Sunshine Pre-School
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Hatfield for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open 08:40 to 15:10, 5 days a week. £10.00 an hour, and they take the funded hours. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in February 2023. Open since 2006, with 26 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
If you need more childcare, our charges for additional hours is set currently at £10.00 per hour.
One published rate. What you pay depends on the days you need and the funded hours you can claim.
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
15 hours for 2 year olds, 15 hours for 3 and 4 year olds, 30 hours for working parents.
Worth knowing. Voluntary consumable charge of £1.50 per hour or minimum £20 per week; additional hours charged at £10.00 per hour.
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
AL9 7NEWhat 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, 22 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thrive in this remarkable pre-school. They have exceptionally secure attachments with staff, who ensure they feel safe and secure. Children show impeccable behaviour. They listen astutely to staff as they join in with a stretchand-yoga story, building their listening and concentration skills. Children show a deep level of respect for their peers, staff and surroundings. Children eagerly help to tidy away resources. They play harmoniously alongside their peers as they share stories they have created with small toys.
Children have a sense of awe and wonder as they explore the inviting and stimulating environment. Children are brimming with imagination. They dress up as pirates and pretend to go on an adventure. They use maps and telescopes to find their way. Staff wonderfully support children's imagination as they help row the boat to find a chest full of treasure. Children delight as they discover jewels.
Children develop high levels of independence in readiness for school. They carry out self-care tasks for themselves, such as handwashing and toileting. Children choose their own snacks and confidently pour their own drinks. They carefully wash china plates and cups up when they have finished.
- 22 February 2023Outstanding
- 12 July 2017Outstanding
- 16 March 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sunshine Pre-School
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £10.00 an hour still the rate? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.