Step By Step

Step By Step combines early-years care, an out-of-school club and a holiday playscheme at 37-39 High Road in Tottenham. It has capacity for 30 children. The full-day element operates under the Mini Steps Nursery name, while the wider setting is registered as out-of-school day care rather than simply as a day nursery.

Ofsted judged the provision Good after an inspection carried out between July and September 2025. Safeguarding arrangements were effective, and inspectors found children happy, confident in separating from their carers and keen to take part. The strongest thread was personal knowledge: practitioners learned children's routines, interests, dietary requirements and care needs, then used that information to help them settle.

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the early-years provision. In everyday terms, that means experiences are planned from what each child already knows, with attention to communication, physical development, early literacy, imagination and relationships rather than a timetable of formal lessons.

In 2025, children in the early-years element were aged one to three. Fine-motor work prepared them for early mark-making and literacy, while older children balanced on obstacle courses and rode push-along bicycles to develop larger movements. Role play and stories became opportunities for open questions, predictions and richer vocabulary. In another activity, practitioners demonstrated how to make musical shakers before children used their creations for music and dance.

Practitioners generally supported cooperative play through visual reminders, kind role modelling and clear rules. One precise weakness emerged: expectations were not reinforced consistently during every group activity, so some children lost concentration. Strengthening that consistency was the stated improvement point.

The key-person system was central to practice in 2025. Staff understood their key children's developmental stages and individual needs, then planned experiences around them. This continuity can make settling and learning more coherent.

Support for children with special educational needs and disabilities was a clear strength. The team held regular discussions with families and external professionals, using shared information to tailor care and development plans. Weekly meetings covered progress, curriculum and safeguarding, while training was linked to key children's needs.

Mini Steps Nursery runs for 45 weeks a year. The published pattern is 8.30am to 4.30pm from Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 12.45pm on Friday. Planned closures comprise one week at Christmas, four weeks in summer and two weeks for religious holidays.

The term-time out-of-school club runs from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. During school holidays, the playscheme operates from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. Families should distinguish carefully between these three offers because the age group, calendar and daily window they need will determine which part of the provision is relevant.

Funded early education is offered to eligible children. Eligibility depends on the family's circumstances and the applicable government entitlement, so the provider should give a current written explanation of how funded hours fit its 45-week calendar and any additional charges.

• Mixed provision. Early-years care sits alongside term-time out-of-school and holiday provision. Ask which spaces and routines apply to the element your child would attend.
• Behaviour expectations. The 2025 improvement point concerned inconsistent reinforcement of rules in some group activities. Ask what coaching and monitoring followed that finding.
• Budget detail. Request a written quotation setting out funded hours, private hours and any extras before comparing the total cost.
• Weekly pattern. Friday early-years hours finish at 12.45pm, unlike the Monday-to-Thursday full-day window. Check that the published calendar works with your regular care needs.

Step By Step's clearest strengths are close key-person knowledge, thoughtful communication work and practical inclusion for children who need additional support. The 2025 findings give concrete examples, from vocabulary-rich role play to carefully planned work with external professionals. Families should still discuss how consistently group rules are now reinforced.

This setting may suit families choosing Monday-to-Thursday care, Friday half-day sessions, a term-time wraparound club or a weekday holiday playscheme. The best fit depends on the child's age and calendar.