First Steps Pre-School

Two large learning rooms and a secure outdoor space give First Steps Pre-School its practical shape, within The Triangle Centre in Liss. The building previously housed the village primary school. Children aged one to five can attend, making this an option for families looking for care beyond the preschool years alone.

At its 21 February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the setting Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities were supported to work towards their individual goals. That assessment comes with a specific caution: whole-group teaching needed to take better account of the youngest children.

The current opening window is 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. The calendar matters as much as the daily hours for families organising work and childcare.

Rooms and Ages

The two large activity rooms provide indoor learning space, alongside an enclosed outdoor area. For a setting accepting children from their first birthday through to five, the important question is how those spaces serve children at different developmental stages. Physical roominess and age-appropriate participation are separate considerations.

In February 2023, children used a sensory tent for pretend tea parties, choosing resources to stand in for other objects. This was a concrete example of imaginative play: children used resources as pretend objects to support their tea parties. The tent gave that play a particular setting.

Learning and Activities

First Steps follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the framework covering children's learning, development and care. Its areas include language, movement, relationships, early reading and number work, creativity and understanding the world. For parents, that means the educational day encompasses talking, physical activity and social development alongside literacy and mathematics; it is broader than preparation for classroom tasks.

In February 2023, staff extended conversations with explanations and examples, encouraging children to think further about what they were discussing. Adults also demonstrated expected behaviour and used clear boundaries. These examples connect learning with ordinary interactions: a conversation or a shared activity can carry teaching as well as play.

Shrove Tuesday provided another example during February 2023, when children tasted pancakes and lemon and reacted to the sour flavour. Staff encouraged their willingness to try something unfamiliar. This was sensory exploration through an everyday experience, rather than a separate lesson.

Whole-group activities were less well matched to the youngest children in February 2023. They became distracted and missed some of the learning. For families with a younger child, how collective activities are adapted deserves attention alongside the rooms themselves.

In February 2023, children sought comfort from staff, who helped them identify and explore their emotions. Adults used gentle reminders about manners, while familiar routines helped children understand what would happen next. These are useful details for parents weighing how a child might manage the social demands of a preschool day.

Communication also extended beyond the setting in February 2023. Parents received updates about their child's development, and annual questionnaires gathered their views. That combination gave families information about learning and a route to comment on their experience.

Both managers have undertaken specialist SEN training with the national portage association. This provides a concrete training detail for families considering additional needs, rather than a general promise about inclusion. The team also undertakes continuing training to develop its knowledge and skills.

First Steps Pre-School operates at The Triangle-Liss Community Centre, Mill Road, Liss, GU33 7DX. Its current term-time opening hours run from 8.30am until 4.30pm on weekdays. Families should weigh that finishing time against their working day, and the term-time calendar against their need for holiday care.

Government-funded childcare is accepted. Attendance beyond a child's funded hours is charged at the nursery's hourly rate; current prices come in its written quotation. Funding participation does not itself establish a particular family's entitlement.

The nursery accepts children aged 12 months to five years. A call-back form provides an enquiry route, with fields for a preferred start date and number of days, and families can also telephone the team.

• Youngest children's participation. In February 2023, whole-group activities did not fully engage the youngest children. During a visit, ask how activities now accommodate a one-year-old alongside older children.
• Term-time coverage. Opening hours are 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, in term time. Families needing care through school holidays will need to account for that calendar.
• Funding and everyday costs. Funded childcare is accepted, with extra attendance charged by the hour. Before agreeing a place, ask for a written breakdown covering the intended attendance, food and consumables.

First Steps suits families seeking term-time childcare for children aged one to five, with a weekday finish at 4.30pm. Two large rooms and secure outdoor space provide the physical basis; the February 2023 examples of conversation, pretend play and emotional support give the day more substance.

The deciding issue for younger children is how teaching is adapted to their stage of development. Families should weigh that question alongside the term-time calendar and the hours they need.