First Steps Pre-School

Gardening, woodwork and stories turned into magnetic-tile castles give First Steps Pre-School a practical, imaginative character. Based at The Drill Hall in Driffield, it combines a mixed-age preschool day with opportunities for parents to help shape how the setting is run. This is provision for children over two and below school age, with capacity for 28 children in total.

At its 5 March 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged inclusion to be at Strong standard, the other five assessed areas at Expected standard, and safeguarding standards met. The distinction matters: support for children needing additional help was the clearest strength, while teaching consistency and outdoor physical development needed further work.

Attendance is term-time, with morning, afternoon and full-day bookings. Parent involvement goes beyond conversations with staff: an elected committee reviews policy and practice, and fundraising pays for extra equipment and resources. Families who want a role in the preschool's development have a concrete way to contribute.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning through play, covering children's communication, relationships, movement and wider learning. Here, children can choose activities and pursue their own ideas, alongside sessions led by adults in smaller or larger groups. That combination gives them practice in making decisions and working with other children.

Accessible indoor equipment and ongoing activity areas let children explore materials independently.

In March 2026, traditional stories supplied ideas for both mathematics and imaginative play. Shape, measurement and size were explored through stories; children also made castles from magnetic tiles and painted favourite characters. These are concrete connections between listening, making and thinking. Gardening and woodwork added practical experiences in which children shared materials and ideas.

Small-group work in March 2026 included teaching about letters and sounds. Number sequences and familiar songs also featured in the children's learning. The useful distinction is between a group activity with a clear purpose and the activities children choose independently: staff knew what children needed to learn, but teaching those next steps consistently across the team remained an area for development.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play forms part of the offer, alongside the indoor resources. In March 2026, however, opportunities outdoors did not give children enough freedom to move in different ways. Strengthening physical development outside was a specific next step. Families should weigh that finding alongside the practical activities, rather than assuming that access to outdoor space settles the question of how well it is used.

School preparation includes contact with receiving teachers and visits. The June 2026 newsletter described a completed visit to Driffield Infants and a planned visit to Northfield School. It also described Rising 5’s groups for children entering their final preschool year, with planned special group time in the pod. This creates a recognisable stage before children move on, rather than treating the change to school only as an end-of-term event.

Relationships and Communication

Home visits before starting and a key-person approach were part of daily practice in March 2026. The visits gave staff information about families and children before attendance began; the key person provided a continuing relationship once children joined. For a parent thinking about separation, the practical value is continuity between what staff learn at home and how they respond in the preschool.

Spring Stay and Play and Summer Stay and Play have also provided introductory play sessions for new starters. They give children an opportunity to become familiar with preschool activities before the new term. Settling is treated as a shared task with parents, with recognition that children take different amounts of time to become comfortable in a group.

Communication includes newsletters, text messages, parents' evenings and informal conversations. Parents can exchange information about interests, progress or changes affecting their child, and contribute their own interests to activities. Committee membership and fundraising provide further routes into the preschool's life, although families are explicitly recognised as having different amounts of time to give.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the March 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that targeted communication work, regular reviews with families and outside agencies, and additional one-to-one support helped children with SEND make rapid progress from their starting points. This is the strongest reason to consider First Steps for a child needing extra help: the judgement rested on specific adjustments and their impact, rather than a general statement about inclusion.

A SENCO and deputy SENCO are part of the staff structure, alongside designated safeguarding lead and deputy lead roles. In March 2026, staff used stories to help children understand emotions, and individual physical exercises addressed particular health and wellbeing needs. These examples show how care could be adapted to a child rather than confined to the same routine for everyone.

Fruit is offered at snack time, while children staying for lunch bring food from home and eat with staff. The lunches policy requires parents to share dietary needs on enrolment and with the key person as they change; it also prohibits nuts and nut products in packed lunches.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Drill Hall, 72A Middle Street South, Driffield, YO25 6QF, in the town centre. First Steps operates during term time and opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 3.30pm. Its telephone enquiry route is 01377 241117.

Morning sessions run from 8am to noon and afternoon sessions from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Full-day bookings run from 9am to 3.30pm; half-day bookings are also offered. The earlier opening from 8am is paid provision outside the funded window, so the opening time and the time funding starts have different implications for a family's bill.

Bookings are charged or funded for the whole booked half-day or full-day session even when a child is collected earlier. Fees are reviewed annually, and invoices are issued at the beginning of each half-term. Current prices come in the preschool's written quotation. Cancellation requires four weeks' notice, and missed attendance does not qualify for a fee refund.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered, including 30 hours of childcare per week during term time. Funding can be used from 9am to 3.30pm. Private paid attendance is also offered, including the earlier opening, which funding does not cover.

Funded attendance carries a separate food charge for twice-daily snacks, invoiced under the label consumables. Lunch is supplied by parents.

Parents are asked to apply sun cream before preschool, and the setting supplies sun hats for outdoor play. The lunch policy also asks families to keep packed food cool, for example with ice packs. These are practical preparations for the day, alongside choosing washable clothing that children can manage when using the toilet independently.

Moving on to School

Visits to schools and conversations with receiving teachers support transition. They do not guarantee a school place.

• Outdoor movement. In March 2026, children had too few opportunities outside to move freely in different ways. On a visit, ask to see how outdoor activities now support running, movement and physical exploration.
• Consistency of teaching. The March 2026 next steps included developing staff understanding so teaching was consistently strong. Ask how practitioners plan the learning in activities children choose themselves, as well as adult-led groups.
• Morning booking and funding. Opening begins at 8am, but funded attendance starts at 9am and earlier care is paid separately. When arranging attendance, agree the booked session and its funded and paid portions in writing.
• Packed lunches and allergies. Parents supply lunch, and the policy excludes nuts and nut products while requiring dietary information to be shared with staff. Families managing allergies should confirm current practice and discuss their child's needs before starting.

First Steps suits families seeking term-time preschool with a choice between morning or afternoon sessions and a full-day booking, especially those who value parent participation in running the setting. The committee structure gives that involvement substance. School visits and introductory play sessions add practical support around the changes into and out of preschool.

The March 2026 findings make inclusion the strongest part of the case. The balance is equally clear: consistent teaching and richer outdoor movement need attention. For a family choosing between settings, the decisive conversation is how those two areas have developed while individual support remains effective.