Little Steps Nursery, Rochdale

Muddy play, daily tooth brushing and a preschool room that opens directly into the garden give Little Steps its practical, hands-on character. On Tenby Street in Rochdale, it combines play-led learning with everyday habits such as serving food and managing personal care. These small routines matter as much as the craft activities: they give children opportunities to make choices and practise independence.

Little Steps has capacity for 49 children and accepts children from three months to five years. At its December 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good overall, with communication and language a clear strength and an improvement needed in the organisation of transitions and mealtimes. Full days and half days provide different ways to fit nursery around family routines.

Rooms and Ages

The Baby room caters for three months to two years, combining sensory exploration through mirrors, lights, natural materials, music and textures with activities that encourage movement and early communication. Parents contribute information about their baby's interests, so the starting point is the individual child rather than an identical set of activities for everyone.

For children aged two to three, the Toddler room uses storytelling, construction, baking, sand and water, and early drawing activities to encourage choices, friendships and growing independence. Its layout lets children move between activities and follow their interests.

The Pre-school room, for children aged three and over, brings together early number work, language and literacy with construction, imaginative play, creative activities and technology, alongside direct access to the garden. Children can choose to extend activities outdoors.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the common framework for learning and care: here, children practise communication, movement and personal confidence through play suited to their stage of development. It is the foundation of the day, rather than an extra programme. The early years approach makes the link between messy activities and the skills children are practising unusually concrete.

Pouring and emptying in the mud garden involves movement and interaction with other children; mixing paint explores colour while exercising small hand movements. Craft activities encourage coordination and independence, and handling materials such as shaving foam and gloop gives children textures to investigate.

In December 2023, toy telephones helped babies practise communication, while conversations with staff extended children's language. An interest in dinosaurs became an opportunity to explore factual books. Children's interests provide starting points for new vocabulary and knowledge.

Early writing was also approached through practical play in December 2023. Babies stacked objects and practised grasping; older children used scissors and tape to wrap pretend gifts, drew detailed pictures and began forming letters from their names. The progression connects hand control with later writing, keeping the work rooted in activities children wanted to do.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor provision includes gardening, climbing, water activities and muddy play, with picnics when the weather allows.

In December 2023, children explored where the wind felt strongest outside, turning the weather into something to investigate. A local police officer also visited regularly at that time, helping children learn about the police's role in keeping people safe. Both examples connect learning with the world beyond indoor activities.

Relationships and Communication

Before starting, families are invited to an All About Me meeting covering their child's routines, personality and individual needs. That creates a practical starting point for care: staff can learn how a child spends their day at home and what needs attention before nursery routines begin. Stay and Play sessions also give parents time alongside their child in the setting.

Daily app updates cover activities, sleep, toileting and meals, while parents can contribute observations and photographs from home. ParentZone provides a timeline of observations and assessments, including photographs and videos, and allows direct messages. Communication therefore works in both directions, with home experiences contributing to the picture of a child's development.

Termly parents' evenings offer a separate opportunity to discuss progress with the child's key worker and agree next steps. Optional home activities connect with nursery themes and celebrations, giving families something practical to do together rather than only receiving a progress update.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that safeguarding arrangements were effective, children made good progress, and staff supported children with SEND well through early identification, additional funding and work with other professionals.

In December 2023, staff used words from children's home languages during meals and encouraged children to discuss their own features and differences. They also helped children name emotions and respond calmly to difficulties. These everyday exchanges gave inclusion a practical form within conversation and routines.

Personal care was part of learning in December 2023: children attempted feeding themselves, cleaning their faces and washing their hands, while older children discussed preventing the spread of germs. Today, the Brush Bus scheme adds daily tooth brushing to nursery life. It gives oral health a regular place in the day rather than leaving it as an occasional topic.

Meals are made from scratch on site by an in-house cook using a three-week menu cycle. The nursery's dietary policy covers vegetarian, halal and allergy-specific requirements, and staff work with parents on babies' weaning.

Building access uses an intercom and controlled front door, with CCTV covering rooms, corridors and outdoor areas.

Sessions and Attendance

Little Steps opens Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 6pm. A full day runs from 7.30am to 6pm; half days run from 7.30am to 1pm or from 1pm to 6pm. The registration request form offers full days, mornings and afternoons, so families can express both their preferred days and attendance pattern at the outset.

The nursery operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. This is an important distinction for families organising childcare around employment rather than school terms. Early and later sessions are also offered.

Joining begins with a registration request, followed by a registration form if a place can be offered. A deposit holds the child's place and is credited against the first month's fees once the child starts.

Getting There

The address is Tenby Street, Rochdale, OL12 7ES. Parking is on the road outside the nursery.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered from nine months, with both 15 and 30 funded hours for eligible two-, three- and four-year-olds. Little Steps also accepts Tax-Free Childcare payments.

Private childcare is charged through monthly invoices issued on the first day of the month, with payment due by its final day and standing order requested. Fees remain payable when a child is absent through illness or holiday, and overdue balances attract a late-payment charge. These terms matter when comparing the cost of attendance with the cost of holding a booked place.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The fees and funding page sets out its payment arrangements and funded childcare offer.

• Transitions and mealtimes. In December 2023, some changes between activities left children waiting too long, and routine meal tasks reduced staff conversation with some children. On a visit, ask how these periods are organised now, since they affect the experience between the more visible activities.
• The youngest children's day. The Baby room spans three months to two years and uses sensory activities shaped by individual interests. At an All About Me meeting, discuss how your baby's feeding, sleep and comfort routines will fit into the room's day.
• Dietary needs. The nursery caters for allergy-specific requirements and supports weaning. Families managing an allergy should confirm current preparation and serving arrangements before joining.
• The funded booking. Funding begins from nine months, and the nursery sells full and half days. Before committing, ask how funded hours fit your chosen sessions and how meals and consumables are handled within the quotation.

Little Steps suits families seeking either full-day attendance or morning and afternoon half days, with play that connects clearly to communication, movement and independence. The garden access for preschool children, Brush Bus tooth brushing and two-way parent communication give useful substance to that offer.

The December 2023 Good judgement is a positive foundation, balanced by the need to improve waiting times and adult interaction around meals. Families who value practical learning, everyday self-care and involvement through meetings and app updates have clear reasons to consider it. The organisation of transitions deserves attention alongside the activities themselves.