About Our School

A teacher working with a small group of children
Since 2008

Eighteen years of gentle beginnings

Sunnydale began in a converted cottage with nine children and one very determined teacher. Today we care for 180 children across six bright classrooms, but the promise has not changed: every child is known by name, and every day contains something worth telling you about.

We follow a play-based curriculum, which simply means children learn by doing. Sorting buttons is early maths. Retelling a story is literacy. Waiting for a turn on the swing is the hardest and most valuable lesson of all.

  • Small classes with a 1:6 teacher-to-child ratio.
  • Outstanding rating at our last three inspections.
  • Freshly cooked, allergy-aware meals every day.
What Guides Us

Our mission, vision and values

Our Mission

To give every child a first school experience that is safe, joyful and unhurried — where curiosity is treated as the most important subject on the timetable.

Our Vision

A community where children of every background arrive excited, leave confident, and carry the habit of asking questions well into primary school and beyond.

Our Values

Kindness before cleverness, patience before pace, and honest daily communication with the families who trust us with their children.

0Years of caring
0Certified teachers
0Happy graduates
0Parent satisfaction
Why Sunnydale

The questions parents ask us first

If yours is not here, call us — we would rather talk it through than leave you guessing.

A toddler playing with wooden building blocks

Every child gets a staggered start: two short visits with a parent present, then a half day, then a full session. Their key teacher stays with them for the whole first fortnight.

We call you straight away and keep your child comfortable in the quiet room with a member of staff. Our on-site nurse is here from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM each day.

Yes. Lunch and two snacks are cooked on site and included in the full-day fee. We cater for allergies, vegetarian and halal diets at no extra charge.

Entry is by fob and camera intercom, the play yards are fully fenced, and children are only released to the named adults on your collection list.

We do — from two sessions a week upwards. Part-time places are popular, so we recommend enquiring at least a term ahead of your preferred start date.

Our Campus

Rooms and gardens made for small people

Reading Treehouse

A raised nook with cushions, 900 picture books and very strict rules about whispering.

Discovery Lab

Water tables, magnets, magnifiers and a wall for sticking up every new finding.

Music Studio

Drums, chimes and a stage that has hosted eleven very loud summer concerts.

Kitchen Garden

Raised beds where each class grows something they will later eat at lunch.

Parent Stories

Families who trust Sunnydale

Come and see a normal Tuesday

We do not stage tours. Visit mid-morning, watch a real session and ask the teachers anything you like.