Footsteps Stafford Nursery & Pre-School

A period property, a garden and an outdoor log classroom give Footsteps Stafford Nursery & Pre-School a clear outdoor character. On Newport Road in Stafford, the nursery combines indoor play with an on-site forest school area, where nature provides materials for exploration rather than simply a backdrop to play.

The nursery has 81 places in total and accepts children from three months to five years. At its 9 May 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and judged safeguarding effective, although more consistent help with children's learning targets and sharper staff supervision were needed. A later regulatory visit in January 2026 identified breaches, including a failure to notify a significant incident involving a child's dairy intolerance. That later finding matters alongside the grade.

Full-day, morning and afternoon bookings provide different attendance options, subject to a minimum weekly commitment.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage is the framework for children's learning and care: in daily life, that means developing communication, physical skills and independence through play and everyday routines. Here, children have both activities organised by adults and opportunities to choose their own play. Indoor experiences may include making things, pretend play, early language activities and learning in small groups.

In May 2025, babies practised repeating individual words, toddlers talked with adults, and preschool children answered questions that invited them to explain their thinking. These were different ways of building communication at different stages. Storytelling included a Jack and the Beanstalk puppet, with older children recalling the plot and anticipating its next turn. The story became a conversation rather than something children only listened to.

There was a practical weakness in carrying plans through. In May 2025, an activity intended to help older babies remain standing lost that purpose when adults supported them on their laps instead. The distinction matters: an enjoyable activity does not necessarily give a child practice in the skill it was planned to develop.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden's forest school area supports learning through outdoor exploration, with an outdoor log classroom giving activities a dedicated base. Possible sessions include den making, investigating natural objects and projects linked to the seasons. Children can spend whole days learning outdoors, making this a substantial part of the setting's offer.

In May 2025, younger children dug in soil and marked off insects they spotted, while older children examined bugs through magnifying glasses and moved logs together. Those examples connected observation with hand control, cooperation and physical effort. They also gave children room to pursue their own discoveries.

The Enrichment Programme covers possible additional experiences such as gardening, baking, celebrations and visits by local specialists. Its activities may vary; the funded-hours charge for enrichment belongs to the optional Essentials Package rather than the funded entitlement itself.

A key person gets to know each child's interests and needs, supports settling and keeps parents informed. This gives families a familiar point of contact and links care decisions to the individual child. Parents and carers can also join recurring activities and special events, offering ways to participate in nursery life.

In May 2025, babies received physical comfort from adults when needed, and toddlers practised serving lunch and handling cutlery with help. Familiar routines also supported the preschool day: children waited for a headcount before outdoor play. Care and learning overlapped in these ordinary moments.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, the May 2025 arrangements included detailed individual plans and cooperation with parents and outside professionals, including speech and language therapists. Learning plans also addressed children's next steps as they moved through the nursery and towards school.

Meals are made fresh on the premises each day using seasonal ingredients. Allergy management requires particular attention here: at its 23 January 2026 regulatory visit, Ofsted found breaches and recorded strengthened door-and-gate risk procedures and mealtime allergy systems, but also a failure to notify staff negligence after a child with a dairy intolerance received a potentially harmful drink. The published outcome does not establish that the notification failure was subsequently resolved.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 18 Newport Road, Stafford, ST16 1BA. Full days run from 8am to 6pm, mornings from 8am to 1pm, and afternoons from 1pm to 6pm. These are booking periods, distinct from the opening window.

Families must book at least two full days or four morning or afternoon sessions each week, including a Monday or Friday. This makes the weekly commitment as important as the choice of session. The nursery operates for 51 weeks, closing for public holidays and a week over Christmas.

On-site parking and a buggy store support the practicalities of bringing young children. Enquiries can be made by telephone or email, and tours can be booked.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes the 15-hour and 30-hour entitlements for eligible children aged nine months to four years, alongside 2 Help funding. The annual entitlement is stretched over the nursery's operating weeks: the 15-hour entitlement becomes 11.18 hours each week, and the 30-hour entitlement becomes 22.35. Funded hours can stand alone or be combined with paid hours.

Private session fees are inclusive of meals and consumables. During funded hours, food, consumables and enrichment are charged separately through the optional Essentials Package; consumables cover wipes, nappies, nappy bags, creams and sun cream. Families can opt out before term starts, although suitable alternatives or arrangements for collecting and disposing of consumables may be required.

A registration charge and deposit apply, both waived for fully funded places; the deposit is credited against the final invoice. Permanent session changes and cancellations require one calendar month's notice. Bank-holiday charges still apply, and sickness or holidays do not attract refunds, credits or replacement sessions. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Allergy handling and notification. The January 2026 outcome includes the dairy-intolerance incident and failure to notify it. Families should discuss current drink and meal checks, incident reporting and door-and-gate controls during a visit.
• Turning targets into practice. In May 2025, support for individual learning targets was inconsistent and staff supervision needed greater precision. For families, the important distinction is between planning an activity around a target and giving children consistent support to practise the intended skill.
• Weekly commitment and closing time. The minimum booking includes Monday or Friday. Closing times also conflict between 6pm and 6.30pm, so establish the agreed collection time alongside the session contract.
• Funded-hours extras. The Essentials Package is optional, with opting out arranged before term starts. Establish what alternatives your child would need and how the stretched hours and paid sessions would fit your weekly pattern.

Footsteps Stafford suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as full days, provided its minimum weekly booking fits their needs. The garden and outdoor log classroom give nature-based play a concrete setting, while key-person care provides a named role for communication and settling. The balance requires care: the May 2025 inspection called for more consistent support for learning targets and more focused staff supervision, and the January 2026 regulatory findings warrant a direct discussion before joining.