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Step Start Nurseries Heybridge

Ofsted: Good
(Jan 2024)
·
4.0(2 parent reviews) ·The Club House, Bentalls Complex, Maldon, CM9 4NW · Essex
Number of places
80 places
Age range
1–3 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2024
Local authority
Essex

About this day nursery

Step Start Nurseries Heybridge offers a nurturing environment where children from 6 weeks old until school entry are encouraged to explore and develop a love for learning. Their philosophy, 'The One Childhood Approach,' focuses on making every moment count, fostering curiosity, confidence, and personal growth.

The nursery, open 51 weeks a year, prioritises clear, fair, and transparent admissions, adhering to EYFS guidelines, the Equality Act 2010, and Local Authority funding agreements. They welcome all children, whether funded or fee-paying, ensuring tailored, high-quality education and care.

A minimum of two days attendance per week is generally required, with some exceptions for funded places. The nursery also places importance on consistent attendance to support children's settling-in process, build strong relationships with practitioners, maintain routines, encourage social connections, and support continuous learning and development.

They strive to provide a stimulating and safe environment that meets Ofsted's space-per-child regulations, with an allocation process that prioritises continuity for children with higher weekly attendance.

Our ethos

Step Start Nurseries Heybridge's philosophy, 'The One Childhood Approach,' is about making every moment count to foster curiosity, confidence, and personal growth. They are committed to providing tailored, high-quality education and care in a stimulating and safe environment, following EYFS guidelines.

What it's like

Children are really keen and active little learners and enter the nursery excited about their day ahead. Staff create a welcoming and exciting environment, making good use of resources and furniture to provide well-planned spaces that capture children's interests. Children are kind, caring and polite, forming friendships and inviting others to join their games.

Accepts children from 6 weeks oldOpen 51 weeks a yearThe One Childhood ApproachStretched funding options

Pricing & funding

This nursery charges a non-refundable registration fee and a deposit based on the number of days booked per week. Privately funded families and those on the Beyond Funding package pay daily rates for optional add-ons, including food, consumables, and enrichment. Funded-only places are exempt from certain up-front fees.

Funding accepted

15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds

Good to know

  • Registration & Uniform Fee is non-refundable.
  • Deposit is credited against your first month’s invoice.
  • No Registration & Uniform Fee for universal entitlement funded-only places (uniform is not provided).
  • No Registration & Uniform Fee or Deposit for funded-only Early Learning for 2-Year-Olds (FEEE2) places.
  • Optional daily add-ons are available for food, consumables, activities, and extended hours.
  • Beyond Funding package daily rate varies based on the age of the child.

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 7pm.

Age range

6 weeks old until the September after their fourth birthday

Term time / All Year

All Year

Established

2021

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Step Start Nurseries Heybridge

Last inspected 26 January 2024 · Lynn Hughes

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 are really keen and active little learners and enter the nursery excited about their day ahead. Staff create a welcoming and exciting environment, making good use of resources and furniture to provide well-planned spaces that capture children's interests. Children are kind, caring and polite, forming friendships and inviting others to join their games.

Inspector highlights

  • There is an effective management team at the head of this nursery. The manager is well supported by an area manager. She in turn supports her staff superbly, creating a caring and highly effective team of childcare practitioners.
  • Parents speak very highly of the manager and staff. They comment on the effective communication between staff and parents and how well informed they are about their child's day.
  • Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress in their learning. There are effective measures in place for staff to work with other professionals to support these children.
  • Children are excited to participate in planned and clearly enjoyable phonics sessions. They sound out letters to spell simple words and enthusiastically join in with songs and rhymes relating to sounds.
  • Older children enjoy being able to free flow between the base room and the outdoor area. Staff make good use of the garden to extend the children's spontaneous and planned learning.

Areas to develop

  • 1review and enhance the provision for extending children's understanding of the world, especially their knowledge of the local and wider communities.
Inspection #10326235 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

They comment on the effective communication between staff and parents and how well informed they are about their child's day.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress in their learning. There are effective measures in place for staff to work with other professionals to support these children. Money from additional funding is used well to support children and to help close gaps in their progress and development.

Outdoor space

Older children enjoy being able to free flow between the base room and the outdoor area. Staff make good use of the garden to extend the children's spontaneous and planned learning. Children have opportunities to experience fresh air and outdoor learning daily when they visit the nursery garden.

Parent Reviews of Step Start Nurseries Heybridge

4.0
(2)
JR
2 years ago

Overall not overly impressed by the nursery. It was OK to start with but the more busy it got the more issues arose. Internally the staff had a real commication problem, perhaps due to high turnover, which may have lead to insufficient training. My toddler was added to social media 3 times, even after filling out forms and speaking to the nursery etc. I was reassured by the area manager of a new protocol for safeguarding after the 2nd time, but unfortunately the new manager was unaware of the new protocol after I raised concerns the 3rd time. Obviously these are big issues which did very much let the nursery down. The facilities seemed good, the app used for commication was very detailed and was good to know day to day what your child was up to.

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Inspection history

Date: January 2024

  • February 2024Good
  • January 2024Good

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