First Steps Nursery at Froebelian

A safe crawl room for younger babies, a separate active side for children becoming mobile, and short learning sessions as preschool approaches: First Steps Nursery at Froebelian builds its day around changing stages of childhood. This Horsforth nursery welcomes children from three months to five years and has capacity for 50 children. Its appeal rests on concrete differences between the rooms, rather than treating the youngest babies and children preparing for school as one group.

At its June 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found that its curriculum supported sustained concentration, confident language and strong preparation for later learning. That is a dated judgement, but the detail behind it is useful: children explored mathematical problems through everyday tasks, while their interests prompted drawing, model-making and book-based discovery.

The current room arrangements combine sensory exploration, increasing independence and more structured learning as children grow. For parents, that makes the progression through nursery an important part of the choice, alongside the relationship with their child's key person.

Rooms and Ages

The baby room serves children from three months to two years, with the safe crawl room equipped for the youngest babies and the active side room intended for older, more mobile children. Movement between these spaces follows development, giving children somewhere suited to their changing physical abilities rather than expecting everyone to use the same environment.

Water, sand and materials that children can shape provide sensory experiences in the baby room, while sitting, rolling, crawling and early steps are encouraged as children become ready. Singing also runs through care routines, including nappy changes. This connects language and rhythm with familiar moments in the day, rather than reserving them for organised group activities alone.

Around their second birthday, children move to the toddler room, where practising everyday tasks, exploring natural materials and playing outdoors support increasing independence. Early academic activities are introduced in brief bursts when individual children are ready. The practical emphasis matters: learning to do something for themselves is part of the day, alongside learning new ideas.

Children enter the pre-school room at three, combining self-chosen play with short sessions that develop vocabulary through topics, introduce number work and explore early phonics. The change is one of emphasis. Play remains part of the day, while these structured activities introduce some of the skills children will use when they start school.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care: in everyday terms, play and interaction help children build language, physical skills and understanding. First Steps places creative play alongside individual and group learning opportunities. Children have choices about what they explore, with adults also planning activities to extend their learning.

In June 2022, caring for ducklings led children to observe changes, make drawings and models, and search for information in books. It was a useful example of one interest opening several routes into learning. Rather than treating drawing, making and discovering facts as unrelated tasks, staff connected them through something children were already curious about.

During the same month, babies explored petals and leaves while helping water flowers, and toddlers investigated messy materials. Children used a game of lotto independently and reminded one another how to play. These examples show the different forms participation can take, from sensory discovery to remembering rules and organising play with friends.

Outdoor and Community Life

Natural resources and outdoor exploration are part of the toddler room's offer. In June 2022, changes to the outdoor area also gave children more opportunities to use mathematics during play. The practical value is the connection between learning and an environment children can explore, rather than number work being confined to an indoor activity.

Charity theme days take place regularly during the year. Children in Need and NSPCC Number Day are among the causes supported through fundraising. These bring shared events into nursery life and give families another point of connection with the setting beyond their own child's room.

Relationships and Communication

Each baby has a key person who works with the child and builds a relationship with their parent. That named role gives the family a consistent point of contact as routines, abilities and needs change. It also sits naturally alongside the baby room's developmental progression: the relationship matters as much as the move from crawling space to more active play.

In June 2022, staff knew children's individual needs and adjusted their responses for those who needed extra reassurance, including when unfamiliar people visited. Parents and key staff exchanged detailed information regularly, helping home and nursery work towards the same learning aims.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with staff recognising potential harm, sharing concerns through established procedures and leaders checking suitability when recruiting. Current staffing arrangements include designated safeguarding lead roles, paediatric first aid training and a SENCo role. Those are concrete arrangements families can discuss alongside the support their own child needs.

In June 2022, children learned about one another's celebrations, and staff incorporated different backgrounds into nursery life. Children also practised listening, taking turns in discussions and playing considerately together. These everyday interactions matter alongside the more visible activities: learning to participate in a group includes understanding other people as well as developing one's own confidence.

The nursery's chef prepares meals, with cereal for breakfast, a morning snack, a hot lunch with fruit and a lighter tea; a vegetarian lunch option can be provided when needed. Water is accessible throughout the day, and meals are also used to practise table manners and eating together.

Sessions and Attendance

First Steps opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, across 51 weeks of the year. It closes for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. The opening span is useful for families fitting childcare around work, while the Christmas closure needs to be included in their annual plans.

The nursery welcomes children from three months to five years. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 0113 258 8933 or by email to manager@froebelian.co.uk. Registration involves a form and a deposit, and a waiting list applies when the nursery cannot immediately meet a family's needs.

Getting There

The address is 173–179 New Road Side, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 4DR. The nursery is on the A65, close to the Leeds Ring Road, giving families specific roads to consider when planning their regular journey.

Moving On

School preparation becomes more explicit in the pre-school room through early phonics, number activities and vocabulary development. The nursery describes The Froebelian School as one possible next step, including transition at two, while also preparing children to move elsewhere at four turning five. Attendance does not guarantee a school place; families still need to apply through the local authority for a state school or through the school's own process for an independent school.

• Baby-room progression. Most babies start in the safe crawl room and move towards the active side as they develop, depending on their age when joining. How would the key person plan your baby's settling period and support that later change of space?
• Uniform from two. First Steps uniform is required when children move into the toddler room from age two. This is a practical clothing requirement to include in the family's preparations for that stage.
• Visiting and registration. Tours normally take place at 9.30am and are led by the manager; registration requires a form and deposit, with a waiting list when needs cannot immediately be met. A tour is the opportunity to discuss the attendance arrangement you want and obtain a current written quotation.

First Steps suits parents seeking childcare across much of the working year who value a clear progression from baby sensory play to toddler independence and preschool learning. The separate baby spaces deserve attention, as does the way singing is incorporated into ordinary care routines.

Its June 2022 Outstanding judgement provides substantial historical support for the educational approach. The current offer gives families concrete things to weigh: developmental room moves, short structured learning sessions, chef-prepared food and a uniform requirement from two. The strongest fit is a family comfortable with that increasingly structured progression as their child grows.