Opening hours
Mon-Wed: 9:15am-3:30pm, Thu: 9:15am-1:00pm
Little Starlings in London
Ofsted: Good
(Sept 2025)
Number of places
30 places
Age range
1–3 yrs
Last inspected
Sept 2025
Local authority
Wandsworth
About this day nursery
Little Starlings is a nurturing, community-focused nursery located in Balham, catering to children aged 16 months to 5 years. They provide diverse and flexible sessions to suit individual family needs, operating during term-time with specific hours from Monday to Thursday.
The nursery offers a unique mixed-age setting, where older children assist younger ones, fostering a natural and home-like atmosphere under the guidance of experienced staff. Little Starlings follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, ensuring a comprehensive developmental programme that encompasses communication, physical skills, personal growth, and early learning.
The nursery prides itself on its "Good" Ofsted rating and the positive feedback from parents, available for review. They also offer a "calm start" programme, providing a 10-day guarantee for children to settle into the nursery environment.
The curriculum includes a varied daily routine with free play, group activities, outdoor learning, and creative explorations. Little Starlings collaborates closely with parents, offering guidance on funding options and maintaining open communication through platforms like Tapestry for weekly updates on children's progress.
Our ethos
Little Starlings follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, ensuring a comprehensive developmental programme. They foster a natural and home-like atmosphere by enabling older children to assist younger ones, and offer a varied daily routine including free play, group activities, outdoor learning, and creative explorations. They also collaborate closely with parents, maintaining open communication.
What it's like
Children are warmly greeted and form strong bonds with their key person. Staff are attentive to children's interests, planning an engaging environment that supports their imagination and fine motor skills. Children also learn to express emotions through props and art activities, developing their language skills.
Term-time onlyMixed-age group settingFlexible sessionsExperienced staffPlay-based learning
Pricing & funding
Fees are charged per session for full days, mornings, afternoon sessions, and lunch clubs, with an additional daily charge for enhanced provision. A registration fee, place deposit, and late collection fees are also applicable.
Funding accepted
15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)
Good to know
- Registration fee is non-refundable.
- Place deposit is held interest-free and refunded upon departure.
- One term's written notice is required for deposit refund.
- Late collection is charged per 15 minutes or part thereof.
Key facts
Age range
16 months to 5 years
Term time / All Year
Term Time
Session types
Full Day, Morning, Lunch Club, Afternoon
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted rating for Little Starlings
Last inspected 16 September 2025
Overall effectiveness
Good
What it's like to attend
Children are warmly greeted and form strong bonds with their key person. Staff are attentive to children's interests, planning an engaging environment that supports their imagination and fine motor skills. Children also learn to express emotions through props and art activities, developing their language skills.
Inspector highlights
- Leaders and staff show a genuine passion about giving children the best start in life.
- Children engage in a rich set of experiences learning about the local community.
- Children enjoy participating in daily routines, which supports their communication and an understanding of democracy.
- Children develop early technology skills using a microphone, speaker, tablets and a light board.
- Parent partnerships are very strong, with parents being extremely complimentary about staff and their children's progress.
Areas to develop
- 1support and monitor staff practice, to refine the delivery of the intended curriculum, to promote children's learning further.
Inspection #10394409 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report
Inclusion & environment
How they support every child
Outdoor space
Children relish regular opportunities to be outdoors, learning about nature and engaging in physical play. They climb apparatus, mount stairs and use bikes in the garden, and engage in weekly sustainability activities.
Parent Reviews of Little Starlings
5.0
(20)
Alex & Bea
2 years ago
Our two year old son is at Little Starlings four mornings a week and we couldn’t recommend it more highly. He has so much fun there - he runs in happily every morning and asks about nursery on his days off. The staff, Lisa and Celina, are both really lovely, welcoming, kind and experienced and he has a great bond with them. They have a big space for the children to play in inside and outside and they do so many fun activities - our son is always coming home with artwork he made that morning. Little Starlings has been great for his confidence, making friends and speech. It is a wonderful nurturing start to nursery and we are so happy that we found it! Thank you Little Starlings we love you!
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Barbara Blonski
a year ago
The most gorgeous little nursery run by an amazing woman, Lisa, who is so caring. The whole team there is lovely and my daughter loves it there, where she was never a fan of nursery in general before. Highly recommend!
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Sophie Leader
3 years ago
My daughter absolutely loved Little Starlings and it was the perfect place to start her at nursery. She had so much fun and they do lots of different and wonderful activities each day. She would always run inside when I dropped her off and left with a huge smile on her face. Lisa and the team are so nice and caring and I knew Sienna was in very capable hands.
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Isabella & Jack Barrass
a year ago
Highly highly recommend Little Starlings, Lisa and her team. Our son had a fantastic time there and developed hugely with their support. We will be sending our daughter there also. It is a great space, filled with fun and laughter as well as a charming outdoor area for the kids and a nice meeting point for drop off to chat with fellow parents whilst the kids run inside to start their day.
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Sonya McLernon
3 years ago
Little Starlings is the most wonderful little nursery and we are so pleased that we found it for our daughter. Emily joined when she was almost 2 and the change in her since she started has been remarkable! So much more confident and independent and she just loves her mornings at nursery. Lisa, Natalie and Celina are so experienced and nurturing and are everything you’d want in your child’s first teacher. The activities they arrange for the children are perfect and the space in big and bright. They have a brilliant garden which they use everyday and the children are always so busy and so happy! Please do check them out if you’re looking for a nursery, you will LOVE them!!!
Read on GoogleReviews from Google for Little Starlings. See all on Google Maps
Inspection history
Date: September 2025
- October 2025Good
- September 2025Good
Frequently asked about Little Starlings
About the setting
Little Starlings registered in 2023 and is located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The nursery is open each weekday from 9.15am until 3.30pm, term-time only. They employ four members of staff, including the manager who holds a relevant childcare qualification at level 3. The nursery provides government funded childcare.
- URN
- 2724385
- Registered person
- Sammut, Elizabeth
- Day care type
- Full day care
- Register
- Early Years Register
- Establishment type
- Childcare on non-domestic premises
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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more