand how children learn. They know the children well.
They understand what children need to learn and build a curriculum that reflects their learning needs and interests. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress in their learning. Staff work closely with their parents and other professionals to ensure that all children receive the support they need to reach their full potential.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to use mathematical language consistently to help develop children's growing understanding of mathematical concepts.
- 11 June 2024Good
- 6 July 2018Good
- 4 November 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sunflower Day Nursery
- 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.