URN 2870823 · Inspected 2026-09-07 · Published 2026-10-01 · Inspector: Jenny Cowton
Sunshine Community Nursery Unique reference number (URN): 2870823 Address: Shepherds Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 5AW Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 29/12/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Sunshine Community Nursery Ltd Inspection report: 7 September 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Safeguarding standards met The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe. How we evaluate safeguarding When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes: Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met. Strong standard Achievement Strong standard Children achieve extremely well across all areas of learning. All children, including those known or previously known to social care, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid progress from their starting points. They develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for future success and their eventual move to school. Children become confident communicators and express their thoughts, ideas and feelings using a growing range of vocabulary. Babies communicate through sounds, gestures and facial expressions. Older children confidently build on their vocabulary and express their ideas in full sentences. Children who arrive with little or no English quickly learn words to communicate their needs. All children develop early mathematical knowledge as they count, compare quantities and use mathematical language during play. Children show curiosity about the world around them and confidently recall previous learning. They solve problems together and use their imagination during play. Children show independence and responsibility as they pour their drinks, serve their own food and clear away their plates. These essential skills give children a secure foundation for future learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Children experience calm, well-established routines and move smoothly between activities and areas of the nursery, with little disruption to their play and learning. Routines are thoughtfully planned and adapted sensitively for children who need additional support. For example, children join in with morning yoga sessions to help them feel calm and ready to learn. Leaders place a clear emphasis on regular attendance and work closely with families to address barriers. This helps children to develop secure routines and positive attitudes to their learning. Staff model patience, kindness and respect and help children understand how their actions affect others. Children consistently behave well and show secure emotional awareness. They remain engaged in activities, share resources, take turns and show a willingness to learn alongside others. Children develop positive social skills, friendships and show care for one another. Leaders and staff build positive partnerships with families and give time and attention to understanding children's individual circumstances. They share approaches with parents and provide opportunities to help families understand how to support children's behaviour, wellbeing and routines at home. Family events, such as 'mother and father' day sessions, strengthen these partnerships and promote consistency between home and the nursery. Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Leaders prioritise all children's welfare and wellbeing. Staff provide warm, responsive care throughout the nursery. Leaders and staff are highly responsive to children and their families' circumstances and ensure that children consistently receive the support they need. Staff create a calm environment where children feel safe, secure and valued. Secure attachments are evident across the nursery. Key persons know children extremely well and provide reassurance, helping children to feel safe and emotionally secure. Children confidently seek support and show trust in familiar adults. All children develop a deep sense of belonging. Leaders and staff are attentive to children safety and comfort throughout the day, such as during meal, sleep and personal care routines. Children feel valued and respected. Staff treat all children with dignity and respect. During care routines, staff explain what they are doing and encourage children to cooperate. Leaders ensure that children's health and wellbeing are consistently promoted throughout the nursery. Children enjoy nutritious meals and snacks prepared freshly by the nursery chefs. They have daily opportunities to play outdoors and have well-established hygiene routines that support their health and wellbeing. For example, pre-school children take part in an oral health programme and brush their teeth after food each day. Staff use models to demonstrate effective toothbrushing and help children understand how to care for their teeth. This supports children to develop life-long healthy habits. Curriculum and teaching Strong standard Leaders use their excellent knowledge of child development to design a high-quality, ambitious curriculum. They regularly evaluate its effectiveness and use monitoring, assessment and professional discussions with staff to identify priorities for improvement. Leaders use this information to consistently strengthen teaching and improve children's outcomes. Staff receive highly targeted training that enhances their knowledge and practice. This strengthens the consistency of teaching across the nursery. Learning is clearly sequenced and builds securely on children's starting points and next steps. Staff deliver the curriculum through purposeful play and meaningful interactions. They follow children's interests while maintaining ambitious learning intentions. Consistent high-quality interactions support children's communication and language incredibly well. Staff ask thoughtful questions and model rich language during conversations. They skilfully weave mathematical language and concepts into children's play at every opportunity. For example, as children search for emotion stones in the mud tray, staff encourage them to count how many they find and compare quantities. Children develop secure knowledge, confidence and independence as they learn. Leaders adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of all children. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and those who are disadvantaged, receive timely support that helps them overcome barriers to learning and achieve alongside their peers. This means all children access the full curriculum, make sustained progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their next stage in learning. Inclusion Strong standard Children's individual needs are identified from the moment they start. Leaders have developed a fully inclusive approach and have a deep understanding of children and their families. Barriers children face are swiftly identified and highly effective support is put in place. Staff work very closely with families and external agencies, such as social services and speech and language therapists, to help reduce barriers to children's learning and wellbeing. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive highly effective targeted support through adapted routines, activities and small-group experiences. Staff ensure that learning needs are consistently recognised and met. For example, staff work closely with the visual impairment team to develop resources specifically for children's individual needs. These resources are used during one-to-one interventions, helping children access learning. Staff have embedded a clear cycle of planning and reviewing. This helps all children to fully access the curriculum and feel calm, settled and fully included in nursery life. Children who speak English as an additional language benefit from a diverse staff team who speak many of the languages used by children and their families. Staff use children's home languages alongside English to support communication, helping children develop their speech, language and confidence to express themselves. Leaders work closely with children and families who face disadvantage to identify barriers and provide support that helps children participate fully in nursery life. For instance, families access a clothing bank and oral health kits are provided by leaders. Additional funding is used thoughtfully to meet children's individual needs. For example, extra-curricular activities, such as football and rugby sessions are provided for children. This helps reduce financial barriers and supports children health, wellbeing and participation in nursery life. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders are committed and highly motivated, maintaining consistently high standards across all aspects of the nursery. They have a clear vision for continuous improvements and high expectations for children's care and learning. Leaders have a thorough understanding of the needs of children and families and make decisions in children's best interests. Governance provides clear oversight and works closely with leaders and area managers to appropriately support and challenge leaders and improve the outcomes for all children. Leaders regularly evaluate the quality of the nursery and take effective action to improve practice. For example, they have plans to continue to develop the outdoor areas to further support children's understanding of the natural world. Leaders and staff respond to children's emerging needs and use information, including attendance and barriers to learning, to inform decisions. Leaders have established secure partnerships with parents and carers. Parents value the regular communication about their children's experiences and development through daily conversations and an online platform. This collaborative approach supports children's development and contributes to the overall quality of the setting. Leaders continue to strengthen these partnerships and reflect on further ways to support children's next steps at home. Leaders highly value staff and recognise the importance of their wellbeing and workload. Staff report high levels of job satisfaction and feel extremely well supported in their roles. Leaders monitor teaching closely through regular observations and provide staff with clear and constructive feedback. Staff are provided with regular opportunities for professional development linked to development areas. Leaders promote a supportive and reflective culture, helping staff feel valued and confident in their roles. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children are happy, settled and flourish at this vibrant and inclusive nursery. They benefit from highly nurturing relationships with passionate and experienced staff who know them and their families extremely well. Staff have a deep understanding of children's starting points, routines and interests and use this knowledge to provide tailored experiences that fully support their learning. Consistent and purposeful interactions extend children's thinking and encourage them to explore and be creative. All children make excellent progress from their individual starting points and thrive in their development. Children confidently choose from a wide range of resources and activities and lead their own play alongside their peers. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who face disadvantage and those who experience barriers to learning or wellbeing, are supported to participate fully in nursery life. Staff make appropriate adjustments to support children's communication, engagement and relationships. Children's individual identities, home languages, cultures and family backgrounds are valued, helping children and their families feel welcome and develop a deep sense of belonging. Children are consistently supported to develop their mathematical understanding through play and everyday routines. For example, children enjoy experimenting with capacity as they fill and empty containers of mud in the mud kitchen. Children develop secure physical skills as they take part in daily yoga sessions, dance classes and negotiate space safety. Children become increasingly independent as they manage familiar routines, such as washing their hands and feeding themselves. Older children enjoy the responsibility of emptying their plates once they have finished eating. These experiences build the confidence, social skills and self-care skills children need for their next stage of learning. Children develop secure friendships and show kindness and respect towards others. They feel safe and secure and have positive relationships with familiar staff. Children listen Inspector: Jenny Cowton About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2870823 Address: Shepherds Lane Leeds West Yorkshire LS8 5AW Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 29/12/2025 Registered person: Sunshine Community Nursery Ltd Register(s): EYR attentively and remain engaged during small-group activities and story times. High-quality teaching supports children's communication and language development. Leaders recognise the importance of regular attendance and monitor patterns of absence. They work closely with families to identify barriers and provide appropriate supports where needed. Next steps Leaders should continue to strengthen parent partnerships to share home learning ideas to achieve a transformational impact on children's learning and development. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, parents, children and the special educational needs coordinator during the inspection. 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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Leeds Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 7 September 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 50 Our grades explained Exceptional Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it. Strong standard The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them. Expected standard The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them. Needs attention The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements. Urgent improvement The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk. This publication is available at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn. 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