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Second Steps Day Nursery in Basildon (SS13)

Ofsted: Good
(Jun 2022)
·
5.0(4 parent reviews) ·Second Steps Day Nursery, Burnt Mills Road, Basildon, SS13 1DY · Essex
Number of places
38 places
Age range
1–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jun 2022
Local authority
Essex

About this day nursery

Second Steps Day Nursery is dedicated to fostering a cheerful and nurturing atmosphere where young children can flourish through play-based education. The nursery's core philosophy revolves around ensuring that each child feels secure, content, and healthy within an environment that is both stimulating and educational.

They prioritise personalised attention for every child and are committed to collaborating closely with parents to deliver services that meet their needs. The nursery operates from 7 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday, catering to children from 6 weeks up to 5 years of age.

They also provide comprehensive childcare for children up to 12 years old. Second Steps emphasises an enriched curriculum that extends beyond the basic Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision, incorporating experiences like Makaton/British Sign Language, various outings, one-to-one sessions, and school readiness programmes.

They are also proactive in implementing changes to improve their practices and support children's progress. The nursery seeks to offer high-quality childcare within stimulating environments, ensuring that children have enriching early years experiences with equal opportunities for socialisation, play, and learning.

Our ethos

Second Steps Day Nursery is dedicated to a play-based education within a cheerful and nurturing atmosphere. They prioritise personalised attention, aiming to ensure each child feels secure, content, and healthy through an enriched curriculum that extends beyond EYFS, incorporating experiences like Makaton/BSL, outings, and school readiness programmes. They are committed to collaborating with parents and providing high-quality childcare in stimulating environments with equal opportunities for socialisation, play, and learning.

What it's like

Children settle quickly at Second Steps Day Nursery, eager to investigate the activities on offer and warmly welcomed by caring staff with whom they have established close bonds. The nursery focuses on providing a rich outdoor learning environment where children relish their time, engaging in activities like caring for bugs, birdwatching, and discussing the hedgehog living in the garden. Babies also play happily in a bright, cosy room with attentive staff, engaging in sensory play that supports their development.

Play-based learningEnriched curriculumFamily partnershipExtended opening hours

Pricing & funding

The nursery applies a discretionary additional charge on funded hours, which is split into specific fees covering meals, consumables, and enhanced provisions. These charges must be agreed upon in advance by parents.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-oldsTax-Free Childcare

Good to know

  • An additional charge of £10.00 per day or £5.00 per session is applied to funded hours.
  • All additional charges must be agreed upon in advance by parents.
  • In line with funding guidelines, additional charges are discretionary.

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday – Friday 7am to 7pm

Age range

6 weeks to 12 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Second Steps Day Nursery

Last inspected 7 June 2022

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 settle quickly at Second Steps Day Nursery, eager to investigate the activities on offer and warmly welcomed by caring staff with whom they have established close bonds. The nursery focuses on providing a rich outdoor learning environment where children relish their time, engaging in activities like caring for bugs, birdwatching, and discussing the hedgehog living in the garden. Babies also play happily in a bright, cosy room with attentive staff, engaging in sensory play that supports their development.

Inspector highlights

  • Children's communication skills are fully supported and progressing well, with a rich text environment and meaningful conversations.
  • The manager and deputy are ambitious, forward-thinking, and have high expectations for staff and children, supporting professional development effectively.
  • Children benefit from a broad curriculum indoors and outdoors, with staff using initial assessments well and following children's interests to ensure good progress.
  • Parents speak very positively about the care and education, praising supportive and communicative staff and their children's progress.
  • Children are skilfully supported with their ideas and to initiate their own play, accessing open-ended resources and being engrossed in play, particularly outdoors.

Areas to develop

  • 1review the organisation of snack and mealtimes so that staff can make the most of all opportunities to help children to develop their independence skills
  • 2help children to understand how to take more care of their books and resources, particularly when they are leading their own play.
Inspection #10208073 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents say that the staff are very supportive and communicate well, and they say that their children have made good progress since attending.

Parents comment that the 'amazing' staff spend time getting to know their children.

They say that they feel reassured that their child is safe and having fun.

Parents whose children require additional support comment how grateful they are to the manager and her team for all the support and reassurance they receive and the good progress their children make.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Parents whose children require additional support comment how grateful they are to the manager and her team for all the support and reassurance they receive and the good progress their children make.

Outdoor space

Children relish their time in the garden as it provides them with an exciting place to learn. They take great care of the bugs they find and gently place them in the bug hotel. Children patiently sit with binoculars in the birdwatching den and excitedly talk about the nesting birds. They enthusiastically discuss how they have a hedgehog living in the garden and talk about the food they give to it. Great focus has been given to provide children with a rich learning environment outdoors.

Parent Reviews of Second Steps Day Nursery

5.0
(4)
Mark Hassell
3 years ago

I highly recommend Second Steps to any parent. The staff (Nursery practitioners, management, cooks, cleaners etc) are wonderful, caring, informative and always has my sons well being as a first priority. The nursery is well equipped both within the building and the massive garden play area. It’s the perfect location with plenty of parking for drop off and pick up. My son has learnt so much in just a few years there. He has made many friends too. They even now have a parent app that informs you of news, your child’s journey and many other things. To know your children are safe, well looked after and developing how they should is paramount for any parent. This is everything Second Steps is given me and my son.

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Giedrė Kubilė
5 years ago

This is the best Nursery in Basildon👌 Lets start from having all facilities needed and end by large garden with many equipment to play with🤩 Its a bit of rural location also benefits! Staff - very important part of Nursery and daily care of kids - they are amazing, they listens, they always supports kid's and parents, they are so loveable ❤ And Manager - Caroline her understanding of needs and flexibility if require can't be found elsewhere 👌 Arabella started in baby room (Tulips) and now she is grown into Toddlers (Daisies). When she started she wasn't talking much and been very difficult to settle her in(special thank you to Kerry and Emma's support that time), but day by day she become most chattieable and socialising little personality and this is all with Nursery support❤ Yes Nurseries cost fortune but it's worth every penny, say thank you isn't enough to Nursery with staff like this🥰 It's most recommended place to take care of your kids! Thank you a million times🤩 Merry Christmas 🤶

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Wendy
2 years ago

Such a wonderful little nursery, really good facilities, very safe environment and the staff are absolutely amazing with the children. My grandson went to second steps from a very young baby until he went to school and he thrived there.

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Reviews from Google for Second Steps Day Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: June 2022

  • July 2022Good
  • June 2022Good

Frequently asked about Second Steps Day Nursery

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