Sunny Days Bridport, 1 Kings Square, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3QE

Type of Service

Day Nursery

Opening Schedule

Open all year

Attendance patterns offered

All Year or Term Time

Minimum attendance

2 days per week

Full days available

Yes

Half day sessions offered

Yes

Group / Owner

Sunny Day Nurseries
Private Owned

Person in charge

Kirsty Wheeler (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

15

Total Places for Children

100

Age Range

from 0 years 3 months
to 5 years 0 months

Meals Provided

Yes

Meal Types Provided

Breakfast, Dinner / Tea, Lunch, Snacks

Consumables provided

Yes

Consumables provided include

Nappies, Wipes, Nappy Cream, Suncream

Opening Times

Monday07:00-18:00
Tuesday07:00-18:00
Wednesday07:00-18:00
Thursday07:00-18:00
Friday07:00-18:00

When Closed

Bank Holidays and INSET days x3pa

Parking

They have two designated parking spaces outside the nursery front door making it convenient for parents.

Funding & Fees

Accepts government fundingAccepts tax-free childcare

Typical monthly cost for a 3-days place

£434/ month

Sessions (all ages): Sunny Sunrise 7–8am £11.40; Half Sunrise 7:30–8am £5.70; Sunny Morning+ 8am–3pm £77.00; Sunny School Day 9am–2pm £55.55. Session extensions: Sunny Morning extra 1–3pm £22.80; Sunny Morning+ extra 3–6pm £33.00; Sunny School Day extra 2–6pm £43.55. Minimum booking is two 5-hour sessions per week on separate days. Early drop-off or late collection is charged at £25 per 15 minutes outside booked sessions. A £35 registration fee may apply. Discounts: 5% sibling discount on the eldest child (maximum 15% per family); 10% off unfunded hours for Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust employees. Funded hours carry a Consumables Package, which can be opted out of termly: food £4.00 (10-hour day), £3.00 (7-hour day) or £2.00 (5-hour day); personal care £1.00 per day; enhanced resources per funded hour of £0.50 (0–2), £1.00 (2–3) or £1.50 (3–4). A limited number of term-time-only funded places with no additional charges are available.

Calculated from data given to us by this nursery. Your final quote may vary slightly.

Averaged monthly figure. Actual billing varies; some nurseries bill weekly or by use.

Defaults shown

9 months to 2 years • 3-days • 30 hours funding • all year

How this price scales (per month)

2 days per week

£87

3 days per week

£434

5 days per week

£1,225

Adjust for your situation

Child's age

Loading...

Days per week

Loading...

Government funding used per week

Loading...

Attendance pattern

Loading...

What this price covers

Standard chargeable day 8:00am to 6:00pm (10 hours)
21.9 funded hours used per week. Remaining hours charged privately.
Included in this price: Breakfast, Dinner / Tea, Lunch, Snacks, Nappies, Wipes, Nappy Cream and Suncream

Price without government funding: £1,260 / month (£97 / day)

If you're not eligible or haven't claimed funded hours.More info

£826/month more than the funded price.
This is what you'd pay if your child is under 9 months, or if you're not eligible for or haven't claimed funded hours.

About this price

How funding is applied, how the monthly figure is calculated.More info

Working parents of children aged 9 months to 2 years can usually claim up to 30 funded hours a week. The working-parent hours depend on each parent meeting the minimum earnings rules and earning under £100,000 a year. This nursery stretches funded hours across 52 weeks of the year. You've selected 30 funded hours.
This nursery applies up to 10 funded hours per day, stretched across 52 weeks of the year. With your selected funding, 21.9 hours are covered each week. Hours beyond this, including the early and late parts of the day, are charged at the standard rate.
We work out the total cost across the year and divide by 12, so the figure shown is a smoothed monthly average. In practice, nurseries bill in different ways. Some bill monthly at this average. Others bill weekly, or charge for what happened that week or month, which can vary across the year. Confirm billing details with the nursery when you enquire.

Contact Sunny Days Bridport to get a personalised quote:

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

Accreditations

There are no accreditations posted yet for Sunny Days Bridport.

Meet the Team (7)

Kirsty WheelerJob Title Nursery ManagerJoined 2013

Hi, I’m Kirsty and I have been with Sunny Days since February 2013. I started here as an apprentice and worked whilst I gained my level 3 qualification. During this time, I also had the opportunity to work in our sister branch at Poundbury. This was a great experience that taught me new skills that I could then roll out into my new role when I became a Supervisor at the Toddler unit and returned to Bridport. From there I then shared this role with an additional role of being the setting’s SENDCo alongside Deputy Manager before taking the reins and becoming the Nursery Manager. I still remain the lead SENDCo for the setting and I am also the Designated Safeguarding Lead on site too.
I have had great support and training opportunities offered to me whilst working at Sunny Days and this has helped me to keep my knowledge up to date within the sector but has also broadened my experiences that I can then bring back into my role as I evolve with the knowledge I have learnt. My continual professional development has been the key to my success story in my eyes because without the vast knowledge that I have been given I would not be able to push forward my practice and role model to my team as the Manager. I can also offer support and advise to the rest of the team supporting them on their own individual journeys which most importantly supports the children to have the best possible outcomes as they learn through play.
I have now been the Manager at our Bridport setting for almost 5 years and it has been like riding a rollercoaster- the only experience of riding a rollercoaster that I would consider as theme park rides scare me! I was told by a Director of Sunny Days that I ‘must be the fastest ever to climb the ladder and go through the ranks’ and this has stayed with me until this day. I feel like this is a huge accomplishment for me and am proud of my achievements.
I love that when working in childcare, no day is ever the same. I find that the children impart little gems of character throughout the day that show off their personalities and quirks that support you to remember that this is exactly why you do the job. I am currently working on gaining another qualification at Level 4 and within this my knowledge will continue to expand.
As a Manager of a smaller setting I like to keep in touch with the children and their daily activities and often work at least one day in the play rooms with them. I get a sense of belonging when working with the children and feel that on most days I also learn something new as well as children do too- this is invaluable, and I could not picture myself doing anything different.
I was always told that I was good with children and naturally took to them when I was growing up but when crunch time came after my GCSE’s I didn’t know what career path I wanted to take. I decided to proceed with my A levels and see where the path took me. At the end of these I felt that university just wasn’t for me and that I was more of a ‘home bird’.
I made the call after seeing a job advert in the local newspaper and here I am now almost 10 years later writing about my experiences.
Recently I have become passionate about supporting the children’s knowledge about their planet and how to support it as part of an eco-friendly lifestyle so this year we have been working to turn our setting to being the first eco-setting in the town. This has been a great adventure so far and you would be surprised about what some children already know about the plastics in the oceans and how important it is to pick up their rubbish.
This has been working so well and we have made some changes over the past 6-9 months to support the process which we will continue on as we work towards an ‘eco-school green flag accreditation’.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading about me and my journey at Sunny Days, I know that upon reflection it has been a pleasure to write this and see just how far I have come as an individual. Read less

Steph PinkettJob Title Nursery Deputy ManagerJoined 2019

Hello, I am Steph Pinkett, I joined the Sunny Days team in March 2019 so have been here for nearly 3 years! I started off as a cluster member of staff working in the baby room and foundation stage, next I worked predominately in the baby room, I then progressed to become the baby room supervisor and the deputy manager. I am a designated safeguarding lead at Sunny Days as well as a first aid officer.
I first became interested in childcare when I was at secondary school. I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life and what I was good at, so for my work experience I went to a pre-school. During this time, I fell in love with working in a childcare setting, seeing the children learn and develop was incredible and playing a part in this made me see how important it was. I was often told I was a natural with the children and built good bonds with both children and parents. From then on, I did an apprenticeship and became Level 3 qualified, I have been to several settings having different experiences in them all, I have taken nuggets of information and activities from them and used them in my day to day running of the baby room. Nearly 10 years later I still love my job and wouldn’t change it!
I love spending my time in the baby room, you get to see their first moments and it is such a special moment, you create bonds and care for the children. Although sometimes it is nice to spend an afternoon here and there with the older children. The older children will show you a lot more sass and make you laugh at the things they come out with.
No day is the same in childcare and you never know what each day is going to bring but that is the fun of it. I recently described working in a nursery as happy chaos as it can be a whirlwind, but you always have a smile on your face due to the children’s individual personalities.
Sometimes it can be a challenge to juggle both aspects of my job, but I love supporting the staff when needed and working together to create an outstanding nursery setting for the children. During an awards night with Sunnydays I was voted Best Communicator which made me feel very proud as good communication is key in childcare to ensure nothing is missed and we are all on the same page.
In the future I still want to push myself, I would like to look at becoming level 4 qualified as well as doing forest school training and sign language training. Sunnydays are very supportive with extra training and continuing our professional development as I feel these qualities will not also benefit me, but I will be able to bring more to the children’s development.
During my time at one setting I took a year’s sabbatical where I traveled the world. This was an incredible experience and really opened my eyes to just how lucky we are. It was amazing to see the differences in what children experience from different parts of the world and how they make the most of what they have. One memory that has stuck with me is that of a group of children in Thailand who were having a brilliant time playing skittles with a bottle and a flip flop. This showed me that no matter what we have we can make it fun and to not rely on having the best resources. It isn’t about what you have but what you do with it that counts.

In childcare it is also good to take time for yourself, it is not healthy to be thinking about work at home! Therefore, I have a hobby of going to watch Yeovil town play football, it gives me a time out where I can relax – when they are winning of course! Taking time to not think about work also helps me to come in the next week feeling revitalised and ready to tackle new experiences. Read less

Julie DowntonJob Title Operations ManagerJoined 2003

My qualifications include:
Child care - NNEB,
Early Years care and Education - NVQ level 3,
NEBS management - Level 3,
Early Years Care and Education - NVQ level 4,
Assessors award - A1,
Internal Verification Award - A2,
English Functional Skills (speaking, Reading, Listening) Level 2,
Mathematics Functional Skills Level, 2014
Diploma in Teaching in the Life Long Learning Sector (DTLLS),
Schools As Organisations – STL unit,
Paediatric First Aid – updated every 3 years,
Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults L1, 2,
Practical guide to GDPR – ECUARE,
Mental health Awareness.

I am the lead DSL for the Training Centre offer guidance and support for the DSL’s across the Sunny days family.
I have worked in Early Years for over 25 years, starting off as a nanny, before settling into nursery life. Throughout my career, I have continued with my professional development and qualified in Early Years to NVQ4 and then went on to achieve my A1 assessor’s award and IQA qualification. During the early part of my career I managed 2 day nurseries in Bridport, enjoying the challenges that come with a management role and building up a team of dedicated nursery practitioners. However in 2009, I decided I needed a change and a new challenge and so I joined Side by Side Training centre as a full time NVQ assessor, I loved this role and was able to put my A1 and A2 qualifications to good use, eventually stepping into the Lead IQA role which I still hold today. Having never really wanted to teach I then went on to complete my DTLLS adult teaching qualification which enables me to now teach and support our Apprentices within the centre and is an aspect of my role which I love. In January 2020 I was offered the opportunity to extend my role further to become the Operations Manager across the Sunny days family and the training centre. Up until this point, I was already actively supporting both Sunny days and the Training Centre, so this opportunity has been an exciting extension of this and is the role I still hold today.
I have been working within the Early Years sector for over 25 years and have been with Sunny Days for 18 years!
If I am not working you will usually find me on the beach with a Pina Colada in my hand!!!

I absolutely love what I do, the job is so varied and diverse that no two days are the same. Some days are more challenging than others but that’s what makes it fun, you never know what the day is going to bring!! I love that I am able to use all the skills, experience and qualifications I have gained over the years in a role that I am passionate about which supports and guides others to reach their full potential. Read less

Lewis ShearingJob Title Pre-school SupervisorJoined 2014

Hi, I’m Lewis and I have been working in early years since July 2010, I have been with Sunny Days now for 8 years, I started by volunteering in local preschools and started my apprenticeship and worked whilst gaining both my level 2 and level 3 qualifications. I have also completed a level 3 qualification in working with individuals with SEN and a level 3 qualification in supporting speech and language.

My job role at Sunny Days is Supervisor of the Foundation Stage as well as SENCO. I am also a fire Marshall.

Some of my duties involve providing activities to support the learning and development of the children and help to get them ready for school, supporting and building relationships with the parents, supporting individuals with SEN needs whilst leading the team.

I enjoy listening to music, I’m a big Elvis fan and I like reading and cycling. A fun fact about me is that I can sing my alphabet backwards. Read less

Tracey SmithJob Title Senior Nursery NurseJoined 2005

Hi my name is Tracey. I am on my 16th year of being with the company and can’t imagine not being part of the team. In these 16 years I have been awarded many awards. The most special one for me was the parents’ choice three years running. I also won the golden phone award for my posh telephone manner; I do love to chat to other members from other sunny days settings on the phone.
I worked in another nursery before this one but moved on to waitressing after being made redundant. After having my second daughter I was asked by the Manager of Bridport Sunny Days (at the time) if I could help due to staffing issues. I love to help people out, so I did, and I never left, so here I am today. I feel that I am a very maternal person which is a great quality to have within this job. Other members of staff will tell you I’m definitely the soft touch as I try to care for the staff too.

I love coming into work to hear the children’s infectious giggles, see their happy little faces and listen to the funny things that they come out with. A fun fact about me is that I love making up silly songs with the children and they love me doing this with them. Another fun fact is that I have more flip flops and sandals than I need, considering I live in the UK with more rain than sun. I am a senior member of staff within the setting, I am also the 3rd safeguarding lead and I have an NNEB Diploma in nursery nursing, Level 3 childcare, and intermediate health, and social care. I hope to enjoy many more years here, but you may need to put a stair lift in for me!! Read less

Charlotte PalmerJob Title HR ManagerJoined 2010

• Qualifications - CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education, Level 2 Team Leader
• Responsibilities - HR Manager, Child Protection Coordinator (usually as background support), Fire Marshal
• Experiences - I first joined the team on Placement from a local college and spent my time working within the Baby unit with Jo Parker (now Dorchester Nursery Manager). I began my time at Sunny Days as Bank Staff helping on an 'as required' basis. I quickly became a full-time employee and was based within the baby unit. After showing an eagerness to learn and a commitment to my work, I was promoted to a baby unit senior, and this was then followed by a further promotion to become a baby unit supervisor alongside Jo Parker a short time later. After several successful years leading the team within the baby unit, I was asked to transition to become Toddler Supervisor to support and lead their staff team. I continued to show how keen I was to learn and grow within the company whilst developing my leadership skills with CPD and when the opportunity for Deputy Manager became available, I applied but sadly was unsuccessful on that occasion. I did not let this deter me and continued to strive to improve and show my skills and, when the opportunity presented itself again, I applied and was successful. I worked within a hybrid role as both Deputy Manager and Toddler Supervisor which was a success but came with challenges. I was then blessed to fall pregnant with my son and so spent my maternity leave watching my amazing little baby grow into a kind, caring, inquisitive and hilariously funny boy with lots of personality and character! I returned after 10 months, and my son joined the baby unit and has thrived within the nursery environment due to the care, attention, and fun the staff provide alongside lots of fantastic learning opportunities that has helped to shape him into the wonderful pre-schooler he is now! When I returned, I decided to become a full-time deputy manager and, over time I have worked alongside skilled Managers, and I had the chance to lead an Ofsted inspection in the absence of the manager which was an excellent chance to show what we do and a nice challenge for me. Whilst in my role as Deputy Manager, I began to support with recruitment and inductions for Dorchester and this expanded to cover Bridport nursery too. I was fortunate enough to be considered for a role in HR when the company grew, adding two new settings into our Sunny Days family. Within this new role, I have been getting to learn new skills and managing new challenges. I have also been using my knowledge as a practitioner to link to my new role to try and find ways to support staff.
• Length of service in the childcare industry - 11 years
• Length of service at Sunny Days - 11 years
• Fun fact about me - I love to read and I am pretty obsessed with my Kindle - I even read on the walk to the local shop on my breaks! I have only had 6 days in the last year that I have not gone on my Kindle to read something!
• Why am I unique or what I love about my job - I love that I have had the opportunity to grow professionally and personally throughout my time at Sunny Days and that I am lucky enough to catch sneaky glimpses of my son having lots of fun during his time here too!

• Awards/certificates I have won - The Biggest Heart 2020, Fire Extinguisher Award 2020, Safe Award 2016, Warm Fuzzies Award 2016 Read less

Michelle WaldenJob Title Wellbeing SupportJoined 2021

Hi, I’m Michelle Walden, also known as Chelle. I am a qualified Nursery Nurse (NNEB) with 28 years’ experience. I worked as a Nursery Nurse and Supervisor at Sunny Days for over 5 years. I won many awards at the Sunny Days Awards Nights, but I’m most proud of winning the Unique Child Award as it was voted for by parents.

Due to mobility issues, I am now training to become a counsellor as the importance of good mental health and wellbeing has always been a passion of mine. I hope to support others in the world of childcare, to take care of themselves, creating a better wellbeing, thus creating a happier person inside and out. This can only create happier childcare practitioners and the children and young people they care for will benefit from that.

I have completed Level 2 in Counselling Skills and Understanding Children and Young People’s Mental Health. I hope to start my Level 3 next year. Even though I have only been in my role for a few months, I am enjoying meeting different people and witnessing them grow in positivity.

Over the years I have learnt how to accept myself and my own limitations and finding other ways to have a better lifestyle. If you find you can no longer climb the path you were on, you find another way! I love being creative! I paint, crochet, and now dabble in macramé. I’m proud of being qualified in British Sign Language and use it with my deaf friends regularly. My biggest achievement is being with my husband for over 30 years (but that could be seen as an achievement for him putting up with me!) and having 2 grown up, level-headed children and 2 grandsons. I live for my family! Read less

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunny Days Bridport

How much does Sunny Days Bridport cost?

Typical fees at Sunny Days Bridport are £97 / day (without govt. funding), calculated from data given to us by the nursery. Your final quote may vary.

What is the Age Range of Children that Sunny Days Bridport accepts?

Sunny Days Bridport accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Sunny Days Bridport Open?

Sunny Days Bridport is open: Monday 07:00-18:00, Tuesday 07:00-18:00, Wednesday 07:00-18:00, Thursday 07:00-18:00, Friday 07:00-18:00.

How many Children does Sunny Days Bridport have capacity for?

Sunny Days Bridport has capacity for a total of 100 Children.

How far is Sunny Days Bridport to the centre of Bridport?

0.1 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Sunny Days Bridport to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Sunny Days Bridport has an Enhanced Service -what an Enhanced Service includes.

Sunny Days Bridport

Type of Service

Opening Schedule

Attendance patterns offered

Minimum attendance

Full days available

Half day sessions offered

Group / Owner

Person in charge

Number of Childcare Staff

Total Places for Children

Age Range

Meals Provided

Meal Types Provided

Consumables provided

Consumables provided include

Opening Times

When Closed

Parking

Funding & Fees

Typical monthly cost for a 3-days place

Defaults shown

How this price scales (per month)

Adjust for your situation

What this price covers

Price without government funding: £1,260 / month (£97 / day)

About this price

Sunny Days Bridport Reviews (2)

Child Vacancies

News (0) & Events (0)

Awards / Recognitions (0)

Accreditations

Meet the Team (7)

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunny Days Bridport

How much does Sunny Days Bridport cost?

What is the Age Range of Children that Sunny Days Bridport accepts?

What Days & Hours is Sunny Days Bridport Open?

How many Children does Sunny Days Bridport have capacity for?

How far is Sunny Days Bridport to the centre of Bridport?