Stepping Out

Play with purpose is the thread running through this South Norwood preschool. Stepping Out is based at Holy Innocents C of E Church on Selhurst Road and takes children from 2 to 5. In September 2023, Ofsted judged the setting Good across overall effectiveness, education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management; safeguarding arrangements were effective.

The current offer pairs a large hall with free-flow access to an outdoor garden. That gives the day an indoor-outdoor rhythm rather than confining play to one space. Diwali, Easter and Black History Month are named celebrations, giving children recurring chances to explore different cultures together.

Learning, play and culture

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) shapes the programme. In practice, that means children learn through play, adult-led conversation and routines that build language, physical confidence and social understanding, rather than through formal lessons. The setting’s own description puts resources, imagination and skills development together, while adults used children’s interests and needs to organise activities in September 2023.

Its current description of a typical day adds structured activities and social interaction to that play-based foundation. This is useful context for families weighing a preschool routine: children have opportunities to follow an interest, then to take part in a shared activity and practise being part of a group. The emphasis is on building independence alongside early learning, not on moving children prematurely into formal classroom work.

Independence had a clear place in the September 2023 picture. Children practised putting on coats and shoes, pouring drinks and serving themselves at snack time. Sand timers supported turn-taking; staff also used a quiet safe space to help children explore their feelings and settle themselves. These small routines matter because they make self-care, sharing and emotional regulation part of ordinary play.

Outdoor and community life

The outdoor garden is a current feature, with free-flow access during the day. It gives children an immediate place for movement, exploration and imaginative play alongside the hall-based provision. In September 2023, children made sandcastles in a large outdoor sandpit and created in the mud kitchen. Those are dated observations, but they show how physical play and imagination were being joined up at that time.

Celebrating Diwali, Easter and Black History Month is more than a calendar display here. The named events bring shared stories, traditions and conversation into children’s experience of the local community. That matters in a preschool where children are still learning how their own family life connects with the experiences of friends.

Relationships have a defined structure. Each child is assigned a key worker, who makes regular observations and tracks progress, with two-year-old records shared with parents. This gives families one clear point of contact and gives practitioners a basis for adapting activities to a child’s development.

The published team structure includes a SENCO, safeguarding responsibility and first-aid training. This is a practical route for coordinating support when a child needs adjustments to take part in the day. In September 2023, children were well supervised and staff were clear about what to do when they had a welfare concern.

Health routines were practical rather than abstract in September 2023. Children washed hands and talked about healthy food and toothbrushing. Parents received packed-lunch ideas, a useful connection between the preschool day and the food sent from home. Children were also encouraged to make choices in their play, adding a further strand of independence to the routine.

Warm interactions were part of the same dated picture. Children formed strong bonds with staff and received praise and encouragement through the day. For a child making the move from home into a group, that combination of a named key worker, predictable routines and positive adult feedback gives the settling process a clear structure.

Stepping Out is at Holy Innocents C of E Church, The Vicarage 192a, Selhurst Road, London, SE25 6XX. It runs during term time and closes in school holidays. The published booking patterns are Monday to Friday morning sessions from 9am to 12 noon, afternoon sessions from 12 noon to 3pm, and full days from 9am to 3pm.

Families register their interest by phone, email or callback request, then receive an application form. The provider asks for that form by the term before a child’s intended start. This is a timetable-led joining process, so it makes sense to organise the first conversation around the term in which a place is wanted.

Eligible two- and three-year-olds can use funded childcare here through 15-hour and 30-hour routes. The stated delivery pattern is 38 weeks across the school year, from September to July. Current nursery-specific prices are supplied in the provider’s written quotation.

Children staying for lunch bring a packed lunch. Families managing allergies should confirm the current dietary arrangements directly. Norwood Junction and Selhurst stations are the named rail options, while the 410, 75, 130 and 157 buses serve the setting. The named transport links give families travelling from beyond the immediate Selhurst Road area several public-transport options to consider.

• Term-time pattern. Sessions follow the school year and the setting closes in school holidays. Families needing continuous holiday childcare will need separate arrangements.

• Food routine. Lunch is brought from home. Allergy-affected families should discuss their child’s current dietary plan before starting.

• Quieter children. In September 2023, the improvement point was more consistent staff interaction with quieter, less confident children. Ask how children who take longer to join in are noticed and drawn into play now.

Stepping Out suits families looking for a term-time preschool day with a clear social and independence-building rhythm. The strongest picture is of children using the hall and outdoor garden for imaginative, physical play, with cultural celebrations woven into the year. It works for families who need morning sessions, afternoon sessions or full 9am to 3pm days, rather than extended year-round care.