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First Day Nursery (Hackney)

Ofsted: Good
(Jun 2023)
·
5.0(28 Google reviews) ·St. Joseph's Hospice, Mare Street, London, E8 4SA · Hackney
Number of places
100 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jun 2023
Local authority
Hackney

About this day nursery

First Day Nursery aims to cultivate curiosity and growth in children aged 3 months to 5 years, fostering a safe and stimulating space for exploration, learning, and development. Drawing inspiration from pioneers such as Maria Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Rudolf Steiner, and Emmi Pikler, the day nursery adopts a Curiosity Approach, providing a play-based, child-led environment.

This method encourages children to delve into their innate curiosity, experiment, and create using natural resources, guided by passionate educators. The nursery's ethos is rooted in promoting holistic development, offering a tranquil and open-ended setting where children can learn at their own speed.

The vision is to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence in early childhood care and learning, dedicated to offering a high-quality environment with a nature connection, authentic resources, and a nurturing team, all while maintaining a strong partnership with parents and adhering to the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

Our ethos

First Day Nursery adopts a play-based, child-led environment inspired by the Curiosity Approach, Maria Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Rudolf Steiner, and Emmi Pikler. They foster children's innate curiosity and holistic development through exploration, natural resources, and a tranquil setting, all within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

What it's like

Children arrive smiling and happy, developing self-assurance through kind and approachable staff. The staff provide good learning experiences, with babies developing a sense of self through interaction, circle time, and action songs that support gross motor skills. All children enjoy outdoor play, learning to take safe risks on bicycles, balancing beams, and with bat and ball.

Curiosity ApproachChild-led LearningPlay-based LearningNature-connected environment

Pricing & funding

Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

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Key facts

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Registered with Ofsted

2021

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for First Day Nursery (Hackney)

Last inspected 1 June 2023 · Caroline Preston

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What it's like to attend

Children arrive smiling and happy, developing self-assurance through kind and approachable staff. The staff provide good learning experiences, with babies developing a sense of self through interaction, circle time, and action songs that support gross motor skills. All children enjoy outdoor play, learning to take safe risks on bicycles, balancing beams, and with bat and ball.

Inspector highlights

  • Children arrive smiling and happy and develop self-assurance.
  • Staff plan and provide good learning experiences for children.
  • Children enjoy outdoor play and learn to take safe risks.
  • Children discuss their interests with staff, who plan learning opportunities from this.
  • Leaders and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively.

Areas to develop

  • 1schedule regular check-ins and set clear goals and expectations for staff undertaking an early years apprenticeship
  • 2further support staff to gain a deeper understanding of the curriculum to help them make their interactions with children more meaningful.
Inspection #10295206 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Leaders and staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. They work well with external agencies to follow appropriate strategies to support learning and development.

Outdoor space

All children enjoy outdoor play, which helps encourage children's independence and growing self-confidence. They learn to take safe risks as they confidently ride bicycles, walk along balancing beams and play bat and ball. Children have access to two outdoor-play areas, which include a 'secret garden'. Staff provide a curriculum which is based around children's play experiences in nature. Children develop literacy, creativity, imagination and mathematics as they scoop, measure, plant, dig and explore.

Google Reviews of First Day Nursery (Hackney)

5.0
(28 Google reviews)
yasmin holmberg
a year ago

Our son started at First Day Nursery this summer when he was just under a year old. He settled in within a couple of days and absolutely loves it there.The staff are super friendly and engaging, providing daily updates via the app as well as during pick up. They are also invested in our son's development and we are constantly impressed with the new things he has learnt at nursery. Huge thank you to all the staff, especially Kay, Kim and Liberty who have been key contact people for my son.

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Jane Margetts
5 years ago

Sending your child to nursery is difficult for any parent. You want to make the right choice so your little one is happy and therefore develops. During Covid my child did not have the opportunity to interact with other children or be held by other members of family for the first 12 months of his life. Going to nursery was going to be a difficult step. The staff at Maisie Poppins have been more than amazing in helping my son settle in. I can leave him at the door knowing he is in safe hands. As a parent of course I worry, that's natural, but I don't worry about the care he is experiencing. He started two weeks ago and he still has a little way to go but I see a huge difference in his confidence and development. Maisie Poppins has been the right choice and my son is happy.

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Abby Bailey-Smith
5 years ago

Maisie Poppins is such a wonderful nursery and preschool! Our son has been so very well cared for by them, especially after he developed a medical condition shortly after joining. Maisie and all of her staff have been so supportive and accommodating to his needs and we feel completely comfortable leaving him there as we know that he is in such safe hands. He absolutely loves going and runs in without a second glance! We couldn't recommend Maisie Poppins enough.

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Meghan Craig
5 years ago

Maisie Poppins nursery is a haven for our little ones. Just off busy Mare St. in Hackney they step into a bubble of love, care and inclusion. We could not say thank you enough to the incredible staff who take care of our little boy. Having special needs, we were very careful in our choice of nursery. Maisie and her team have surpassed any expectations we could have had. They are thoughtful, proactive and responsive. Communication channels are open and everyone who works there creates a welcoming, supportive environment. Our little guy has thrived in the nursery setting. I have no doubt that his development is further than it could ever have been because of their input. Every week a theme is carefully selected and the activities are set up to stimulate little ones minds. I am always in awe of the incredible effort that the staff make to create a fantastic learning experience every day. We have never felt that our little boy is being treated differently, rather the ethos of inclusion is lived and breathed every day. We couldn't ask for more!

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Stephanie
5 years ago

By far the best nursery in the area, my son absolutely loves coming here! Everything is so well thought out, lots of time spent in the garden and the food is nutritious and delicious. I don’t have any concerns whatsoever sending my son as I know he’s having the best time! Have recommended to all my friends. Also Maisie is so great and clearly cares hugely for the children’s well-being and development.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for First Day Nursery (Hackney). See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Ofsted records show this provider has closed and was never graded. There's no inspection history to display.

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