Sunshine Pre-School
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Kettering for children from birth to 5, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2022. Open since 2011, with 20 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 North Northamptonshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in North Northamptonshire 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
NN15 5LBWhat 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, 23 June 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children cannot wait to start learning in the engaging environment created by staff.
They say good morning to each other as a group, listening carefully to their friends and staff. Children confidently recall and demonstrate their understanding of the rules staff have for how they should behave. They explain to each other that having 'kind hands' means sharing. Children wait politely during snack. They show understanding of how to take turns and make sure there is enough food for their friends. Staff praise children for independently scooping cereal, pouring a drink and washing their bowls when they have finished.
Children have close bonds with all staff. They feel safe and secure enough to explore the setting freely and make choices in their play. Children confidently share their ideas and knowledge, especially during imaginative play. They develop their hand muscles, squeezing the handle of water spray bottles to spray each other, staff and visitors. Children giggle and explain that they are pretending to put 'sun cream' on and suggest 'rubbing it in'. They discuss with staff how this keeps them safe. Children develop skills, such as holding a pencil, and use mark-making skills, in preparation for school. They ask for support from staff to write letters and draw pictures. Children decide that these pictures look like Christmas decorations. This leads to staff helping the children decorate a corner of the room and get ready for a Christmas celebration. Children remind staff, 'We have to tidy up first!'
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the sharing of information between children's key persons and other staff so that children's learning and development can be further supported during play n provide children with further support to pronounce words accurately and learn new vocabulary.
- 23 June 2022Good
- 6 November 2014Good
- 16 July 2014Inadequate
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Sunshine Pre-School
- 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.