Little Steps Preschool

A large hall, a paved courtyard and a lawned garden give Little Steps Preschool a practical mix of indoor and outdoor space. Based within Blaby Methodist Church, this independent preschool combines play-led learning with a term-time timetable. Its capacity is 32 children, a whole-setting figure rather than a measure of the size of any particular group.

At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good overall, with Outstanding behaviour and attitudes, and found safeguarding effective. Children were absorbed in their play and handled familiar routines with considerable independence. The important qualification was teaching: staff needed to recognise more consistently when to extend an activity and which children needed their help.

Term-time sessions can be combined, with an early bird option and separately paid additional attendance. That gives families choices within a relatively short opening day, rather than an all-year childcare arrangement.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning and care, with play activities planned to cover its different areas of learning. Little Steps puts children's interests, curiosity and natural environments into that planning. The practical emphasis is on what children explore and do, rather than learning separated from their play.

In December 2023, imaginative medical play brought several skills together. Children comforted a pretend baby, discussed how doctors help people and made prescriptions, using pencils and practising written language. Staff introduced vocabulary connected with pharmacies and explained differences between roles. A familiar pretend scenario became an opportunity to connect conversation, imagination and early literacy.

Winter exploration offered a different kind of stimulus. In December 2023, a deer skull and antler prompted questions, while animal pictures and discussion supplied ideas children could carry into their own play. These concrete objects gave children something specific to investigate. They also illustrate why the teaching improvement matters: interesting resources are most useful when an adult recognises the right moment to explain, question or support.

Outdoor and Community Life

Two secure outdoor areas serve different purposes: one is paved, while the other is mainly grass. Alongside the hall and other indoor space, they give the preschool more than one setting for play. The contrast between a courtyard and a lawn is a useful physical feature for families weighing the everyday environment.

The building accommodates wheelchair users and prams. That accessibility matters for children and accompanying adults alike, and belongs alongside the learning offer when judging whether the setting fits a family's practical needs.

Relationships and Communication

Tapestry is the preschool's secure online learning journal, used to share children's development with their families. Parents can log in for regular updates and contribute information about interests at home. This creates a connection between what a child enjoys outside preschool and what practitioners can build on during sessions.

At the December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff gathered information from families, tracked children's development and provided targeted help where learning gaps emerged. For parents, the useful point is the link between knowing the individual child and choosing support, rather than treating everyone as following the same path.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The staff structure includes SENCO and designated safeguarding lead roles. Staff and volunteers undertake recurring training in safeguarding, paediatric first aid and food hygiene. These roles and training arrangements organise responsibility for children's care.

Everyday independence was a clear part of the December 2023 experience. Children managed handwashing, served themselves fruit and drinks, and dealt with cups and rubbish afterwards. Adults also helped children find words for sharing resources and responding when another child was still using something. These small routines gave children repeated opportunities to practise self-care and considerate behaviour.

Sessions and Attendance

Little Steps operates at Blaby Methodist Church, Winchester Road, Blaby, Leicester, LE8 4HL. Opening hours are 8.30am to 3pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; Tuesday finishes at 1pm. Attendance is term-time only.

Families can combine sessions, subject to space and their funding entitlement. An afternoon session and an early bird session are among the options, and additional sessions can be paid for separately. Opening hours should be distinguished from the individual session pattern a family books.

Closures also follow the use of the church premises: polling days and congregational funerals can interrupt attendance. The preschool aims to give at least a week's notice, although that is not always possible. This deserves attention for families whose work arrangements depend on a predictable weekly timetable.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form. Registration involves a form and terms and conditions, providing a defined route from initial contact to an attendance arrangement.

Funding and Paid Extras

Free Early Educational Entitlement (FEEE) funding is accepted for children aged 2, 3 and 4, within the term-time offer; normal private charges apply where funding is not received. Additional attendance, including the early bird session, can be purchased separately. Families should obtain current prices in a written quotation from the preschool.

Parents supply a healthy packed lunch for afternoon attendance, using a named lunch bag; frozen ice packs are encouraged because chilled storage is unavailable; the preschool's policy excludes nuts, fizzy drinks and sweets. An initial registration charge contributes towards snacks, so the food arrangement combines lunch from home with a charge supporting snacks.

Private fees are payable monthly in advance and remain due when a child is absent. These terms make the booked attendance pattern financially relevant even in weeks when a child cannot attend. The fees and session information sets out the charging structure alongside funding and attendance arrangements.

• Term-time hours and Tuesday's finish. Tuesday closes at 1pm, while the other weekdays end at 3pm. At a visit, discuss how an afternoon or early bird booking would fit the family's working week.
• Closures linked to the church. Polling days and congregational funerals can lead to closure, sometimes with less than a week's notice. Families need a workable response to that interruption.
• Support during play. The December 2023 improvement point concerned choosing when and where adult help would make the greatest difference. A useful visit question is how practitioners now decide which children need support during a busy play session.
• Packed lunches and allergies. Afternoon attendance requires food from home, with no chilled storage and a nut-free policy. Allergy-affected families should confirm current handling arrangements and how their child's needs will be managed.

Little Steps suits families seeking term-time preschool attendance, including afternoon sessions or an early bird option, rather than relying on identical hours throughout the week. The hall, courtyard and lawn give its play-led offer a tangible physical setting, while Tapestry supports communication between home and preschool.

The December 2023 findings offer a positive assessment of children's behaviour and everyday independence, balanced by a specific teaching improvement. The decision turns on that educational picture together with the practical timetable: Tuesday's shorter day, lunch from home and occasional church-related closures all deserve weight.