First Steps Day Nursery

Sand-tray discoveries, shared tower-building and growing independence characterised daily life at First Steps Day Nursery in June 2022. Based within the grounds of Ashford Hospital, the nursery provided a setting for the play and relationships observed in June 2022.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its 10 June 2022 inspection. Its current age range is 0 to 96 months, with 74 places in total; that whole-setting capacity should not be read as the size of an individual group.

In June 2022, children chose resources and pursued their own play: older children invented flavours for pretend cakes in a sand tray, while toddlers searched through sand for concealed objects. These examples show learning through exploration and conversation rather than simply completing adult-directed tasks.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the June 2022 day included language practice through bubble play, cooperation through building towers together and opportunities to make independent choices. Staff used brief words with younger children and talked alongside their play, connecting language with what children were doing.

Outdoor play also featured in June 2022. Children had opportunities outside each day, and toddlers practised waiting for a turn with skittles and an outdoor slide. Physical play supplied a practical setting for learning how to share.

At the June 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including close monitoring of development, targeted activities and collaboration with health visitors, social workers and speech and language professionals. That finding gives families a dated assessment of both protection and additional support.

In June 2022, visual cues helped children who were not speaking participate in learning. Staff also built relationships with families to adapt care to individual needs, and communication with the child's key person was a strength. The practical value was continuity between knowledge of the child at home and care at nursery.

Meals in June 2022 accommodated children's dietary requirements and preferences, while children practised pouring drinks and using cutlery themselves. Everyday care doubled as an opportunity to develop independence.

In June 2022, staff understood how to recognise possible abuse and respond to concerns about a child. They also knew the whistle-blowing procedures for raising concerns about another staff member's practice. These are separate responsibilities: noticing a child's possible vulnerability and knowing how to question an adult's conduct. For parents, the practical significance is how concerns are recognised and passed on, rather than simply whether a policy exists.

During the same period, leaders observed staff regularly and reviewed nursery practice. Practitioners had access to training both within the organisation and externally, including childhood trauma training that helped them understand the pandemic's effects on children. This connected staff development with the experiences children brought into nursery. The June 2022 curriculum also emphasised personal, social and emotional development, giving relationships and emotional needs a clear place alongside other learning. Those priorities help explain the attention to friendships, turn-taking and family relationships described above. They belong to that inspection period and provide useful context for its account of children's care.

The address is Ashford Hospital, London Road, Ashford, TW15 3AA. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. Those closure periods matter when planning childcare around work.

In June 2022, the nursery provided funded early education for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated participation fact, rather than a promise about a family's entitlement or present booking arrangements.

• Purpose behind activities. In June 2022, staff did not always identify precisely what planned activities should teach. For families, the issue is whether an enjoyable activity also moves learning forward.
• Challenge for older children. In June 2022, opportunities to extend reasoning and solve problems were inconsistent. This matters most as children need more demanding learning experiences.
• Fitting care to your child. The age range extends from 0 to 96 months, while opening runs across the working week. At a visit, ask how your child's daily routine and age group would fit within that offer.

First Steps suits families seeking weekday childcare on the Ashford Hospital site. Its June 2022 strengths lay in relationships, practical independence and support tailored to individual children. The balance is clear: care and participation earned praise, while the educational purpose of activities and challenge for older children needed further work.