Stanmore

We have specially designed three bright learning rooms with your child’s best interests at heart, each tailored to one of our particular age groups of babies, toddlers and pre-school complete with carefully selected sophisticated resources, facilities and modern technology suited to encourage children’s exploration for plentiful learning opportunities. Each room has direct access to outdoor space allowing the free flow of learning and playing both indoors and out. The Orion and Supernova Room have their own modern style balcony that they can access as they desire and the Milky Way Room has direct access to the earthy and adventurous outdoor gardens.

• Milky Way Room: Under 2 years old

  A warm welcome to the Milky Way Room where we accommodate our babies and pre-toddlers from 6 months onwards. We have created a safe, caring and stimulating play area which is bright and spacious to welcome all our little ones as they move around safely in a clean and caring environment. We operate a strict no outdoor shoes policy in this room. We have also incorporated a separate sleep area so all our babies can get the rest they need in a peaceful and calming atmosphere. The Milky Way Room also features its own milk kitchen which allows the staff to make the babies milk without even leaving the room. We aim to ensure your baby’s care routines are mirrored, by their Key Person, to those you have established at home including feeding, nappy changes and sleep routines, alternatively their Key Person can support and structure your baby’s routine to merge with the Nursery routine. Stanmore 

  Our passionate and caring staff provide an array of activities to stimulate each and every child. Through the use of movement, sound, colour and touch the babies are encouraged to explore, develop, make independent choices and above all feel settled and comfortable in their Nursery environment where a home from home environment is incorporated.

  The daily routine for our younger babies is tailored around their individual needs and abilities to help support their growth and development. All babies are offered opportunities to participate in a variety of activities, planned to create a balance between stimulating discovery play and adult led opportunities such as music and singing, creative and craft play such as painting, sticking and cooking. Opportunities for exploring the outdoors are built into the daily routines with free-flow access to the outdoor play area and regular walks around Stanmore Estate to feed the ducks.

  As the babies develop and begin to explore and gain confidence, they are offered opportunities to participate in a wide range of educational and fun activities that will be planned around play and learning. Free-flow outside play forms a large part of their day where a wide range of toys and play equipment are available helping develop their balance, co-ordination and physical strength. At this age, babies also begin to take in interest in books and nursery rhymes and we have a designated cosy corner to encourage this.

  Group activities are gradually introduced which help develop the babies’ concentration and language skills. For example, the staff offer a bespoke ‘Baby Sensory’ session twice per week in the Milky Way Room, enabling your baby to experience a wide range of new emotions.  We work very closely with you as parents to help and encourage all of these new skills which the babies are learning.

• Orion Room: 2 – 3¼ years old

  A warm welcome to the Orion Room where we accommodate our toddlers. As the transition is made through to the Orion Room, a new key person will be assigned to support your child and continue their learning journey with them. Stanmore childcare

  The Orion Room is a spacious, bright and stimulating environment with unique access to a free-flow outdoor covered balcony area, this is a time of exploration and discovery for your child when we build on their developing physical skills and intellectual abilities. Primarily, the children have free choice as to what to explore, however, we encourage active times for exercise and play and quiet times for calmer, structured activities and speech development. In addition to the free-flow room balcony, children have access to the main garden which is situated on the ground floor.

  Language comprehension develops at an increasing rate at this age and we spend time looking at picture books and reading to children to build their vocabulary and a love of books. We also spend more time learning in groups, including pretend play, to better understand other people’s feelings and to continue to learn how to co-operate with others. The LCD computer screens are used to reinforce learning about phonic letters and sounds using the Ben & Betty Programme. The children are encouraged to participate in ‘Show and Tell’ group activities which are often linked to the ‘special sound’ for that week in order to share personal experiences with their peers. Additionally, during small circle times, the children start to learn the days of the week, months of the year and the weather. As well as participating in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, the children also take part in weekly Science and Botany activities, and learn about Geography and Culture, both forming part of the BLS Learning Programme.

  Children develop at different rates and each child’s progress is individual to them. The Key Person’s role is very important to encourage exploration and self-help, children are encouraged and supported to dress themselves, wash their hands before meals, learn to self-serve their meals and eat using a knife and fork at meal times. When your child is ready, their Key Person will support them with the transition from nappies to toileting. This room is dedicated to promote independence and will allow the children to grow in preparation for the Supernova Pre-school Room. Your child’s Key Person will continue to assess their development by using the 7 Areas of Learning taken from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Each child will have a formal ‘Two-Year-Old Development Check’ to monitor and promote development at the expected developmental rate and to ensure the child’s is meeting their full potential.

  Adults are important role models in children’s early development, therefore we encourage ‘Golden Rules’ including good listening and sharing. Practitioners also model polite language and respect which form part of the fundamental British Values. Praise and encouragement is always given for attempting new skills to build self-esteem and confidence. Stanmore nursery

• Supernova Room: Over 3+ years old

  

  A warm welcome to the Supernova Room where we accommodate our pre-school children aged from approximately 3¼ years to 5 years old. Children move onto this room when they are age and stage ready.

  Our aim is to ensure that ‘School Readiness’ is achieved. The Pre-School Educators ensure the children access a structured programme of learning, which is based on activities in preparation for the transition from Nursery to ‘big’ school. Following the 7 Areas of Learning from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the unique BLS Learning Programme, we use a well-defined programme of rich and varied activities.

  All areas of learning are reflected indoors and outdoors of the learning room featuring: Communication & Language, Physical Development, Personal Social & Emotional Development, Mathematics, Literacy (including phonics, ‘reading’ and mark making/writing), Understanding the World and Expressive Arts & Design. We are also a short walk away from Stanmore Marsh which is an open green space, perfect for promoting gross motor skills and general knowledge and understanding of the world. We encompass a ‘School Day’ within a nursery day. This includes, large group ‘teaching’ sessions, adult-led small group activities and child-initiated learning. We encourage children to make their own choices and use their own initiative; this allows them to channel their creativity. We have a wide range of materials which can be accessed freely, presenting children with the artistic licence to design, create and build their own artefacts. This gives children pride and ownership in their work.

  We continue to support and encourage good table manners, children confidently self-serve their meals and snacks, as well as using a knife and fork at meal times. Meal times are promoted to be a social time and we encourage all children to eat their food and to have opportunities to speak about home experiences. Children are confident to dress themselves and are familiar with toileting in preparation for school. Stanmore nursery

  The children enjoy helping adults in everyday tasks such as preparing the routine and tudying up afterwards. At this stage, the children are becoming more aware of their place in the community. Children’s language is now much more complex therefore we encourage them to join in conversations, learn to use longer sentences and to begin to think about the past, present and future. Literacy and numeracy can develop rapidly with the support of a wide range of resources e.g. Numicon. Jolly Phonics and Read Write Inc. are used to support letter recognition and formation. The children are encouraged to contribute to group times with ‘Show and Tell’ activities, as well as reflecting on their interests, sharing their family life, culture and beliefs.

  The children are taught how to keep themselves safe by completing risk assessments and learning to solve simple problems; in small, supervised groups children are encouraged to partake in Healthy Risk Taking and Challenging Play. Stanmore nursery

  We understand children have an increased interest in joint play, such as make-believe, construction and puzzles, which help to develop comprehension and planning, as well as reinforcing important social skills such as turn-taking and co-operation. We ensure our role-play areas are well equipped and adapted to the children’s interest.

  We strongly believe parent partnerships are vital for a smooth transition to school; therefore, we meet with you regularly to update you on your child’s progress and development.

  With all the above mind and in order to be able to access the learning provided in our pre-school room, we have room entry requirements.

Take a look at around our nursery and see all that we have to offer you and your little one.

At Bright Little Stars Nursery, for your convenience, unlike many other nurseries our fees include an exciting range of extra-curricular clubs, freshly prepared meals and snacks cooked by our on-site chef and milk (excluding formula milk).

We are open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm, 50 weeks per year excluding Bank Holidays for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Our sessions comprise of a choice between part-time or full-time discounted care. Children can be dropped off and/or picked up anytime within their relevant session time. Fees are charged on a monthly basis.

In the best interests of each child, for private care, we ask you to commit to a minimum of 2 full days per week.  This ensures that each child is well settled and is able to participate fully within the curriculum at Nursery.

For further detailed information about our fees or any discounts we are offering please see below or contact our Nursery Manager who will be more than happy to answer any queries you may have.

• Registration, Offers/Discounts and Additional Charges

  Application, Registration and Fees

  A signed and fully completed application form and parent contract together with a non-refundable Registration Fee is required prior to confirmation of a place. Registration does not guarantee a place for the start date / sessions required.

  Offers/Discounts

  Siblings Discount

  To reward our loyal parent partners, we are happy to offer a 10% siblings discount to the eldest child of two children, including twins, attending our Nursery at the same time. For three siblings, we are happy to offer the eldest child a 10% siblings discount and the second child a 5% siblings discount when all three children are attending our Nursery at the same time*.

  Additional Charges

  Please note parents are expected to provide nappies, wipes and formula milk.

  Registration Fee:	£75.00 non-refundable
  Deposit:	2 weeks fees refundable subject to Terms and Conditions
  Late Collection Charge:	£10.00 for every 15 minutes
  Nursery Outings:	As and when they take place

  Swipe left to see all of the table

• Funding, Tax-Free Childcare and Vouchers

  Government Funding

  The Government funds Local Authorities to offer subsidised early education places in settings inspected by Ofsted. We fully participate in offering your child 15 or 30 hours’ funded childcare per week.
  Currently, this will commence the term after your child becomes eligible for funding. Local Authority conditions apply. Extended funding for eligible parents will be rolled out in phases in line with government criteria:

  From April 2024, working parents of children aged 2 will be able to access 15 hours free childcare.

  From September 2024, working parents of children aged 9 months and above will be able to access 15 hours free childcare.

  From September 2025, working parents of children aged 9 months and above will be entitled to 30 hours free childcare per week.

  Funded Early Education entitlement commences the term after they become eligible for funding and are entitled to 570 hours of childcare which is 15 hours per week for 52 weeks a year.  In addition, 3 and 4 year olds of eligible, working parents may also be able to access a further 570 hours of funded childcare; this means 3 and 4 year olds could receive a total of 30 hours funded childcare per week over for 38 weeks a year, providing they meet the government eligibility.

  Bright Little Stars stretches this funding entitlement over the year and adds the cost of providing the many additional services that BLS prides itself on providing for our privately funded sessions. This includes nutritionally balanced meals designed by a qualified nutritionist, extra-curricular clubs, ParentCam, digital access to your child’s online learning journals with real time updates, a home learning platform, qualified teachers leading our pre-school, regular nursery events for children and parents, parent educational workshops with an extensive database of recordings, individualised support for school applications and many other additional services.

  To qualify for the 9 months plus Funding each parent (or the sole parent in a lone parent family) will need to earn, on average, at least the equivalent of 16 hours on the national minimum wage per week and no more than £100,000 per year.  Self- employed parents and parents on zero-hours contracts will be eligible if they meet the average earnings criteria. Families where one parent is not in paid employment (or neither parent works) will usually not be eligible for the additional 15 hours. There are exceptions for parents who are on parental, maternity, paternity, adoption or sick leave. Parents who are studying or in training will not be eligible unless this is combined with paid work which meets the minimum average earnings threshold.

  To find out more please visit the Childcare Choices website.

  Please note:  Whilst we participate in 15 and 30 hours funded entitlement to Early Years Education this does not guarantee the availability of a place.

  Tax-Free Childcare

  All BLS Nurseries are registered and accept payments from Tax-Free Childcare accounts.  Tax-Free Childcare is a more accessible alternative to the Employer Childcare Voucher scheme offering tax efficient savings when paying for your nursery fees. Tax-Free Childcare will be open to all qualifying parents, unlike childcare vouchers which can only be bought by people whose employer offers the scheme.  It is a scheme by which the government will top up a designated childcare bank account by 20p for every 80p deposited, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child per year.  It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure the Tax-Free Childcare payments are set up in line with the terms of the Bright Little Stars Contract.

  Tax-Free Childcare can be used alongside the 15 and 30 hours funded entitlement to Early Years Education and will support families with their childcare costs.

  To find out if you are eligible or for more detailed information and how to register, please visit the Government Childcare Service website.  Please also see the Frequently Asked Questions in our Parent Information for further terms and conditions.

  Childcare Vouchers

  We accept Childcare Vouchers from employers who offer this benefit to their eligible employees as an e-voucher. Vouchers are non-taxable and exempt from NI contributions for employees, whilst offering NI savings for employers. Both parents are eligible to claim as long as they are both in employment.

We are delighted to have been graded ‘Outstanding in All Areas’ by Ofsted in our first inspection at our Nursery.

You are welcome to download a copy of our Ofsted Inspection Report.

Key Highlights:

“All children benefit from attending this caring, nurturing provision, where staff are highly effective at prioritising and meeting children’s individual needs. Staff put the children at the heart of everything that they do.”

“Staff are friendly, welcoming and nurturing as they care for children. The learning environment is warm, inviting and stimulating.”

“Staff have an extremely detailed understanding of child development. This impressive knowledge runs right through the nursery and forms the basis of the wide range of high-quality activities offered to all children. This means that children make exceptional progress.”

“Children communicate their feelings clearly with empathy, allowing them to solve any minor conflicts. For example, when a child doesn’t like the way, their friend is playing with them, they explain this and ask them to stop. This demonstrates that children are confident and have autonomy over they choices and bodies.”

“Children thrive at this nursery and make rapid progress. The manager and staff plan an ambitious and progressive programme of learning.”

“Parents comment very favourably about the nursery and staff. They express their views via discussions with staff and questionnaires. Parents say they have been exceptionally supported throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Staff ensure that every interaction that they have with the children throughout the day supports children to make excellent progress in their communication and language skills.”

“Children show great resilience and determination. They demonstrate expert independence and social skills that will support them when starting school.”

“The manager thoroughly evaluates all aspects of the nursery.  Excellent attention is given to continually improve and develop the very best possible practice.”

“The manager and staff team have a highly comprehensive knowledge of safeguarding.”