Positive Steps Childcare

In March 2026, pretend takeaway orders, water experiments and books shared with staff gave Positive Steps Childcare its clearest character: learning through ordinary play, with conversation woven into it. This Derby nursery has capacity for 23 children at 4 Loudon Street, DE23 8ER. Its educational strengths need to be weighed alongside the dated judgements on care.

At its 18 March 2026 inspection, Ofsted awarded Expected standard judgements for achievement, teaching and curriculum, and inclusion; the areas covering behaviour and routines, welfare and wellbeing, and leadership required Urgent improvement, while safeguarding standards were met. Those are separate judgements, rather than an overall grade. The distinction matters: positive learning experiences do not by themselves establish that every aspect of care meets the expected standard.

Children attending in March 2026 were aged 2 to 4. Full-time care and part-time support are offered, with a settling process built around meeting the child's key person and gradually increasing familiarity.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning, including language, physical development and children's social and emotional development. In everyday terms, play, movement and conversation are opportunities to learn, rather than breaks between lessons. Following this framework is the foundation of the offer, rather than an additional programme.

Story Creation gives preschool children opportunities to draw and write their own stories, while Listening Games involve responding to instructions and cues. These activities connect creative expression with communication: children can put an idea on paper, tell someone about it and practise listening to another person. Counting and sorting objects, phonics games and simple science experiments also form part of the preschool learning activities.

In March 2026, children pretended to prepare takeaway food, discussing their cooking and sharing equipment. A play microwave was among the resources they used. That is a concrete example of how a familiar experience can become a reason to speak, negotiate and take turns.

Water play supplied another strand. In March 2026, children filled and emptied containers while exploring counting, weight and volume; elsewhere, a blocked water wheel prompted them to investigate why it would not turn. They removed the obstruction and got it moving. The learning lay in working through a problem, rather than simply being given the answer.

Outdoor and Community Life

Indoor and outdoor spaces are used for learning and physical activity. Preschool activities include obstacle courses, cutting and sticking, and conversations about cultural traditions. These give different ways to participate: moving the whole body, manipulating materials and sharing experiences from home.

In March 2026, staff also encouraged children to talk about their own family experiences and used these contributions when planning activities about traditions and cultures. This made children's home lives part of the nursery day, rather than treating learning as something that happens only within the setting.

Relationships and Communication

Settling begins with a meeting involving the parent, child and key person, followed by sessions adjusted to the child's comfort. Staff work with families to maintain familiar routines. For a child starting nursery, that gives the transition a recognisable sequence and a particular adult to get to know.

Parents receive updates, take part in meetings and contribute to individual learning plans. The partnership also includes exchanging feedback and discussing children's development. This creates a route for information to travel both ways: parents can hear about nursery experiences and explain changes or needs at home.

In March 2026, staff responded to children who needed extra comfort and worked with parents when changes in home circumstances affected their routines. Familiar adults and shared information were practical parts of the response, rather than relying solely on the child to adapt.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the March 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that teaching was adapted for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), that staff worked with parents and speech and language services on targeted support, and that these children progressed well from their starting points. The concrete mechanisms matter more than a broad promise of inclusion.

In March 2026, assessments informed individual next steps, and children could join group welcome activities when ready. Staff used words from children's home languages and supplied dual-language storybooks for families. Resources purchased with additional funding were connected to individual targets and could support learning at home.

Sessions and Attendance

Positive Steps Childcare offers full-time care and part-time support, alongside flexible enrolment options. These are different attendance choices, so families can consider whether they need a fuller weekly commitment or a smaller amount of nursery time.

Contact hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm. Registration enquiries can be made by telephone or email, and visits can be arranged by calling. The address is 4 Loudon Street, Derby, DE23 8ER.

The settling arrangement is separate from the attendance choice: meeting the key person and taking gradual settling sessions establishes the child's introduction to care. Choosing a pattern and helping a child become comfortable are related decisions, but they serve different purposes.

• A mixed March assessment. The March 2026 judgements placed learning and inclusion at the Expected standard, with Urgent improvement judgements for welfare, routines and leadership. At a visit, discuss how everyday care is organised alongside learning.
• A gradual start. The introduction includes meeting the key person and sessions tailored to the child's comfort. At a visit, discuss how that sequence would work with your child's existing routine and your intended attendance pattern.
• Full-time or part-time attendance. Both are offered. Ask which booked hours would suit your week, how funded entitlement could fit that pattern, and what the written quotation includes for meals and non-food consumables.

Positive Steps Childcare may suit families seeking either full-time care or part-time nursery attendance, especially those who value gradual settling and an active exchange of information with staff. Story Creation, Listening Games and the March 2026 examples of imaginative and investigative play give substance to the learning offer.

The March 2026 assessment was mixed, with Urgent improvement judgements for welfare, routines and leadership alongside the Expected standard educational judgements. Those dated findings warrant a measured verdict. Gradual settling, parent communication and the concrete learning activities are the clearest reasons to consider this setting.