Shooting Stars Nurseries at Hinckley

Separate sensory and soft play rooms, gardens for younger and older children, and an allotment give Shooting Stars Nurseries at Hinckley a recognisable physical character. This Mount Road setting cares for children from 3 months to 5 years and has 89 places in total. Its appeal is the combination of spaces for active exploration and an age-based progression through four base rooms.

At its 27 January 2026 inspection, Ofsted gave children's welfare and wellbeing and inclusion Strong standard judgements, with Expected standard judgements for achievement, behaviour and routines, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance; safeguarding standards were met. That is a differentiated assessment rather than a single overall grade. The teaching concern matters: in January 2026, some practitioners were less effective at extending play into further learning, and leaders had planned support to address the inconsistency.

Morning, afternoon and full-day bookings serve different attendance needs.

Rooms and Ages

Four base rooms divide the nursery into babies, toddlers, pre-school 1 and pre-school 2. Equipment and resources are selected for each developmental stage, so the progression is about changing play needs as children grow. The whole-setting capacity of 89 should be understood separately from the size of any individual room.

Sensory & Soft Play Rooms provide additional places for planned activities beyond those base rooms. That gives children different settings in which to play, rather than making their main room the sole indoor space for the day. Bright, spacious rooms are another practical part of the offer, alongside equipment for physical development.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the required framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, that means play and adult interaction support communication, physical development, relationships and the foundations of later learning. It is the educational floor for the setting, rather than an extra programme.

In January 2026, children's interests helped shape activities: an interest in space became an opportunity to explore planets. Books also provided material for conversation, with older children discussing Stick Man and explaining the story. These examples show learning moving between children's own curiosity and adult-supported discussion.

Number learning was woven into ordinary activity. In January 2026, babies heard counting songs, while older children used numbered stair steps to practise recognising and counting numbers. During shared reading, practitioners asked children to predict what might happen next. Neither example requires a formal lesson to make the learning purposeful.

The limitation was how consistently adults developed those opportunities. In January 2026, sand play was not always supported in ways that matched the different ages and abilities sharing a room. Leaders' next step was to strengthen teaching across the staff team. For parents, the useful distinction is between having appealing resources and using them well: both matter.

Outdoor and Community Life

The front garden serves the Under Twos, with grass, a mud kitchen, a sand pit, trikes and construction materials. These offer different ways to move, investigate textures and build. For the Over Twos, the rear garden combines grass with a paved trike track, a forest area, another mud kitchen, a sandpit, an allotment area and a climbing structure.

Outdoor play takes place in different weather conditions.

In January 2026, all-weather clothing helped children use the garden throughout the day. Babies practised moving over ramps with adult help, while older children combined sand and water to build a pretend wall together. The latter brought physical exploration and turn-taking into the same activity. Proximity to Hinckley town centre also supports planned educational outings.

Relationships and Communication

At the January 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that the key-person arrangements responded closely to individual children, babies sought comfort from familiar staff, and SEND support included professional input, reviewed targets and prompt adaptations. This is the strongest part of the assessment for families weighing care alongside learning.

In January 2026, staff responded to babies' changing needs for food, rest or a different activity. For older children, stories and puppets helped them find words for emotions. These are concrete ways of making care responsive: recognising a baby's signals and helping a toddler express feelings require different approaches.

Communication has several routes. Parents can talk with the management and staff team about development, care needs and interests at home, while eyLog supports communication between nursery and family. Sharing what has caught a child's attention outside nursery helps connect the two parts of their day.

NurseryCam provides parents with encrypted access to images of their child during attendance. Viewing is restricted to the rooms the child uses within their booked sessions. It offers a glimpse of nursery activity alongside conversations with staff; its practical value is visibility, rather than an inspection judgement about care.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In January 2026, external professionals contributed to plans for children with SEND, and targets were revisited to guide support. Additional funding supported staff development and resources, including speech and language work and music therapy. These are specific mechanisms for responding to children's needs, rather than a general promise of support.

Growing independence was part of daily routines in January 2026. Children practised putting on outdoor clothing, pouring drinks and serving food, while older toddlers and preschool children helped prepare and clear tables. Such tasks connect physical skills with taking responsibility for small parts of the day and are relevant to becoming more independent before school.

An onsite cook prepares the meals, with menus reviewed regularly. In January 2026, conversations about food helped children understand healthy eating, making mealtimes an opportunity for learning as well as care.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 25 Mount Road, Hinckley, LE10 1AD. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and the nursery operates throughout the year except on Bank Holidays.

Morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm; a 7.30am morning start must be booked ahead and carries an additional charge. Afternoon sessions run from 1pm to 6pm, while the full day is 7.30am to 6pm. Collection at 6.30pm is also offered for an additional fee.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01455 233636 or by email to hinckley@myshootingstars.com. A car park behind the building provides parking for collection and drop-off.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery accepts Government funded hours of 15 or 30 hours, subject to eligibility, as well as Tax Free Childcare. Private childcare is also offered through the morning, afternoon and full-day bookings. Families should obtain a current written quotation for their chosen pattern.

Food within funded sessions is charged separately: the morning food charge covers breakfast, the morning snack and lunch, while the afternoon charge covers afternoon tea.

Reserving a place requires a booking fee and a refundable deposit. Fees are spread across equal monthly payments and paid in advance; Bank Holidays and children's absences are charged at the normal rate.

• Consistency of teaching. In January 2026, adults did not always extend learning effectively for different ages and abilities. During a visit, ask how the planned staff support has changed everyday teaching, especially when children share an activity.
• Gardens and additional rooms. Under Twos and Over Twos use different gardens, with sensory and soft play rooms adding indoor options. A tour is an opportunity to discuss how your child's base room uses these spaces during a normal day.
• Funded bookings and extras. Food is charged separately within funded sessions, and reserving a place involves a booking fee and refundable deposit. Ask what your proposed funded booking would include across the year, including non-food supplies.
• Paying through closures and absence. Bank Holidays and children's absences remain chargeable at normal rates. Compare the written quotation with your actual attendance needs, rather than considering session prices alone.

Shooting Stars Nurseries at Hinckley suits families choosing between morning sessions, afternoon sessions and full-day attendance who value varied indoor spaces and outdoor play tailored to younger and older children. Onsite food preparation adds practical value.

The January 2026 assessment provides a balanced reason to consider it: welfare and inclusion were stronger than the other assessed areas, while teaching consistency needed attention. For families, that makes the quality of everyday adult interaction the decisive point to explore alongside the building and booking options.