Starlings Nursery

Play, choice and growing independence shape Starlings Nursery's approach at Britannia Community Centre in Finchley. Children are encouraged to take part in activities and make decisions for themselves, giving them an active role in their nursery day.

Starlings has capacity for 56 children aged 15 to 60 months. No Ofsted inspection has been published for this setting yet. Its term-time offer includes morning, afternoon and full-day attendance.

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning through play and developing skills for the move to primary school. Activities are planned around children's development, with encouragement to attempt unfamiliar tasks and keep trying when something takes practice. The emphasis is on building independence alongside learning.

Healthy Early Years London is a programme supporting health and wellbeing in early-years settings. Starlings' parent guide explains its coverage of food, movement and emotional wellbeing, connecting nursery learning with habits families can support at home. These are programme themes, rather than a timetable of extra sessions.

Each child has a Keyworker, a member of staff responsible for building a relationship with the child and family, helping with settling and sharing achievements. Care and learning plans are adapted to individual needs, giving this relationship a practical purpose beyond a familiar face.

Tapestry, the online learning journal, brings photographs, observations and comments together in a child's individual record. Parents can contribute their own observations and respond to entries from staff, so experiences at home can become part of the conversation about learning. Email notifications help families follow updates.

The parent resources include guidance on bilingualism, communication needs and toilet training for children with additional needs. These give families material to use alongside conversations with staff.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Britannia Community Centre, 2 Britannia Road, London N12 9RU. Starlings operates during term time and closes for school holidays; opening hours are 7.45am to 4.15pm, Monday to Friday. Morning, afternoon and full-day patterns are offered, with extra hours or sessions by request.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for children aged 18 months to four years. The funding arrangements cover 30 hours for eligible working families, 15 hours for three- and four-year-olds, and 15 hours for eligible two-year-olds whose families receive additional forms of support, each across 38 weeks.

For funded attendance, families supply a packed lunch and any nappies and wipes their child uses; nursery snacks carry a separate charge, or parents can send snacks instead. This gives families a choice about snacks while leaving lunch and those consumables to be organised at home.

• Starting age and settling. The age range begins at 15 months, while funded attendance starts at 18 months. At a show-around, how would the Keyworker organise settling for your child's age and needs?
• Term-time routine. School holidays are closure periods. Families needing care throughout the year will need arrangements for those breaks.
• Food from home. Packed lunches are part of funded attendance, with a choice between separately charged nursery snacks and snacks supplied by parents. Include lunch preparation in the daily routine.

Starlings suits families seeking morning, afternoon or full-day attendance during term time, with play-led learning and an individual Keyworker relationship. Tapestry gives parents a practical way to contribute to their child's learning record. The main planning considerations are holiday cover and food supplied from home.