First Steps with Surestart

Wet play and quiet sleep corners give this baby nursery its practical character: space to explore, with somewhere to rest when energy runs out. First Steps with Surestart operates at East March Childrens Centre on Victor Street in Grimsby, caring for children aged 1 to 36 months. Its purpose-built baby provision gives the youngest children an environment planned around their everyday needs.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 8 October 2021 inspection. That is a dated judgement, rather than a guarantee about today's practice. The useful detail beneath it concerns language, relationships and physical exploration, alongside improvement points about children's independence and the organisation of play spaces.

For families balancing childcare with work, the opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year. Bank holidays and a week at Christmas are closure periods.

The baby nursery combines areas for messy activities with quieter corners for sleep. That distinction matters for children whose day still includes both energetic exploration and naps. A key worker is allocated to each child, connecting care with learning rather than treating them as separate parts of the day.

The nursery follows the early years foundation stage, the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, that brings together learning to communicate, moving confidently and managing ordinary routines through play and adult support.

In October 2021, outdoor activities were adapted for children who preferred learning outside. Babies explored water in large trays, filling containers and tipping their contents out. This was hands-on investigation: children could repeat an action and see what happened, rather than simply watch an adult demonstrate it.

Language received deliberate attention that month. Staff introduced vocabulary linked to children's next learning steps, while familiar songs, rhymes and stories were repeated. Repetition gave children another opportunity to recognise words and understand their meaning. For a child beginning to speak, familiar material can make joining in more manageable.

Physical experiences also featured in October 2021. Adults supported babies as they pulled up, stood and attempted walking; older children practised passing balls by kicking and throwing. Sharing equipment brought turn-taking into those activities. Movement and learning to play alongside others happened together.

There was a clear weakness too. In October 2021, some play spaces became noisy and poorly arranged, and some children lost interest in their activity. Resources alone were not enough: their placement and the atmosphere around them mattered to children's ability to stay involved.

Each child's key worker provides daytime care and learning opportunities and acts as the family's main contact. For parents of a baby, that creates a clear route for discussing routines and needs with someone who has a defined responsibility for their child.

In October 2021, settling sessions were adjusted to individual children, with reassurance responding to their emotional needs. Families also reported receiving information about children's learning and the next steps staff were working towards. The emphasis was on understanding the individual child, rather than expecting everyone to settle at the same pace.

Support for home languages was concrete in October 2021. Staff gathered familiar words from parents, including their pronunciation, and used them alongside English. This gave children who were learning English a connection with language they already recognised.

At the October 2021 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, with staff understanding how to recognise and report concerns and managers working with relevant agencies. In that month, regular staff supervision also included discussion of training needs; the nursery employed six childcare staff.

Independence needed more consistent encouragement in October 2021. Children practised washing hands and putting coats on, but adults sometimes undertook manageable tasks for them, including feeding or drying hands. For families, the question is how staff balance helpful care with allowing a child time to attempt something themselves.

The address is East March Childrens Centre, 203-215 Victor Street, Grimsby, DN32 7QB. The baby nursery contact number is 01472 268 118. This is the children's-centre provision, so families should use that address when arranging contact.

Opening runs from 8am to 6pm on weekdays, with provision across the year apart from bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Those closures matter for parents whose work continues through holiday periods: the annual arrangement needs to fit the family's own calendar.

In October 2021, the nursery provided funded early education for two- and three-year-old children. Families considering paid care should obtain a current written quotation before agreeing their arrangements.

• Independence in everyday care. In October 2021, adults sometimes completed tasks children could attempt. On a visit, ask how staff now give children time to try feeding, dressing and handwashing tasks themselves.
• Noise and play-space organisation. Some children disengaged when spaces became disorganised in October 2021. Ask to see how active play and quieter experiences are arranged around the baby nursery's sleep corners.
• The annual calendar. Bank holidays and a week at Christmas are closure periods. Families needing childcare through those dates will need to plan around them.

First Steps with Surestart merits consideration for families seeking baby and toddler care in Grimsby, especially those who value a designated key worker and a purpose-built setting with both messy-play areas and sleep corners. Its weekday opening window can fit families needing care across the working day.

The October 2021 findings offer useful detail, but their age matters. The decision should turn on today's handling of independence and play-space organisation, alongside how comfortably the nursery's care arrangements fit the individual child.