Early Steps Day Nursery

A church-hall setting with outdoor space accessible throughout the day gives Early Steps Day Nursery its character. Based in Kennington, it has a multipurpose space used for sleep and sensory activities. The physical arrangement gives children places for active play and quieter parts of the day.

The nursery has capacity for 36 children and accepts children from six months to five years. At its August 2021 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and judged safeguarding effective. That is a dated assessment, rather than a description of everything happening today.

Weekday opening extends from 7.30am until 6.30pm, across 51 weeks of the year. Alongside nursery care, Breakfast Club and After School Club serve children aged four to eight.

Rooms and Ages

The age-stage provision distinguishes babies under two, toddlers aged two to three and preschool children aged three to five.

Outdoor space is accessible to every child during the day, with toys and games for exploration and play. Inside, the multipurpose room also serves as a sensory room and sleep room. Its shared uses are a practical consideration for families whose child needs daytime rest.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care, including communication, physical development and learning through play. Democracy, equality, openness and social responsibility are the nursery's stated values. Displays and activities reflect the cultures and nationalities of the children attending.

In August 2021, babies practised emerging walking skills with supportive equipment and explored instruments, learning how to handle beaters before trying more complex instruments. These examples linked movement with exploration. Other children practised using climbing frames and sliding safely, making physical learning part of outdoor play.

Conversation ran through activities in August 2021. Staff adjusted questions to children's abilities and encouraged them to think before answering. Shared activities also gave children opportunities to practise taking turns. These examples show how everyday play supported language and cooperation.

The limitations matter too. At its August 2021 inspection, Ofsted identified insufficient challenge for older children and occasions when activities ended before children could complete their work or give their creations proper attention. Play dough was one example. For preschool families, the issue is both the level of difficulty and the time allowed to pursue an idea.

In August 2021, children were encouraged to express themselves verbally during play, while staff worked with parents on behaviour. Children also helped one another prepare for outdoor activities and fasten shoes. These small routines gave them opportunities to practise cooperation and independence.

Support for physical and emotional development included collaboration with parents in August 2021. Hygiene reminders helped children learn about looking after themselves. At mealtimes, adults sat alongside children and talked about food and the day's activities, making eating a social opportunity as well as a routine.

Outdoor supervision in August 2021 included head counts before, during and after play. Staff and leaders also worked with other agencies and understood safeguarding concerns affecting families locally and overseas. These details belong to that assessment date; they should be read alongside the dated safeguarding judgement above.

The current physical provision includes the shared sleep and sensory space. For a baby or toddler who still naps, the way that room is used will matter as much as the outdoor provision.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks annually. Full-day care is offered. The nursery closes on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas, so families using year-round care need to account for those breaks.

Breakfast Club and After School Club cater for children aged four to eight. Pickup and Dropoff is also offered for that age group. These services sit alongside the nursery's baby, toddler and preschool provision; they are a separate reason an older child's family might use the setting.

Getting There

The nursery operates at St. Wilfrid Catholic Church, 97 Lorrimore Road, London SE17 3LZ. Place enquiries can be made by telephone on 02077012800 or through the online contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded early education sessions are offered for children aged three and four. This gives families in those age groups a funded route into the provision, alongside full-day care.

• Older children's learning. The August 2021 assessment highlighted both limited challenge and activities being brought to an early end. On a visit, how are older children stretched and given time to complete their ideas, and how is the shared sleep and sensory room used during naps?
• Annual closures. Care runs across 51 weeks, with bank-holiday closures and a Christmas break. Those interruptions need to fit the family's working calendar.

Early Steps suits families seeking full-day nursery care and those using Breakfast Club or After School Club for older children. Its recognisable strengths are practical: outdoor access throughout the day and a space for sleep and sensory activities.

The August 2021 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, with clear reservations about challenge and the pace of activities for older children. Families with preschool children should give those issues weight alongside the setting's layout and attendance options.