Little Stars Nursery
Address
58 Allen Road, London,
T: 020 7254 4367,
M: 07572033746
E: littlestarsnurseryn16@gmail.com
Company reg number: 10096939
Registration
When Can I apply for a nursery space for my child at Little Stars Nursery?
Please fill in our registration form as soon as you know the exact DOB and the name of your baby.
What documents or information are required for registration?
After confirming your child's enrolment, we will require a copy of their birth certificate.
If your child is eligible for funded hours, we will need your National Insurance Number (NIN) to check government hours eligibility.
Are there any fees associated with registration or securing a place at the nursery?
Please note that a non-refundable registration fee of £75 will be applicable once the nursery space is offered and confirmed.
No fee for registration and enrolment if we can't offer a place.
During the enrollment process, a two-week deposit is required, which will be applied to the last invoice.
The deposit will not be refunded if the space is not taken or if a six-week written notice is not provided to the manager.
Do you have any specific enrollment periods or deadlines that we should be aware of?
It's important to note that your registration form will be added to our waiting list once we receive it. To ensure a spot on the list, please submit your form as soon as possible.
When is it possible for me to visit the nursery?
After receiving your registration form, we will contact you to confirm your visit date.
Please be informed that we will schedule your visit within 8 months before your child's starting date, which you provided in the registration form.
Our visiting hours are from Monday to Friday at 10 am and 3:30 pm.
Please ensure that you schedule your visit with the manager in advance.
Settling In
Can you explain how the settling-in process works for the child?
Our nursery has a policy of allowing the child to attend with their parent for a week. Our experienced and friendly early years educators provide a warm and welcoming home-from-home environment for the child to settle in easily and get used to their new surroundings. We'd like to encourage you to take a look at our settling-in policy for more information.
We are working parents, so when should we remain available for the settle-in period?
Until your child feels comfortable with us, it is always more manageable for the child to stay in their new environment if it had previous experience separating from the parents ( for example, the child is cared for by grandparents or family friends).
Stay-and-play sessions are beneficial too.
Is there a fixed staff assigned to the child in the beginning?
Each child in our setting is assigned a designated Early Years Educator (EYE) who will be responsible for their care and development. The EYE will keep parents informed on a daily basis through our online system, Baby Days, which provides updates on the child's meals, sleep, nappies, and activities. In addition, the EYE will also prepare termly reports and observations and track the child's development.
Accidents and medication forms are also filled out and sent to parents online.
Staff & Children
What is the teacher-to-child ratio?
At our facility, we strictly adhere to the Statutory Framework guidelines for child-to-adult ratios. For children below the age of 2, we maintain a ratio of 1 adult per 3 children. For 2-year-olds, the ratio is 1 adult per 5 children. The ratio for children aged 3 and above is 1 adult per 8 children.
Since our setting is quite small and we can only accommodate 11 children per session, the child-to-adult ratio is always higher than the recommended guidelines..
Our child will be 18 months in Jan; which stage/room (baby/toddler) will he be included in?
Our nursery firmly believes in the Maria Montessori approach to education, which emphasizes that children in all age groups learn more effectively by interacting with each other. We have a single-floor setup where all children spend time together, allowing them to learn from each other. You can check out our social media pages on Instagram and Facebook for a video tour of our nursery.
What is the total number of children and staff working at the nursery?
We are a team of three full-time Early Years educators. Our maximum daily capacity is 11 children.
Food and Sleep
Is there a sample menu that we can look at?
The menu can be customized to cater to children's dietary requirements and preferences.
Our child is vegetarian (eats dairy and eggs but no fish and meat). Does the menu cater to that?
We can tailor the menu according to the child's needs and dietary requirements. Our nursery has been a part of Eat Better Start Better program by the local authority since 2013. We collaborate closely with professionals to ensure that children get a healthy start in our facility. Please check out the links below for additional information on the Hackney programs that Little Stars Nursery looks forward to.
BEST START WITH HENRY
https://www.hackneylocaloffer.co.uk/kb5/hackney/localoffer/service.page?id=9U3kdH9ZPHM
PHYSICAL LITERACY
https://www.hackneyservicesforschools.co.uk/extranet/physical-literacy-hackney
ORAL HEALTH PROMOTION IN EARLY YEARS
Could you please let me know the feeding schedule for the kids?
We serve breakfast from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m., a morning snack at 10:00 a.m., lunch at noon, tea at 3:00 p.m., and a light snack at 4:00 p.m.
Our child is not a completely independent eater yet; how will that work out?
At our establishment, children are always supervised while eating, and we provide them with child-sized spoons, forks, and knives to encourage them to eat their food. We also help the little ones feed and encourage them to hold their cutlery properly if necessary.
Is it allowed for children to bring their own snacks?
We provide all snacks and food, ensuring they are allergen-free.
Where do the children sleep?
Sleeping mats and blankets are provided for your use.
Our child needs assistance falling asleep without rocking, just a pat on the back.
We ensure that there is always a staff member present when children are put to sleep and while they are sleeping. During nap time, we provide children with cuddles and gentle patting on the back if that's what they are used to. This helps to calm and soothe them.
We take advantage of this time to rest ourselves and recharge after a busy morning. We also use this opportunity to catch up on our observations, assessments, and daily dairies. The lights are turned off, and we play lullabies from Alexa to create a calming environment for the children. And we play lullabies from Alexa to create a calming environment for the children.
At what time do children typically go to bed?
If younger children need a morning nap, we will take them for a walk at 10 a.m. All children nap after lunch.
Nappy change and Toilet Training
Can you help us with potty training our child? We plan to start soon, but they are not trained yet.
When a child is ready, we offer potty training with parental support.
Will the nursery be providing nappies?
We provide various services to ensure your child is well taken care of. Our services include the provision of nappies, wipes, sun cream, and meals (excluding baby formula). We also provide nursery resources, small yoga sessions, outdoor sports, and dance classes for children. We take children to local parks, coffee shops, pet shops, farms and various London attractions on a daily basis. Children also have access to outdoor nursery space when it is needed and required by them. Additionally, we conduct small language groups during circle time, using basic Makaton to help children better communicate with each other.
Daily Handover
On an average day, what activities take place from the moment of drop off to pick up?
This includes the morning playtime.
Our daily routine begins by greeting each other and singing songs after everyone arrives. Children are given the opportunity to share their experiences and feelings, and we may have a 10-minute yoga or dance/sport session. We always consider each child's interests and needs to provide them with appropriate activities and resources, making each day more exciting than the last. Our children are mostly active and enjoy outdoor activities, so we often spend time outside after morning and afternoon snacks. During wet weather, we remain on the nursery grounds and ask parents to provide their children with wellies and waterproof overalls for the garden. Our term themes inspire creative activities like painting, drawing, and sticking. Children also have access to water, sand, and messy play.
We provide a healthy lunch at 12 p.m. Children who have outgrown their afternoon naps can rest or have quiet time while others nap in the afternoon. We offer tea at 3 p.m. and walk to the local parks or playground. At 5 p.m., we provide tea, followed by a story and home time before 6 p.m.
Do parents receive a daily report summarising what their children ate, how long they slept, and other relevant information?
We regularly upload photos of children's activities to their online journals, including assessments of their development. Parents have access to their child's profile at all times, and we encourage them to share their child's experiences from home with us as it is a lovely way to engage with their child's time at the nursery.
We also post daily updates of the children's activities on our social media pages, including Instagram, Facebook, and Google. However, we never upload pictures of a child's face without parental permission. You can find more details by checking our social media page with the username @littlestarsn16.
Finally, we provide children's reports twice a year and discuss them with parents before or during the summer holidays and before Christmas break.
Can you assist with school transitions?
Yes, we offer a wide range of engaging and enjoyable activities for children before they begin their schooling journey. Once we know which school a child will attend, we contact the school to schedule a visit and email the child's end-of-nursery report to their new teacher.
Flexibility
What will be done if a child is ill and cannot attend?
Our policy states that the child must remain at home with their parents until they are well enough to return to the nursery. If you have any questions about our sick child policy, please email me. In addition, I would like to share a government website that provides guidelines for nurseries and schools on infection control.
We have a duty of care to protect other children and staff from catching illnesses and viruses from children who are not well.
Guidelines on infection control at school
Is it possible to exchange the days we skipped for another day?
Please note that we do not allow for session swapping or make-up sessions for missed sessions. Additionally, fees still apply even if a child is absent due to illness or is on holiday during nursery closures. These closures include a 2-week closure during Christmas, bank holidays, 3 days per year for our Inset day, and any unforeseen closures mandated by the government or emergencies.
Payment & Fee
Could you clarify if the fee listed on the website includes taxes?
There are no additional fees or taxes added. Prices on the website are actual monthly fees.
To help you to pay for nursery fees, you can use the government child Tax-free scheme.
Please check the link for more details and eligibility.
Sustainability Fees apply for children in place of government funding.
Do you allow additional days on an ad-hoc basis?
We do offer childcare services, but it is subject to availability. To ensure that the required staff-to-child ratio is maintained, it is necessary to book in advance. The charges for a full day are currently £98, and all fees must be paid in advance. Please take a look at our fees and admission policy for further details.
Founded government hours.
Please check the link below regarding funding changes.
https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
If you need more information regarding how our setting provides funded hours, please reach out to us directly.