Footsteps Cannock Nursery & Pre-School

Reading areas, outdoor play and meals cooked on site give Footsteps Cannock Nursery & Pre-School a practical balance of quieter activity, movement and everyday care. This Cannock setting has capacity for 117 children, accepting ages from 3 to 60 months. Its scale makes the organisation of each child's day an important part of the choice.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 19 September 2025 inspection. That judgement sits alongside two specific areas for development: sharper aims for planned learning and more consistent personal care routines. These are useful distinctions for parents: engaging activities matter, but so does what a child is meant to learn from them.

Full days, mornings and afternoons are offered, with early-start and late-finish additions. The detail of those patterns, and the minimum weekly booking, matters as much as the overall opening window.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage guides learning through play, including stories, sensory exploration, creative activity and early communication. It provides the framework for children's learning and care; the nursery shapes experiences around their interests. Practitioners observe children and use what they notice to plan the next experiences, connecting an activity to the child taking part.

Age-based rooms give children spaces suited to their stage of development. Reading areas support time with books, while indoor activity is balanced with regular outdoor access. The outdoor spaces offer room for movement and exploration, giving physical activity a place in the day alongside calmer experiences.

Two group-wide curriculum commitments give that approach more shape. Confident Communicators emphasises helping children express themselves in ways that work for them. Explorers of Our World connects learning with nature and outdoor experience. These sit alongside the statutory framework, rather than replacing it, and help explain the balance between communication and exploration.

In September 2025, staff extended conversations by talking about children's activities and posing questions that invited their own ideas. This made ordinary play an opportunity to practise language. The same visit highlighted a weakness in some planned activities: too many learning demands could be introduced together, leaving children overwhelmed. An enjoyable activity still needs a clear purpose.

Outdoor and Community Life

Regular access to outdoor spaces is part of the current daily offer. That gives children opportunities to move and explore beyond their indoor room, rather than relying entirely on activities at tables or in reading areas.

The Enrichment Programme adds experiences beyond the standard early years curriculum, with possible activities including baking, gardening and visits by local specialists. These are examples of what the programme may contain, rather than a fixed timetable. During funded hours, enrichment forms part of the optional Essentials Package.

Relationships and Communication

Familiar spaces and clear routines structure the current care approach. Communication with families is intended to keep care consistent between home and nursery, while observations help practitioners respond to individual interests and needs.

In September 2025, children turned to staff for comfort, and adults offered affection and reassurance when they were upset. An online communication system allowed parents to pass on changes to their child's routine. These are practical details: information from home can affect how staff approach the day, especially when a child's usual pattern changes.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the September 2025 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and described staff responding promptly to developmental delays, working with parents and outside agencies on plans to support children's progress. The concrete mechanism matters here: identifying a need was followed by planning with the people supporting that child.

Everyday independence was visible in September 2025. Older children poured their own drinks at a water station and helped themselves to food, with familiar routines allowing them to wait for others. Personal hygiene was less consistent: some adults missed reminders to wash hands after children had cleaned their noses. The tissue station made the task accessible, but adult follow-through remained important.

Meals are freshly cooked on the premises each day with seasonal ingredients. For private sessions, food and consumables are included in the fee; during funded hours they are charged separately through the optional Essentials Package.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Bridge Court, Orbital Plaza, Watling Street, Cannock, WS11 0DQ. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates for 51 weeks, closing for public holidays and a week over Christmas.

A full day runs from 8am to 6pm. Morning bookings run from 8am to 1pm, and afternoons from 1pm to 6pm. A full-week pattern covers Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm; an early start covers 7.30am to 8am, and a late finish covers 6pm to 6.30pm.

Bookings must comprise at least four morning or afternoon sessions, or two full days, each week, and include a Monday or Friday. A family seeking a single weekly session therefore needs a different attendance arrangement. Permanent booking changes and cancellations require one calendar month's notice.

On-site parking supports collection and drop-off. Enquiries and tour bookings can be made through the nursery's enquiry and booking routes.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered through the Government's Early Education Entitlement, including 15-hour and 30-hour entitlements, and the nursery also accepts 2 Help funding. The standard delivery stretches the entitlement across operating weeks: a smaller allocation each week extends support through the year. Funded hours can be used alone or combined with paid hours, within day, morning or afternoon bookings between 8am and 6pm, subject to availability.

For funded hours, the Essentials Package separately charges for food, consumables and enrichment. It is optional, with an opt-out arranged before term starts. Consumables cover items such as wipes, nappies, sun cream, cream and nappy bags; families opting out may need to supply alternatives or collect and dispose of consumables, depending on nursery policy.

A registration charge and a deposit apply, both waived for fully funded places; the deposit is credited against the final invoice. Payment is monthly in advance, and normal charges apply on bank holidays, with no credits or refunds for sickness or holidays. Discuss current prices and your proposed attendance pattern with the nursery.

• Learning and hygiene routines. In September 2025, planned learning sometimes lacked a sufficiently clear aim, and handwashing reminders after nose-wiping were inconsistent. On a visit, ask how staff now keep activities purposeful and complete those everyday care routines.
• Weekly booking commitment. The minimum is four morning or afternoon sessions, or two full days, including a Monday or Friday. Compare that commitment with the days your family actually needs.
• Funded extras. The optional Essentials Package separates food, consumables and enrichment from funded hours. Discuss the opt-out arrangements before term starts so the practical responsibilities suit your family.

Footsteps Cannock suits families choosing between full-day care and morning or afternoon attendance, provided they can meet the weekly minimum and include a Monday or Friday. Reading areas, regular outdoor access and food cooked on site give the day a useful mix. The September 2025 Good judgement supports consideration, while the specific learning and hygiene points deserve attention when assessing the current routines.