Ashton nursery to reopen under new name following investment

Key Points

A nursery in Ashton-under-Lyne has been relaunched as Shooting Stars Pre-School Nursery with a financial investment of over £100,000.
The nursery, which was previously known as Gummy Bears Nursery on St Albans Avenue, has been refurbished along with its management team.
The new nursery provider has obtained Ofsted registration and is set to open soon.
This will provide 70 places for nursery education as well as 20 places for wraparound childcare.
Approximately 20 new job vacancies are anticipated, providing employment opportunities for the area.
“Safe, nurturing and high quality nursery that local families can trust.”
These are some of the words from Nabila Kamran, the Director/Manager of Shooting Stars Nursery.
Shooting Stars Ashton is now taking applications and registrations.

Ashton-under-Lyne (Manchester Mirror) September 21, 2026 — A nursery in Ashton-under-Lyne has received a new lease of life following an investment of more than £100,000, with the former Gummy Bears site on St Albans Avenue set to reopen under the new name Shooting Stars Pre-School Nursery. The transformation follows a full refurbishment of the nursery environment alongside major changes to leadership, safeguarding, recruitment, staff development, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support and the curriculum, according to reporting by Usma Raja of the Oldham Reporter. The setting has now received its new Ofsted registration and is preparing to welcome children and families under the Shooting Stars name.

How many new childcare places and jobs will the reopened nursery create?

The opening will create 70 new nursery places for children in Ashton, alongside 20 new wraparound care places for local families needing support before and after the school day, as reported by Usma Raja of the Oldham Reporter. It is also expected to create around 20 new jobs, providing employment opportunities within the local community. The project marks a completely new chapter for the site and the first Shooting Stars nursery to open in Ashton, building on the organisation’s existing provision in Oldham, according to the same report.

What changes have been made to the nursery under new management?

Shooting Stars Pre-School Nursery has transformed the former Gummy Bears Nursery site on St Albans Avenue, Ashton-under-Lyne, with work including a full refurbishment of the nursery environment alongside major changes to leadership, safeguarding, recruitment, staff development, SEND support and the curriculum, as reported by Usma Raja of the Oldham Reporter. Shooting Stars has approached the project as more than a refurbishment, with the aim of creating a nursery that families can have confidence in from the outset, according to the same report. The new setting will follow Shooting Stars’ research-informed curriculum and place a strong emphasis on safeguarding, inclusion, staff development, parent partnerships and high-quality early years education.

What have nursery leaders said about the investment and reopening?

Nabila Kamran, Director/Manager of Shooting Stars Nursery, who has over 10 years of experience in the early years sector, said: “We are incredibly proud of the transformation of the Ashton setting,” as quoted by Usma Raja of the Oldham Reporter. “This has been about much more than refurbishing a building; we wanted to create a safe, nurturing and high-quality nursery that local families can trust,” Kamran added.

“This investment is just one example of Shooting Stars’ commitment to providing high-quality early years education, supporting local families and creating opportunities for children, staff and the wider Ashton community,”

she said.

How can local families register for places at the new nursery?

Shooting Stars Ashton is now accepting enquiries and registrations from local families ahead of opening, according to reporting by Usma Raja of the Oldham Reporter. Parents and carers interested in nursery or wraparound care places are encouraged to get in touch to arrange a visit, meet the team and find out more about the new setting. The aim is not only to bring the building back into use, but to increase access to high-quality childcare, support working families and contribute positively to the local area, the report added.

Background of the development

The site on St Albans Avenue previously operated as Gummy Bears Nursery before closing, leaving a gap in local early years provision in Ashton-under-Lyne. Shooting Stars Pre-School Nursery, which already runs provision in Oldham, has taken on the location as its first Ashton site, positioning the reopening as part of a broader strategy to expand access to early years education in the borough. The investment of more than £100,000 has funded structural and operational changes, including refurbishment, updated safeguarding arrangements, staff recruitment and development, and curriculum redesign aligned with the provider’s research-informed approach. The project has also been framed by leadership as a response to local demand for reliable, high-quality childcare and wraparound support for working families.

Prediction: How this development can affect local families and the childcare market in Ashton

The reopening of the former Gummy Bears site as Shooting Stars Pre-School Nursery is likely to increase the availability of regulated childcare places in Ashton-under-Lyne, potentially reducing waiting times for parents seeking nursery and wraparound care. With 70 new nursery places and 20 wraparound places, the development could ease pressure on existing providers and offer more flexibility for families balancing work and caring responsibilities.

The creation of around 20 new jobs may also have a modest positive effect on local employment, particularly for early years practitioners in the area. If the new setting maintains strong safeguarding, inclusion and curriculum standards as outlined by leadership, it could raise expectations for quality among local providers and encourage further investment in early years infrastructure across Tameside. However, the longer-term impact will depend on occupancy rates, fee structures and the ability of the nursery to retain staff in a sector that has faced recruitment and funding challenges nationally.