Little Stars Pre-School & Nursery

Play-led learning in the Upper Hall at St Lukes Church gives Little Stars its character: a community pre-school in St Albans, with children choosing activities alongside adult-led group learning. The church is its venue; the nursery has no religious affiliation. That distinction matters for families choosing a setting on its approach rather than its surroundings.

Ofsted rated Little Stars Outstanding at its June 2021 inspection. This is a dated judgement, rather than a description of today's practice. The nursery has capacity for 40 children, while its current offer is for children aged two to four.

Attendance follows the school terms, with morning and afternoon bookings rather than an all-year timetable. For families whose childcare needs fit that calendar, the choice of sessions is a useful practical starting point.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides the children's learning through play, with opportunities to build independence, develop interests and practise social skills. Alongside it, the Little Stars Curriculum combines activities chosen by children with group learning led by adults. Children therefore have scope to pursue their own ideas as well as take part in shared learning.

The balance matters more than the curriculum's name. Free choice gives children a part in deciding what they do; adult-led learning brings another structure to the day. The stated educational aims include imagination, enquiry and growing confidence, with individual targets used to guide learning. These are aims for the provision, rather than inspection findings about its results.

Clear expectations and adults modelling behaviour are also part of the nursery's educational aims. The emphasis is on helping children develop everyday skills alongside their learning. For families, this makes expectations about behaviour a useful part of understanding the play-led approach.

Preparation for primary school includes developing social skills and earlier learning. For a child beginning to spend time away from home, making friends and becoming more independent are part of that preparation, alongside the learning itself.

Settling begins with a gentle transition from home, followed by learning opportunities shaped around children's interests once they feel settled. This puts adjustment before educational expectations. Partnership with parents is part of the approach, with families and local advisers involved in understanding children's needs.

A SENCO lead and an assistant SENCO are identified within the staffing structure. These roles give inclusion a specific point of responsibility, rather than leaving it solely as a general aim. The nursery also sets out an intention to accommodate individual needs and to listen to parents, children and other professionals.

Operation Encompass adds a concrete safeguarding arrangement. Following police attendance at an incident of domestic abuse, the nursery receives notification before the next school day if the child was there or normally lives at the address. Information is shared securely with its Designated Safeguarding Lead. Information is handled confidentially and shared only with those who need it, helping staff respond sensitively to a child's emotional needs. Participation describes an arrangement; it is not a fresh judgement of safeguarding effectiveness.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is St Luke’s Church, 46 Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 5QJ. Opening hours run from 8:50am until 3:10pm on weekdays during term time.

Morning sessions run from 8:50am to 11:50am. The afternoon booking runs from 11:50am to 3:10pm and includes lunch club. A combination of mornings and afternoons is possible subject to session availability. This is a session-based offer whose timetable needs to fit the family's week, including the term-time calendar.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by telephone on 07824 774102 or by email at info@littlestarspreschoolnursery.co.uk. Applications include preferred days and session times.

Funding and Paid Extras

Little Stars accepts 15 hours funding and 30 hours funding, with attendance delivered during term time. Its offer includes two-year-old funding, funding for working families with two-year-olds, and universal funding for three- and four-year-olds. The universal entitlement starts in the term after a child's third birthday; eligibility conditions apply to the other schemes.

Private-paying sessions are also offered before a child becomes eligible for funding. Families can receive help with funding applications, and the relevant eligibility code is needed for the nursery to claim under the two-year-old and 30-hour schemes.

• Term-time fit. Weekday morning and afternoon sessions follow the term-time calendar. Consider how that pattern fits work commitments and school holidays.
• Settling and play. A gentle move from home and a balance of child choice and adult-led learning shape the approach. During a visit, discuss how those arrangements would work for your child's interests and confidence.
• Lunch club and costs. Lunch club forms part of the afternoon booking. What would the written quotation include for food and non-food consumables across your chosen funded or private sessions?

Little Stars suits families seeking term-time morning sessions, afternoon sessions or a combination of both for a two- to four-year-old. Its play-led curriculum, parent partnership and clearly identified inclusion roles give the offer substance. The Outstanding judgement belongs to June 2021; the present decision rests on whether this community pre-school's approach and session pattern fit your child and family.