Shining Stars Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A pre-school in Newcastle upon Tyne for children from birth to 8+, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2024. Open since 2013, with 24 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Newcastle upon Tyne
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Newcastle upon Tyne from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
NE5 2DQWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 10 July 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff know children who attend the pre-school very well. They take time to find out about children's interests, home lives and stages of development when children first start. This helps them to support children to settle well. There is a strong keyperson system in place with an emphasis on children's well-being and personal development. Children are extremely happy in the pre-school. They thrive and have lovely attachments with staff, due to their warm, sensitive and caring interactions.
Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff have clear expectations, which they share with children at the start of each session. Children confidently recall that they need to share, take turns, listen and use good manners. There is calm and purposeful atmosphere in the pre-school, with all children playing very amicably together.
Staff want all children to make the best possible progress. They implement a wellplanned curriculum, which takes account of what children need to learn next and their interests. Staff place on emphasis on supporting children's communication and language and social skills. Many of the children who attend the pre-school are learning English as an additional language. Staff adapt their support for children's language to help all children to communicate. For example, they use visual aids,
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to strengthen their interactions with children during activities, to make sure that quieter and less-confident are fully engaged in their learning n teach children about foods that are good for them and contribute towards a healthy diet, to prepare them for making good lifestyle choices later in life.
- 10 July 2024Good
- 9 October 2018Good
- 2 July 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Shining Stars Pre-School
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.