North Star Preschool

A large garden is the defining feature at this Chiswick preschool. Children can run, dig, sow and plant, while regular music, cookery, drama and movement give the week a practical, creative rhythm. It is a sessional setting with capacity for 27 children at The Scout Hut on Oxford Road North.

Ofsted rated North Star Preschool Good in September 2022, finding that children settled quickly, built secure relationships with staff and developed independence through everyday routines. Since these observations are now four years old, families should treat them as a useful dated picture rather than a description of today's team.

The published timetable is unusually clear: morning, afternoon, long-morning and full-day patterns run within a 9.15am to 3.15pm weekday window.

Learning and Named Experiences

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the curriculum. In practical terms, staff plan play from each child's interests and development, covering communication, physical and personal development alongside literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts.

The programme has real variety. Regular music sessions sit alongside cookery classes, reading and mathematics groups, art workshops, dancing, drama, movement, sport and team games. Science focuses on investigating how things work, the natural world and minibeasts; drama includes building workshops, theatre shows and story sacks.

In September 2022, children were seen making choices and managing their bowls and cutlery independently. Play dough became sustained investigative play with colours, textures, rolling pins, cutters and baking trays. These examples show how ordinary materials were used to build concentration, fine-motor control and imagination.

Outdoor Life

The large garden is more than extra running space. The setting publishes opportunities to dig, sow and plant, linking physical play with care for the natural world. In September 2022, children balanced across beams and tree stumps, investigated worms and worked out which tools could move harder soil.

One weakness was identified: some outdoor equipment was wet and dirty because garden checks were not consistently thorough. Current garden-check routines are an important point for a visit.

In September 2022, key-person relationships were a strength. Staff knew children well, planned next steps from their interests and used small-group language games for children needing extra help. Children with special educational needs or disabilities received tailored experiences, while children learning English were supported through responsive games and careful listening.

Daily routines encouraged responsibility. Children cleared tables after snacks and responded to a music cue by dancing and tidying. Staff also drew on the cultures represented among attending families through food, music, dance and language, giving children's home experiences a place in the curriculum.

Safeguarding arrangements were effective in September 2022. Staff understood signs of abuse, reporting routes and concerns about colleagues, and the premises were secure. Families can use a visit to understand current safeguarding leadership and staff training.

Sessions and Attendance

North Star publishes four patterns from Monday to Friday. Morning sessions run 9.15am to 12.15pm, afternoons 12.15pm to 3.15pm, long mornings 9.15am to 2.15pm, and full days 9.15am to 3.15pm. In 2022, the preschool was term-time only; families should confirm the current term dates directly.

Getting There

The address is The Scout Hut, Oxford Road North, London W4 4DH. The preschool describes itself as close to Gunnersbury station and the Great West Road. Families who drive will need to establish the practical drop-off arrangements.

Funding and Paid Extras

The fees page publishes 15-hour and 30-hour funded provision for eligible children, alongside paid morning, afternoon, long-morning and full-day sessions and an extra-hour category. Eligibility depends on the relevant government scheme. A current written quotation should explain how funded hours are scheduled.

• Dated quality picture. The Good judgement and detailed practice evidence come from September 2022. Current leadership, staffing and routines may have changed since then.
• Garden preparation. A 2022 improvement point asked the provider to maintain and check garden equipment so it was ready for use. The present team should be able to explain its checking routine.
• Sessional timetable. Care ends at 3.15pm and the setting was described as term-time only in 2022. This will not fit families needing early starts, late collection or year-round provision.

North Star Preschool suits families seeking a focused preschool day rather than extended childcare. Its garden, planting, minibeast exploration, music and cookery give children plenty to do with their hands and bodies, while the September 2022 evidence described secure relationships, purposeful language support and growing independence.

Morning and afternoon sessions create part-day flexibility, while long mornings and full days cover a larger portion of the working day. The trade-off is the short, term-time timetable and a dated quality picture that families should test through direct questions. For families whose schedule fits, the outdoor emphasis and concrete creative programme make this a setting worth a careful visit.