Shining Stars Day Nursery

A section for under-twos within the toddler room, a separate preschool room and outings into Wainfleet give Shining Stars Day Nursery a recognisable shape. Based at Wainfleet Children's Centre on Magdalen Road, it has capacity for 46 children, with a current age range from birth to five. Its appeal centres on learning through play and contact with the surrounding town.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 10 May 2023 inspection, with an improvement needed in keeping every child involved during activities led by adults. That balance matters: there were purposeful learning experiences, but participation was uneven in some organised activities. The nursery opens on weekdays across 51 weeks of the year.

Rooms and Ages

Two learning rooms divide the provision: the toddler room contains a separate area for under-twos, while the preschool room accommodates children over three. For younger children, the important physical detail is that their space sits within the toddler room. Families considering baby care can explore how that arrangement works alongside the older children.

Comfortable surroundings, toys and learning resources support play, exploration and creative thinking. The room layout gives families a concrete starting point for understanding the day, rather than treating all early-years ages as one undifferentiated group.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care: in everyday language, play and daily routines are opportunities to develop communication, physical skills and independence. Shining Stars builds its day around active exploration and learning through play.

In May 2023, babies explored sand through their senses, toddlers practised handling small objects by threading cereal onto spaghetti, and preschool children experimented with water and a chute to change how quickly balls travelled. These examples show different kinds of learning at different stages. The water activity also gave older children a practical problem to investigate, with adults encouraging them to work out what happened.

A project begun in June 2022 brought Animal Encounters into the curriculum through butterflies, hatching chicks and visits from baby lambs. Children helped care for the chicks, which later went to homes in the local community. This was a concrete experience of looking after living things, rather than learning about animals solely through toys or pictures. It is a past project, rather than a recurring timetable promise.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outings into Wainfleet extend children's experiences beyond the nursery. In May 2023, visits included the village library and church, introducing children to places and people outside their home and childcare setting.

At that time, outdoor climbing and sliding gave toddlers and preschool children opportunities to practise balance and coordination. Staff also helped babies take steps with support before trying independently. Physical learning therefore included both the youngest children's emerging movement and older children's more demanding outdoor play.

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described SEND support that connected families with other agencies and used additional funding for more individual teaching. These are dated findings, with practical mechanisms behind them: a special educational needs coordinator identified children needing help, and support could include teaching tailored more closely to an individual child.

In May 2023, staff checked sleeping babies regularly and followed safer sleep guidance. Their everyday care also encouraged children to attempt manageable tasks themselves, including putting on shoes, with help offered when needed. For parents, that makes independence a matter of patient practice within ordinary routines.

Social learning appeared in small actions: toddlers passed toys to babies and preschool children brought cups for friends at mealtimes. Staff reinforced sharing and hygiene, including handwashing after using the bathroom or blowing noses. Working relationships with parents supported consistency between home and nursery care at that time.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Wainfleet Children's Centre, Magdalen Road, Wainfleet, PE24 4DD. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks annually; closures include bank holidays and a week at Christmas.

Funded sessions run from 8.30am to 11.30am and from 11.45am to 2.45pm. An all-day session runs from 8.45am to 2.45pm, with hourly wraparound charged separately. The distinction matters for planning work and childcare: the funded booking windows sit inside the longer opening day.

Enquiries can be made on 01754 881606, by email to wainfleet@childrenslinks.org.uk or through the nursery's contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, and lunch carries a separate charge. Hourly wraparound provides an additional paid attendance option alongside the funded sessions. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

In May 2023, the nursery provided funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. That dated age-based position should be distinguished from the current session windows when planning a family's funded attendance.

• Activities led by adults. In May 2023, some children lost interest during organised activities. On a visit, ask how staff adapt these sessions so children with different interests and stages remain involved.
• The youngest children's space. Under-twos have a separate section within the toddler room. Explore how play, quieter care and movement between age groups work within that shared room.
• Funded attendance and extras. The morning, afternoon and all-day funded windows differ from the nursery's opening hours, and lunch and hourly wraparound are charged separately. Ask for one written quotation covering your intended pattern and what you should provide from home.

Shining Stars suits families seeking morning or afternoon funded sessions, an all-day funded pattern or additional hourly wraparound in Wainfleet. Its two-room arrangement and town outings give the offer a clear practical identity, while the animal project illustrates how real experiences have supported learning.

The May 2023 Good judgement provides a dated quality benchmark. Keeping all children engaged in organised activities remains the specific point for families to explore, alongside how the under-two section works for their child.