Early years · Early years inspection (EIF)
Sunshine Montessori Nursery
Summary
What we read, and from where
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- Inspection date verified
19 Aug 2025
- Inspectors verified
Sarah Holley
- Behaviour and attitudes verified
Good
- Leadership and management verified
Good
- Overall effectiveness verified
Good
- Personal development verified
Good
- Quality of education verified
Good
- Name on report verified
Sunshine Montessori Nursery
- URN verified
2808678
Deep dive
What this report says
In plain English
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Grade profile
Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.
- OverallGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Quality of educationGood
79% of comparable inspections in the last three years were graded Good (17,905 inspections).
Tone of the report
How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.
Reads more warmly than most reports of this type graded Good.
Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.
How the report reads, start to finish
Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.
Strengths
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- They adapt the curriculum very well to help these children make good progress and get the most from their time at nursery. p.2
- Strong leadership is central to the high-quality care and learning children receive. p.2
- Staff use these experiences very well to help children learn to care for their environment and to appreciate nature. p.2
- Through blogs, parent evenings and regular conversations, staff ensure parents are very well placed to continue children's learning at home. p.3
Concerns
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No strong criticism found.
Next steps
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What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Leadership & governance3
“Strong leadership is central to the high-quality care and learning children receive.” p.2
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 6
- Words of findings
- 782
- about usual (typical 803)
- Reading level
- Fairly hard
- Flesch 55, typical 54
- Average sentence
- 15 words
- Next steps
- 1
- typical 2
- Hedged sentences
- 7%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Inspection of Sunshine Montessori Nursery The Old Village School, Bullocks Farm Lane, Wheeler End, High Wycombe HP14 3NH
p.1
Overall effectiveness Good
The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable
p.1
The provision is good
Staff ensure children feel safe and welcome. They greet children with big smiles and warm words. Older children excitedly share their news and eagerly enter the nursery. Younger children stretch out their arms in recognition and happily say goodbye to their parents and carers at the door. This all shows that children feel comfortable and happy to be there. These warm interactions continue through the day. The nursery is full of settled children, who are happily exploring and learning.
p.2
The provision is good
Leaders have designed a very ambitious and detailed curriculum. They are clear what they want children to learn and why they want them to develop the particular skills and knowledge they do. They also plan well so that learning is fun and memorable, because this will help children develop positive attitudes to learning. For example, they identify the creative skills children need to exhibit in the nursery art exhibition. They plan the problem-solving and practical skills children will need to be able to work together and build a den. Alongside this, staff focus closely, and effectively, on children's language and physical development. By the time children leave for school, they are confident communicators and inquisitive learners. Staff promptly identify children who may need some extra support. They adapt the curriculum very well to help these children make good progress and get the most from their time at nursery.
p.2
need to do better?
n Strong leadership is central to the high-quality care and learning children receive. There is a strong programme of support and training for staff, focusing on their teaching skills and knowledge of child development. For example, leaders have supported staff very effectively to enhance the curriculum for physical development. Staff now teach children a range of specific skills in order to develop their coordination and strength. For example, staff teach children how to throw balls by breaking down the different components into manageable steps. Through this approach, children develop lots of skills that help them enjoy an active lifestyle. n Staff focus well on developing children's communication skills. From an early age, children are exposed to rich and descriptive language, which builds further on their existing vocabulary. Staff organise the rooms so that children have spaces and opportunities to practise their conversational skills with their peers.
p.2
need to do better?
Children confidently make their needs known and express their opinions. n Overall, the learning experiences meet children's needs well. However, on occasions staff do not fully consider the stage of development of the children who will be taking part. Sometimes, activities are a little too hard for some of the younger children, who become distracted or are not quite sure what they should be doing. At these times, teaching is not as effective as at other times.
p.2
need to do better?
19 August 2025 n There is a strong focus on outdoor learning, and children regularly attend forest school sessions. In addition, children help grow food at their allotment. Staff use these experiences very well to help children learn to care for their environment and to appreciate nature. n Staff are good role models. They are polite and helpful towards each other. They are clear about behaviour expectations for children and gently remind children about the need to be kind and considerate. Children behave well for their age. When needed, staff offer gentle and effective support for children as they learn to share and play cooperatively. n Staff help children manage the changes to their routines as they progress through the nursery. Children's existing key person helps them settle into their new room, and also helps them build bonds with their new 'special person'. The effectiveness of this approach is seen in how well children adjust to changes and
p.2
need to do better?
how confident they are in their new environment. n Staff plan a rich set of experiences to help children learn about their local community and the wider world. Children build friendships with residents of local care homes. They help support local charities. They explore different types of artwork from different parts of the world. All of this helps children understand about their place in the world and the similarities and differences between themselves and others. n Parent partnerships are a real strength of the setting. Parents are full of praise for the warm staff and the home-from-home environment they create. Through blogs, parent evenings and regular conversations, staff ensure parents are very well placed to continue children's learning at home.
p.3
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
p.3
Safeguarding
There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.
p.3
should:
n refine the planning and delivery of some learning experiences for younger children, so they more precisely match the age and developmental stage of the children taking part.
p.3
Setting details
Unique reference number 2808678 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10414134 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care
p.4
inspection
Total number of places 57 Number of children on roll 89 Name of registered person Muddy Sunshine Ltd
p.4
reference number
Telephone number 01494880607 Date of previous inspection Not applicable
p.4
Information about this early years setting
Sunshine Montessori Nursery re-registered in 2024 and is situated in Wheeler End, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. It offers care from 7.30am to 6pm. Monday to Friday, throughout the year. The provider employs 27 members of staff. Of these, 19 hold relevant qualifications between level 2 and level 6. The provider offers funded early education for eligible children.
p.4
Inspection activities
n The inspector and the provider completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The provider and the inspector carried out several joint observations. n The inspector held meetings with members of the management team to find out about the leadership and management of the setting. n Parents and children shared their views and the inspector took these into account. n The inspector looked at a sample of key documentation.
p.4
Inspection activities
19 August 2025 We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.
p.4
Inspection activities
19 August 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.
p.5
Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
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Inspection activities
T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
p.6
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