About Bright Little Stars

    • Our Ethos

      Since opening our first setting in 2013, we have successfully expanded to six nurseries. Our sincere desire is to provide children with exceptional care and levels of teaching that supports each child to reach their own individual potential.

      • We respect children as individuals and encourage them to follow our ethos of truth, love and compassion. We would like every child to have self-belief, a strong sense of self and independence.
      • We believe that the development of children through creative play, learning and teaching is essential. The EYFS Statutory Framework sets the foundation of our curriculum and our unique Bright Little Stars Learning Programme aims to challenge and motivate young children’s thinking.
      • We provide a wide range of high quality educational equipment, materials and activities, both indoors and outdoors and all rooms have direct access to outdoor space.
      • Children are provided with balanced healthy meals freshly prepared onsite and planned by a Qualified Nutritionist.
      • We continually work in partnership with families from the outset with settling in sessions prior to a child starting at nursery. We support families with the developmental needs of their children, both at the nursery and at home, and encourage active involvement in nursery life. Furthermore, we implement regular progress meetings with a child’s Key Person, workshops, involvement sessions, an online Parent Area and Parent App.
      • We advocate a wide spectrum of extra-curricular clubs at no extra cost so that all children have equal learning opportunities. Your future school choices are supported by us having relationships with local schools.
      • We are committed to ensuring your child is as ‘school ready’ as possible, whilst recognising that each child develops as an individual. We will achieve this by working closely with parents on areas such as personal and social skills, speaking listening and communication and independence. Our Head of Teaching plans learning based on school expectations and supports parents in their individual school choices also.
      • We believe that by investing in our staff we will continue to build a committed, effective and motivated team. We upskill during inset days, conferences and ongoing staff training whilst keeping staff up to date with current research, Early Years and education trends; this enables them to implement the very best practice.

    • Opening Times

      We are open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm, 50 weeks per year excluding Bank Holidays for children aged 6 months to 5 years.

      Our sessions comprise of a choice between part-time or full-time discounted care.

      Morning sessions run from 8:00am to 1:00pm.

      Afternoon sessions are from 1:00pm to 6:00pm.

      Children can be dropped off and/or picked up anytime within their relevant session time; within our Supernova Learning Room we do aim to begin our ‘Teaching Time’ at around 9:00am.

    • Safety & Security

      bright 47The safety and security of your child is as paramount to us as it is to you. We have installed a full security system using the latest CCTV and a secure entry/exit system with direct links to the emergency services to ensure the safety and security of all children in our care. Our premises are secure, we operate fingerprint I.D. access at all our Nurseries to help ensure only parents or authorised individuals enter. We ask for file photos of anyone with permission to collect a child and photo identification will be requested before a child can be signed out of the Nursery.

      We keep our records up-to-date so we are always able to contact parents or their alternative designated contact in an emergency. We insist all our staff undergo the highest level of rigorous safer recruitment and DBS checks when they join our team. Our staff are trained in vital security procedures, first aid and emergencies and this is maintained through regular training.  All visitors are required to sign-in and out at reception.

    • Our Learning Programme

      parent-curriculum

      At Bright Little Stars we recognise that children’s all round growth and development requires the careful construction of a learning programme and environment which fulfils the needs of the ‘whole child’.

      The foundation of our curriculum has been set by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework. Our unique Learning Programme aims to challenge children’s thinking and allows children to reach their full potential.

      The Bright Little Stars Learning Programme incorporates Mathematics, Literacy, Science and Outdoor Exploration, Culture and Geography, ICT, Young Mindfulness and an exciting range of Extra-Curricular Clubs.

      We begin by nurturing babies, teaching them to learn through their senses, explore and provide them with independent access to resources. This enables babies to gain confidence, independence and a sense of themselves allowing them to become self-motivated to learn.

      We move on to promoting courteous social skills for toddlers, reinforcing positive behaviours and supporting them to understand their feelings and communicate their needs.

      Children are later prepared for school through a more adult led style of teaching.

    • Partnership with Parents

      Bright Little Stars Nursery endeavours to continually work in partnership with parents and carers and sees them as the child’s first and most enduring educators. It is known that what parents do at home with young children has the greatest impact on a child’s social, emotional and intellectual development.

      Settling Sessions

      Once a child has a place confirmed at Bright Little Stars, settling sessions will be arranged to ensure that each child feels support the smooth transition into nursery life prior to starting nursery. Three settling sessions are required, typically the week before the official start date.

      To enable us to focus the nursery experiences around your child as an individual when settling or transitioning to another room parents are required to share valuable information about their child, for example, what is special to them, favourite activities and personal needs, including medical, feeding and sleep patterns.

      Parent Educational Programme

      Our extensive complimentary monthly workshop program supports parents in meeting all the needs of their children and provides a complete holistic approach to benefit their family’s well-being. The program is complimentary and includes a variety of internal and external highly trained speakers and professionals. As a parent you will have the opportunity to attend interactive workshops which include specialist Paediatric First Aid, Mindful Parenting, Nutrition, Sleep, Schools Information and Applications, School Ready?, Mathematics, Phonics and Home Learning. For further information, please click here.

      Partnership Opportunities

      We are excited to be able to hold regular Parent Involvement sessions.  The events provide valuable insight into the ongoing development of the Nurseries, suggesting new ideas to ensure we maintain high quality standards, for example our pedestrian crossing at our nursery in Mill Hill and Complimentary Parent Paediatric First Aid across the group.

      In addition to these clubs there are further opportunities for involvement such as: Stay and Play groups to support separation anxiety, Annual Festive Events, Graduation for our Supernova children, Grandparents’ Tea, Fundraising Events and more.

      Learning Journey and EyLog Parent App

      Bright Little Stars are committed to creating a strong partnership with parents. The EyLog Parent App enables the nursery and parents to communicate with one another easily and efficiently while providing a range of useful features.

      Learning Journey: Regular observations and pictures of your child and their progress.

      Observations: The opportunity for parents to share observations/ pictures of their children in their home environment.

      Daily Diary: Information regarding your child’s food intake, nappies, sleep and milk feeds. This information is sent out each day at the end of your child’s session. Please use the Daily Diary comments section to communicate directly with your child’s base room.

      Invoices: All invoices are sent through the Parent App

      Messages: Correspondence from the nursery will be sent here once your child starts (not via email)Please use the messages function to contact the senior leadership team (the manager, deputies, and administrator) if required.

      Bookings: This page allows you to see your child’s schedule and request an extra (one-off) session (this is based on room availability that day)

      Resources/ Documents: Important Diary Dates including our parent involvement sessions and nursery closures. Extra-Curricular Timetable Frequently used policies including medicine, exclusion periods for illnesses and babysitting Information about uniform Menus Reminder of the Parent Area password

      Parent Portal

      We are delighted to be offering the services of a Parent Portal, via a smart phone or web log in, which allows you to see a timeline of your child’s activities and learning journey with us in real time, account balances, a diary of all sessions booked (both permanent and extra sessions) and the ability to update any important information for your child such as allergies, medication, illnesses, permissions and contact details.

      Parent Area

      We enjoy sharing our children’s activities and learning. Please visit our Parent Area for the latest nursery news and events. This area is only for current parents/guardians and is password protected for security.

      The information contained within the Parent Area includes: Home Learning which offers an array of day-to-day activity suggestions for you to continue supporting your child’s learning at home along with handy tips for frequently asked questions, key Policies and procedures which can be downloaded for future reference and service providers for information on the key organisations we use to enhance and support the services we offer at Bright Little Stars.

      Parent Consultations

      Parent consultations are held regularly, for you to meet with your child’s key staff and to discuss your child’s development in more detail.

      Parent Feedback

      We value your feedback on how the nursery is performing and your child’s progress; we operate an open-door policy on a daily basis for general comments and suggestions as well as issuing a formal Annual Parent Survey.  In addition, we welcome parents to leave online reviews – guidance of how to do this can be found in the secure Parent Area.

    • ParentCam

      Bright Little Stars Nursery Parent partnership 3We have installed ParentCam to provide parents with children enrolled at the setting the opportunity to ‘drop in’ via a secure webcam facility. This allows you to stay closer to your child, see for yourself how happy your child is at Nursery and to be more involved in your child’s daily activities.

  • At Bright Little Stars Nursery, children come first. We pride ourselves in having a high quality team who are dedicated, committed and work together to provide a warm, welcoming, safe and stimulating environment. All our staff are recruited based on their qualifications, experience and commitment to the children in their care. We take the responsibility of keeping our children safe very seriously and we adhere to the CWDC’s Safer Recruitment guidelines every time we recruit a new member to join our team.

    All those who work with young children will have passed an enhanced DBS check as the safeguarding of all children is very stringent within our setting. Staff undergo an induction period and regularly attend courses provided internally and externally by local authority and by Early Years Teams as well as internal training through Early Years Consultants. This helps them to develop knowledge and skills and to facilitate their career progression as well as keeping up to date with childcare changes. All our staff receive training in Safeguarding and Child Protection, First Aid, Food Hygiene, Behaviour Management and Risk Assessment.

    Our staff team comprises of Directors, Nursery Managers, Deputy Managers, Qualified Teachers, Room Leaders, Senior Nursery Educators, Nursery Educators, Nursery Assistants, Lunch-Time Cover Assistants, Apprentices, as well as general support staff including a Nursery Administrator, On-Site Chef and Cleaners. For more detailed information, please see our Staff Team Board in our Nursery Reception.

    • Support Team

    • Nursery Management

  • In a world where mental health and well-being are being fully recognised as paramount for each and every individual, we at Bright Little Stars are doing all we can to support the little ones  in our care.

    Nutrition

    At Bright Little Stars we are committed to providing your little ones with healthy and wholesome food freshly prepared by our onsite chefs. Research shows that nutritious meals improve a child’s concentration and will support them at Nursery with all the energy they will need for a busy day of play, learning and development.

    Our bespoke innovative menus have been developed in partnership with and analysed by our chosen qualified registered Nutritionist, Ester Donoff (BSc Hons, MSc, mBANT).

    We have also incorporated feedback from our parents via our Annual Parent Surveys, popular choices of the children and input from our highly trained kitchen staff. We have four weekly rotational menus for every season allowing children to taste a wide variety of foods whilst keeping them excited about meal times and support positive associations with food and healthy choices. Each meal has a vegetarian option, all allergens highlighted and is accompanied by a detailed nutritional breakdown for parents to view on our online parent portal. Copies of our current menus are available in the Nursery Reception and our daily menu is on display in the rooms.

    We introduce children to growing and eating a wide variety of foods and we encourage parents to get involved in cooking activities at home and at Nursery. Mealtimes are fun and an opportunity to learn. The children are supported with eating where necessary, yet given full encouragement to be as independent as possible.

    We promote good table manners so that children quickly grasp key skills and food etiquette for example washing hands, setting the table, serving themselves, sharing conversation and clearing away afterwards.

    Bright Little Stars offers breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, afternoon tea and a late snack. The cost of this is included in our fees.

    If your child has any special dietary needs based on medical/allergy conditions, religious or cultural requirements, please just let us know and we will be happy to discuss this with you and accommodate your child’s individual needs.

    We are a nut free nursery, and we cannot accept ANY nut products in our nurseries. We have a policy not to use nuts in any food prepared on site by our chefs at Bright Little Stars. However, we cannot guarantee freedom from nut traces. There may also be other times in which foods may need to be excluded based around a risk assessment of children’s current allergies.

    Oral Hygiene

    We are fully committed to promoting high standards of oral health by means of educating our staff, families, and children through fun educational creative play opportunities throughout our nurseries.

    Bright Little Stars Nursery in Stratford has recieved its Oral Health Gold Award.

    To achieve our Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards we have successfully shown commitment to improving the oral health of children in London by:

    • Hosting parent workshops
    • Hosting children’s workshops
    • Supporting children in their toothbrushing including at the nurseries
    • Participating in staff training
    • Nominating our own Oral Health Champion

    To continue our support of oral hygiene, we are delighted to work in partnership with Dr Saul Konviser, a Qualified Dentist and Trustee of the Dental Wellness Trust charity. The dental charity promotes oral health to children and Saul oversees the development and roll-out of supervised toothbrushing programmes in schools across England.

    As well as training staff and visiting our nurseries to inform children about how to keep teeth clean, he also hosts Oral Hygiene sessions which form part of our Parent Educational Program. The aim of the workshop is to support children by promoting good oral health.

     

     

    Oral Hygiene is part of our Educational Program and was featured on the ITV News – 13.04.22.

    • Supporting Barnardo’s

      image4b359bBright Little Stars Nursery is committed to supporting the local community. In particular, we believe in children and helping every child reach their full potential. Barnardo’s shares our values and work to improve the lives of vulnerable children and young people across the UK which is also a cause close to our hearts. We welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with Barnardo’s, one of the UK’s leading children’s charities.

      A message from Barnardo’s: ‘Barnardo’s believes in children regardless of their circumstances, gender, race, disability or behaviour. Our purpose as a charity today is to transform the lives of the UK’s most vulnerable children. We believe in the abused, the most vulnerable, the forgotten and the neglected. We will support them, stand up for them and bring out the best in each and every child. We do this because we believe that every child deserves the best start in life and the chance to fulfil their potential.’

      For further information on Barnardo’s and to keep up to date on news and events please visit their website www.barnardos.org.uk

      Fundraising & Events

      Bright Little Stars Nursery invites you to join us in supporting Barnardo’s, such a worthy cause. We will be taking part in a variety of events throughout the year to fundraise for Barnardo’s, such as ‘The Big Toddle’ which is the UK’s biggest under 5’s charity event as well as many other initiatives which will also give our children, parents/carers and staff members the opportunity to join in.

      ‘Like’ us on Facebook and ‘Follow’ us on Instagram  and Twitter  to keep up to date on all our news and fundraising events.

      Donations & Our JustGiving Bright Little Stars Nursery Page

      Your donations can help Barnardo’s to transform the lives of the most vulnerable children across the UK through the work of their services, campaigning and research expertise.

      Bright Little Stars Nursery pledges to match donations made by our parents/carers, friends, family and staff members for specific Bright Little Stars fundraising events up to a maximum of £750 per event, therefore every £1.00 donated will be worth £2.00 to Barnardo’s.

      If you would like to make a donation, it will be much appreciated. Feel free to pop in and see us to enquire how you can donate. Alternatively, you are welcome to make a donation through JustGiving which is simple, fast and totally secure. Once you donate, they will send your money directly to Barnardo’s. Please visit our Bright Little Stars Nursery JustGiving Team Page at https://www.justgiving.com/teams/BLSNursery to make an online donation.

      Thank you!

      We would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to all our parents/carers, staff members and everyone else for all your support to date.

      Let’s work together to better the lives of vulnerable children and young people across the UK.

      Look at how much we have raised so far!

    • Fundraising Events

      We are delighted to share our Fundraising Events and would like to extend our thanks to our staff and families for taking the time to visit and support us.

       

    • Make a Wish

      Make a Wish is a leading UK children’s charity which grants magical wishes to enrich the lives of children and young people fighting life-threatening conditions.  The wishes are varied but are all personal to each child; it could be starring in their own film, walking with dinosaurs, going on an amazing holiday, meeting a celebrity or even their favourite superhero.

      At the Bright Little Stars 2019 Group Christmas Party, our wonderful staff team raised an incredible £3,020 which meant we were able to support TWO children’s wishes through the Make a Wish foundation. We sponsored Amber, a little girl aged 3 with a heart condition who wished to go on holiday to Europe and Mason who will have a limousine collect him from home, take him to meet Dan TDM the Youtuber for some activities and enjoy a meal in London with his family.

      At the Bright Little Stars 2018 Group Christmas Party, our awesome staff team raised £2,095 to support a child’s wish through the Make a Wish foundation. This year, the wish sponsored was for Tommy (aged 8) to go on an exciting holiday to Disneyland Paris. We are beyond delighted that through the generosity of the Bright Little Stars staff team, we were able to wholly donate 100% of the cost of the entire wish. We truly hope that Tommy and his family were able to have a magical time and create some very special memories.

       

      At the Bright Little Stars 2017 Group Christmas Party, the amazing staff team raised £2,125 to support a child’s wish through the Make a Wish foundation. The wish sponsored was for Michael (aged 13) to see the Northern Lights. Through the generosity of our Bright Little Stars staff team, 65% of the cost of the entire wish was donated and it was not long before Michael was off to meet huskies, go on a snowmobile safari and sleep under the stars in a magical wilderness hotel whilst sharing this magical experience with his loved ones.

  • Here at Bright Little Stars Nursery, fostering a sense of community and supporting our team is fundamental to our mission. We believe that every child deserves to grow up in a nurturing environment, not just within the walls of our nursery, but also within a thriving local community.

     

  • DayNurseries.co.uk Top 20 Recommended Mid-Size Nursery Group 2024

    We are thrilled to share the positive news that Bright Little Stars Nursery has achieved the esteemed Top 20 Group Award 2024 on DayNurseries.co.uk, thanks to the invaluable support and glowing feedback from our parents.
    Their heartfelt reviews and testimonials have played a pivotal role in this remarkable achievement. We are deeply grateful to our parents for entrusting their children’s early years to us and for recognising the dedication and passion with which our team provides exceptional care and education.

    NDNA Awards Finalists 2024

    We’re thrilled to announce that Bright Little Stars in Mill Hill and Stratford are finalists for the NDNA Awards 2024!
    Sarina, our Mill Hill Nursery Manager, has been nominated for Manager of the Year, while Chloe from our Stratford Nursery has been named as a finalist for the Learning Through Play Award: Outstanding Baby Room Practitioner.
    Join us in celebrating our achievements, with winners to be revealed on June 7, 2024, recognising excellence in care and education. Thank you for your support!

    First Rung Awards  – Outstanding Apprenticeship Employer Award Winners 2023

    We are delighted to inform you that Bright Little Stars Nursery has been nominated and has won the ‘Outstanding Apprenticeship Employer Award’ with First Rung, in recognition of consistently supporting and impacting the lives of numerous young people over the years.

    This award is a testament to our support and dedication to young people and it brings us great pleasure and pride to share this wonderful news with you.

    Nursery Management Today Awards  – Nursery Group Winners 2023

    We are thrilled to share that Bright Little Stars Nursery has been honoured with the NMT Nursery Group Award (less than 10 settings) 2023!

    Our team’s hard work and passion for exceptional early childhood education have earned us this incredible recognition. It’s a testament to the love and care we provide, allowing our little stars to shine bright. Also, a big congratulations to our Stanmore and Watford Nurseries, finalists for the Team of the Year and Parent Engagement Award.

    SME Hertfordshire Business Awards – Business of the Year Silver Award Winners 2023

    We are proud to announce that Bright Little Stars Nursery in Watford has received the Silver Award for the esteemed SME Hertfordshire Business Awards’ “Business of the Year – less than 50 employees” 2023.

    We extend our sincere gratitude to our families for their ongoing support and our exceptional Nursery team for their dedication. This award is a testament to the outstanding teamwork and commitment of our entire nursery. We are honoured by this recognition.

    The Smallest Things Prem Aware Group Award 2023

    Bright Little Stars Nursery has made history by becoming the first UK group to receive The Smallest Things Prem Aware Award in all six of our nurseries!
    The Prem Aware Award scheme is all about spreading the word regarding a valuable free online training resource designed to help teachers and caregivers better understand how to provide that extra love and care to these remarkable children. We aim to continue to lead the way, serving as a shining example for nurseries across the UK, encouraging them to step up and support premature babies.

    Nursery Management Today Awards Finalists 2023

    We are thrilled to announce that Bright Little Stars Nursery has been selected as finalists for the prestigious NMT Awards 2023 in not just one, but THREE incredible categories!
    Nursery Group Award, Nursery Team of the Year Award for our Stanmore Nursery and the Parent Engagement Award for our Watford Nursery.

    None of this would have been possible without the support of our amazing staff, dedicated parents, and, most importantly, the incredible children who inspire us every day.

    Nursery World Awards Finalists 2023

    We are thrilled that our Bright Little Stars Nursery in Watford has been announced as a finalist at the Nursery World Awards in the “Working with Parents” category.

    We would like to thank our families for their ongoing support and our fantastic Nursery team. We would also like to thank Nursery World for this incredible opportunity and acknowledgment. Being a finalist is a testament to the incredible teamwork and commitment of the entire nursery.

    Nursery of the Year – South of England Award 2023, NDNA 

    We proudly announce our triumph at the esteemed NDNA (National Day Nurseries Association) Awards Ceremony 2023. Announced on Friday 9th June 2023, our Stanmore Nursery is being celebrated as the “Nursery of the Year” for South England.

    Our achievements at the NDNA are a shining moment for our Bright Little Stars family and we couldn’t be happier!

    DayNurseries.co.uk Top 20 Recommended Mid-Size Nursery Group 2023

    We are thrilled to share the positive news that Bright Little Stars Nursery has achieved the esteemed Top 20 Group Award on DayNurseries.co.uk. This recognition is a testament to the strong relationships we have built with our families and the positive impact we have had on their lives.

    It serves as a constant reminder of the importance of providing a nurturing and supportive environment for each child in our care.

    NDNA Awards Finalists 2023 

    Our Outstanding Nursery in Stanmore has been named a finalist for the prestigious NDNA Award for Nursery of the Year. We’re also delighted that our Harrow Nursery has also been named a finalist for the NDNA Health and Well-being Award.

    This is a huge honour for us and we’re thrilled to have our commitment recognised.

    Healthy Early Years London Gold Award 2022

    Bright Little Stars are proud to share that our Stanmore and Harrow branches have achieved the Gold award in Healthy Early Years London, being among the first 10 nurseries in the borough Harrow to achieve this.

    Healthy Early Years London (HEYL) is an awards scheme funded by the Mayor of London which supports and recognises achievements in child health, wellbeing, and development in early years settings.

    The National Nursery Recognition Awards 2020

    Bright Little Stars Nursery are overjoyed following the National Nursery Recognition Awards 2020 having received winner for ‘Best Website’ and finalist for ‘Best Staff Development’.

    The winners were selected based on a combination of votes, together with consideration from an independent panel of judges. There were many applicants and strong competition for these national industry awards.

    Best Website

    We have always tried to ensure our website is central to our registration process, information sharing, communication and most importantly parent partnership through initiatives like home learning via our parent portal. So many employees have contributed over the years through ideas, feedback and support all the way from Head Office to our staff in the learning rooms. It’s been a wonderful journey watching our website evolve!

    At the heart of everything we do are the children, their happiness and the love, care and wonderful activities our staff bring to life in their learning rooms and outdoor areas.

    Best Staff Development

    We would also like to congratulate the team on being a finalist for ‘Best Staff Development’. We pride ourselves on providing plentiful opportunities for our staff in order for them to develop not just a job, but a satisfying career with us where they can enhance their skills and qualifications. 

    LEA Awards of Excellence 2017

    Bright Little Stars Nursery we are celebrating our Award-Winning status after receiving ‘The Teresa Graham CBE People Award’ at the LEA Awards of Excellence 2017.  The award recognises the work undertaken in making an impact on the lives of the children we care for and the fantastic work we carry out to support our children, parents and our staff.