Sunshine Kids
OutstandingBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Pontefract for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 1997, with 26 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 Wakefield
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Wakefield 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
WF8 1NBWhat 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, 15 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thoroughly enjoy their time in this exceptionally welcoming setting. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most parents leave children at the setting door. However, children come in readily and are settled and secure. Children calmly and respectfully access the wonderful choice of resources that are available at every turn, each with a clear purpose for learning. They use the resources well and become fully engrossed in developing new ideas. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They understand the rules of the setting and recognise the impact their behaviour has on others. Children have ample opportunity to take on extra responsibilities and contribute to decision-making, such as deciding which story to listen to. Children across the nursery are listened to by attentive staff and are given ownership over their learning.
Staff use every moment as an opportunity for learning. They encourage children to count and recognise amounts and quantities. Staff question children about the size, position and order of objects. Children demonstrate extremely high levels of engagement and concentration. They work collaboratively as they construct a train track that winds its way around a large table. Children make group decisions about where the curved, short and long pieces of track are best placed. They are extremely patient and kind to each other.
- 15 March 2022Outstanding
- 17 May 2016Outstanding
- 19 March 2012Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sunshine Kids
- 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.