First Steps Nursery Margate

Books, food preparation and a balancing beam give this nursery's February 2026 account its practical character: children were learning through familiar routines as well as planned play. First Steps Nursery Margate is on West End Road in Maxey, Peterborough, and accepts children aged two to five.

At its February 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged all six assessed areas to meet the expected standard and safeguarding standards to be met. This is an area-by-area assessment, rather than an overall grade.

The early years foundation stage links children's learning, development and care; here, the February 2026 curriculum brought language, social skills and independence into everyday activities. Counting children and plates at snack time made mathematics practical. Exploring spring flowers introduced plant vocabulary, while stories gave older children opportunities to listen and follow a narrative.

In February 2026, children explored jelly and dough, and spent time playing outdoors. A balancing beam offered physical challenge, with children helping steady one another. Changes to base rooms had also created more opportunities to choose their own play.

Dance and movement sessions had recently been introduced, alongside a cooking club intended to encourage interest in healthy food. These were additions to the daily opportunities for physical activity.

In February 2026, new children spent time with their key person during settling. Staff collected information from parents about each child, giving that relationship a practical starting point. Conversations about emotions helped children begin to recognise their feelings.

Care routines included private nappy-changing areas, handwashing and planned toothbrushing activities. Children prepared food at snack time with help to use safety knives. These ordinary tasks gave them opportunities to practise doing things for themselves.

At the February 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that children generally made good progress, including those needing additional support, while staff sometimes gave ineffective examples of language use and missed chances to take older children's learning further. Support mechanisms included individual learning targets, advice from outside professionals, and pictures or objects to explain what would happen next. Staff also discussed children's progress with parents and how support could continue at home.

The address is West End Road, Maxey, Peterborough, PE6 9HA. Opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays, two weeks at Christmas and two weeks in summer. Those holiday closures matter for families arranging continuous childcare around work.

• Teaching consistency. In February 2026, staff sometimes missed chances to develop older children's ideas and vocabulary. Building confidence in interactions and responding to children's thinking remained priorities.
• Independence at lunch. February 2026 changes had reduced preschool children's waiting time before serving food, but further improvements were still being established. This is a useful routine to discuss during a visit.
• Support coordination. In February 2026, the staff coordinating special educational needs support were new to that responsibility and still developing their experience. Families needing additional support should discuss how individual targets are reviewed.
• Attendance planning. With Christmas and summer closures to accommodate, which booking pattern would fit your working week?

This suits families seeking play-based learning with an emphasis on language, everyday independence and preparation for school. The February 2026 picture includes practical learning and established care routines, alongside a clear need for more consistent teaching interactions. Families balancing childcare with work will also need to accommodate the seasonal closures.