Sunnyside Community Playgroup
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Berkhamsted for children from birth to 5, open 07:45 to 12:45, 3 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2024. Open since 2000, with 24 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 Hertfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Hertfordshire 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
HP4 2PPWhat 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 July 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and excited to begin their day at this friendly playgroup. They separate from their parents with ease as staff warmly welcome them in. Children seek out their friends and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. They have many opportunities to explore, be active or to sit quietly looking at books. Children play together very well and are learning how to take turns and respect others. They listen and respond well to staff, who are always close by to offer children support.
This results in children's behaviour being very good.
Staff have high expectations for children's learning. They have good knowledge of where children are in their individual learning journey as they track the progress they make at the playgroup. The curriculum is built around children's learning needs and supports them to make good progress. For example, when staff see that children have an interest in letters and words, they build on this learning. They show children how to form the first letter of their names with their fingers in sand.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- consider how to adapt group activities to ensure that all children can fully engage and benefit from the good learning opportunities available to them.
- 9 July 2024Good
- 4 October 2018Good
- 29 January 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sunnyside Community Playgroup
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.