Small Steps Pre-School

Warm relationships and uneven teaching sit side by side at Small Steps Pre-School, on the North Kidlington Primary School site. Its school setting, community outings and emphasis on independence give it a recognisable character. The important distinction for parents is between the strength of children's care and the consistency of their learning.

At its 29 June 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard, inclusion and behaviour Expected standard, and achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance Needs attention; safeguarding standards were met. This is a mixed assessment, with substantial teaching concerns alongside stronger care. In June 2026, leaders' support had not corrected uneven teaching, and their gradual approach to staff development had delayed the necessary improvements. The pre-school has 26 places in total, with a current age range of 24 to 60 months.

Families can choose term-time or all-year attendance, with morning, afternoon and several longer-day patterns. That breadth makes the pre-school relevant to different working arrangements, rather than a single fixed childcare day.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and everyday routines support learning across its different areas. Here, the practical question is how consistently adults turn those experiences into opportunities to learn.

In June 2026, children encountered counting and number recognition in small groups, alongside stories, songs and opportunities to develop their language. Staff tracked development and identified what children needed to learn next. Books featured regularly, including reading experiences involving children with additional needs. These activities gave children several routes into learning, through listening, talking and practical participation.

The same June assessment identified a significant imbalance. Children choosing quieter activities received more adult engagement than those exploring through energetic play, while less confident children could receive less attention. Small-group activities also varied in delivery: adults sometimes missed a child's need for help or encouragement. For a parent, the issue is more precise than whether interesting activities exist. It is whether staff notice and develop the learning within the activities their own child chooses.

Outdoor and Community Life

Community outings include the park and library in Kidlington. They take children's experiences beyond the pre-school, adding different places to explore and opportunities to engage with books. The pre-school has a partnership with Mini Professional Dance Academy. An optional Dance Class runs during term time and is charged separately from ordinary sessions.

In June 2026, outdoor play included energetic activity, and daily routines helped children connect clothing choices with the weather. Children also practised looking after their belongings and managing personal care. Independence was built through ordinary tasks, such as putting on shoes and helping to tidy, rather than confined to a separate activity.

The key person system gives each child a particular adult through whom attachments can develop. Nursery Story App supplies parents with details of their child's activities, creating a way to follow the day beyond conversations with staff. Together, these arrangements make the relationship between home and pre-school more personal and easier to maintain.

In June 2026, key people spent time with their children each day, and families knew whom to approach with concerns. Staff and parents exchanged information about changes in family circumstances, while developmental milestones such as toilet training were discussed together. This practical communication matters when a child's needs change between home and childcare.

Support has identifiable structures: the team includes a SENCO role and a SEND one-to-one support role. In June 2026, personalised plans were developed with parents and other professionals, and staff adapted activities so children could participate alongside their peers. Visual prompts helped children with language development needs, including those learning English as an additional language, understand group routines.

Children's move to school also received practical attention in June 2026. Leaders contacted receiving schools and shared information to help with settling into the next setting. That supports continuity of care and learning; it is separate from a school's decision about admission.

Sessions and Attendance

Small Steps Pre-School is at North Kidlington School, Benmead Road, Kidlington, OX5 2DA. Opening hours are 8am to 5.45pm, with handover until 6pm.

Whole Day runs from 8am to 5.45pm. Morning Session is 8.45am to 12.45pm, and Afternoon Session runs from 12.45pm to 3.30pm. Early Start School Day begins at 8am and ends at either 3.30pm or 4.30pm; School Day begins at 8.45am with the same two finishing options. School day with Teatime starts at 8.45am and finishes at either 4.30pm or 5.45pm. These are separate booking choices, so the shorter afternoon and longer teatime arrangements deserve attention when matching childcare to a working day.

Both term-time and all-year places are offered. Switching between those attendance types is restricted to September, January or April, depends on staffing and ratios, and is not guaranteed. Pre-school enquiries can be made through its contact form, by emailing preschool@smallstepsnursery.co.uk or by calling 01865 602 958.

Funding and Paid Extras

The 15 or 30 hours funding schemes are offered through term-time or stretched arrangements. Term-time funding can cover up to 15 or 30 hours weekly; across the year, the corresponding maximums are 12 hours or 23 hours 45 minutes. Funded hours can be used within the different sessions, and additional private hours are charged. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Breakfast, snacks and teatime food are included in session prices, while families supply a packed lunch. Optional activities, including the term-time Dance Class, carry a separate charge and families are notified.

The pre-school describes a partnership with North Kidlington Primary School, whose site it shares. Attendance does not guarantee a Reception place; families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Teaching consistency. The June 2026 assessment led to required actions on closer monitoring of staff practice and more purposeful adult engagement in play, with a completion date of 1 September 2026. During a visit, ask what has changed for energetic and less confident children, and how leaders assess the effect of staff training.
• Changing attendance type. Moving between term-time and all-year arrangements is limited to September, January or April and depends on staffing and ratios. Families expecting their childcare needs to change should weigh that restriction alongside the choice of daily sessions.
• Food and everyday supplies. Packed lunch comes from home, although other meals and snacks are included. How are non-food consumables handled?
• School-site expectations. The North Kidlington Primary School partnership offers a connection with school life, but a Reception application remains a separate process. Choose the pre-school for its childcare and learning arrangements rather than an assumed admissions advantage.

Small Steps Pre-School suits families seeking morning or afternoon care as well as those needing a school-day or whole-day pattern, with a choice between term-time and all-year attendance. Community outings, the key person system and activity updates give its offer practical substance.

The June 2026 assessment makes teaching consistency the decisive consideration. Care was the stronger part of the picture, but adult engagement did not reliably extend every child's learning. The strongest reason to consider Small Steps is its combination of personal relationships and varied attendance choices; the central question is how effectively the required changes have addressed those teaching weaknesses.