FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
We believe children thrive best when cared for by experienced, knowledgeable staff. That’s why we don’t just recruit well-qualified team members – we also invest heavily in ongoing training.
Our nursery managers spend around 75% of their time on the floor, mentoring staff, observing activities, and sharing best practice.
If having qualified, passionate staff matters to you, we’d love to welcome you to your local Shine nursery.
If your child is below school age, then yes – you maybe entitled to funded childcare.
You’ll receive 570 funded hours per year, which usually works out at 15 hours a week during term time.
Some families may qualify for up to 30 hours a week, depending on your circumstances. The number of hours is increasing to a maximum of 30 hours a week for all children below School age from September 2025, however, there are rules on eligibility.
There’s also specific help available for some two-year-olds from disadvantaged families.
For a full breakdown of your options, how to apply, and how Shine supports funded places, visit our Free Childcare & Funding guide.
You can also check your eligibility on the Gov.uk childcare support page, or speak to your local Shine nursery – we’re happy to help.
Children can join Shine from the age of 6 weeks.
We offer care from the baby room right through to preschool, so whether you’re returning to work or just need a bit of support — we’re here for you.
Each room is designed for a different stage of development, and your child will move up when they’re ready.
For detailed information along with tips for settling in, you can read our handy article.
Yes, we think settling-in sessions are really important.
They give your child a chance to explore their new surroundings, and give you a chance to get to know our team.
We usually offer a couple of short sessions before your official start date, but we’re always happy to tailor these to your child’s needs.
All our Shine nurseries are open Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6.00pm. As well as full day sessions we also offer morning only or afternoon only sessions.
We’re open year-round except for bank holidays and the Christmas break.
If you have specific questions about part-time sessions, just speak to your local Shine nursery – we’ll always do our best to help.
Yes – we offer a range of part-time and flexible childcare options.
We know every family has different needs, so we’ll always work with you to find the right pattern based on our available session options.
Just ask us about availability in your preferred location.
All meals, drinks and snacks are included in our nursery fees. Nappies are also included at some of our sites, just ask the Manager for more details.
We also provide wipes, creams, sun cream, and any other everyday essentials, so you don’t need to pack much.
Our menus are freshly prepared each day and designed to be both nutritious and child-friendly.
We provide a healthy breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea with a mixture of either a starter or a dessert.
Our food is freshly cooked on site using quality ingredients by one of our chefs, and we cater for a wide range of allergies and dietary needs.
You can see a sample menu or ask to speak to your nursery’s cook if you’d like to know more.
Yes, absolutely.
We work closely with parents to ensure every child’s needs are safely and consistently met – whether that’s an allergy, intolerance or religious diet.
Your child’s room leader will go through everything with you during the onboarding process.
We follow the statutory ratios set by Ofsted:
- 1 adult for every 3 children under 2
- 1 adult for every 5 children aged 2
- 1 adult for every 8 children aged 3–5
In many cases, we operate above ratio – especially during busy times or transitions – because we want to give your child the best attention possible. A transition occurs when a child is ready to move to their next room, often with one of their friends.
Yes – we welcome children with a wide range of additional needs and have supported many families through the Early Years SEN process.
Our teams include experienced SENCOs, and we work in partnership with parents, local authorities, and specialist services where needed.
We’ll always take the time to understand what your child needs to thrive.
Activities are based around the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with lots of time for play, exploration and learning.
We run sensory activities, role play, music sessions, messy play, physical games, and more – all adapted to suit different ages and interests.
Outdoor time is part of every day, rain or shine.
We follow the EYFS curriculum and track each child’s progress using individual learning journals.
Our staff set personalised next steps and regularly share updates with you through photos, observations, and chats at pick-up time. We are upgrading all our sites to have ParentZone which is an app on your phone, allowing you to see real time updates. You can even send in photos of what your child has been doing at home so these experiences can be added to your child’s interests.We focus on confidence, independence, communication — and most of all, joy in learning.
We love keeping you in the loop.
Most of the Shine nurseries use a secure online system or app (depending on location) to share photos, updates, and key moments from your child’s day.
You’ll also get daily verbal handovers and regular chances to chat more in depth about your child’s progress.
Yes – outdoor play is part of daily life at Shine.
Each nursery has a safe, stimulating outdoor area, and we go out in all kinds of weather (with the right gear!).
Being outdoors supports physical development, wellbeing, and social skills — and our children love it.
Your child’s safety is our top priority.
All staff are trained in safeguarding and paediatric first aid. Our nurseries are secure, with coded entry systems and clear sign-in/out procedures.
We carry out regular risk assessments and follow strict health and safety policies across all settings.
If your child becomes unwell while at nursery, we’ll contact you straight away.
We do have policies about exclusion periods for contagious illnesses, to keep everyone safe.
We can also administer prescribed medication if needed — you’ll just need to fill in a quick form when you drop off.
Core Values
To be outstanding everyday
Our aim is to be outstanding every day, not just when Ofsted visit.
That way parents can be confident they’re leaving their children in the best care possible.
Ofsted has rated three of our nurseries as ‘Outstanding’, which we’re very, very proud of – and committed to continuing.
They judge the quality of a nursery on four categories. The first of which is Effectiveness in Leadership & Management.
We ensure exceptional management of the nursery, curriculum, and the staff – which has led to our ‘Outstanding’ rating.
You can read snippets of our Ofsted reports on each individual nursery page.
To be outstanding everyday (part 2)
Shine nurseries are outstanding every day, not just when Ofsted visit.
We want parents to feel confident they’re leaving their children in the best possible care – so we’re constantly striving for excellence.
Three Shine nurseries have been rated ‘Outstanding’, which is quite an achievement. And we aim to continue providing outstanding care.
Ofsted judges the quality of a nursery on four categories. One of which is the Quality of Teaching, Learning & Assessment.
We achieve a high level in this category by ensuring our staff are trained and qualified, and are always striving for improvement.