Sunflower Day Nursery
Good★ 4.5 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Newton Abbot for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 June 2023. Open since 2011, with 38 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 Devon
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Devon 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
TQ12 3AFWhat 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.
- 10 February 2023 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 26 June 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children show that they feel happy and safe at the nursery. They arrive confidently and often enter the setting without saying goodbye to their parents in their haste to start their day. New babies settle quickly with their key person, soon interacting with the other children and exploring the toys. Children feel comfortable to ask staff for help when needed. Babies and toddlers initiate cuddles with staff when they need reassurance, and they thoroughly enjoy staff's playfulness and participation in their games. Staff support children to understand the daily routines, which helps them to feel emotionally secure as they anticipate what will happen next.
Overall, the manager and staff support children's learning and development well.
The curriculum they plan interests children and builds on what they need to learn next. Children make good progress and show positive attitudes to learning, hurrying over eagerly to take part when adults announce they will be starting an activity. The provision and support for babies are a particular strength of the setting. Staff working with the youngest children are clear about what they want the babies to learn and how to build on their skills and knowledge. For example, staff read books to the babies and engage them very well, teaching them new words and encouraging them to be curious.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff in the pre-school room to be clearer about what they want children to learn, to help them target the older children's individual learning needs more precisely and consistently n develop the organisation of staff and how they manage their time and routines to ensure that toddlers receive more consistent support to extend their communication and language n strengthen the support and coaching of staff, developing their knowledge and skills to find out how they can provide more targeted support and early intervention for children who require extra help.
- 26 June 2023Good
- 9 January 2023Inadequate
- 18 October 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 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.