Our Ethos

Happy Children learn and thrive and develop the necessary confidence to cope with life’s challenges.

NURSERY & PARENTS AS PARTNERS

We aim to work together with parents and carers, to ensure that all children feel valued, safe, secure and happy.

The ethos behind First Steps is very simple. We believe that giving children access to fun and play learning within preschool education enhances their future life chances. At First Steps we are providing the foundations of their future.

Studies show that children who attend early years education are more advanced at the end of their Foundation Stage at School. It is therefore our duty to provide excellent opportunities for your child to learn and develop with us, in partnership with you. We recognise that each child is an individual and has specific needs and so our staff are trained to look at each child’s individual care and learning requirements and tailor each day’s activities to their needs.

To ensure that we maintain the very highest levels of care for your little one whilst they experience their nursery years, we treat your child as if they were our own.

Opening Hours

We are open 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday, 50 weeks per year

 

Funding

We accept two-year 15 hour funding plus three and four-year 15 & 30 hour funding.

WHY CHOOSE US

We pride ourselves on our inspired learning, being a dynamic, innovative, forward thinking nursery group with a vision to look at the world through your child’s eyes, in a home-from-home environment. The development, thoughts, feelings and experiences of the children in our care are always our utmost priority. We have flexible opening hours and a low child-staff ratio, ensuring that every child gets the care and attention they deserve.

For a fully-rounded nursery school experience, we have divided the curriculum into two. One focus is on learning through play, with activities designed to ignite your child’s imagination and love of exploration. Outdoor learning, day trips, external visitors and sensory sessions are just a small part of the fun your child will enjoy.

The other focus is on encouraging children to develop their love of learning and a sense of independence in preparation for ‘big school’, again much of this is through exploration and experimenting with plenty of scope for role play, messy, water and sand play and an all-weather garden for digging, climbing and growing. We provide a wide-range of practical and educational activities, supported by one-to-one teaching directed to each child’s individual needs.

To help us achieve your expected high standards, we not only review ourselves from a child’s perspective but we are also willing to listen and take on board feedback from our parents. You and your children are more than just our customers and your opinion is vital.

Funded places for 2, 3 and 4 year olds are available

We pride ourselves on our support of children with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND).  We have developed our own booklet to support the staff and parents with understanding the Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator (SENCO) role.  Please take a look and contact us with any questions.

Role of the Early Years Setting Senco 2021

Keeping You Informed

From the day your child joins us, we want to reinforce that relationship and develop an effective partnership with our parents. You will find staff warm, welcoming and keen to get to know you. You will be kept up to date with (daily diary sheets compiled by your child’s key worker, this is for parents of children under two), regular parents’ meetings, newsletters and progress reports.

You can ask to meet with your child’s key person at a time convenient for you or take your child’s learning journey folder home to share with family. You can also find us on social media and our website. We also look for parents’ involvement in some extracurricular activities, day-trips and events for family and friends, we have an early years sub-committee meeting half termly, this is to help us build connections with parents. If you ever need to contact us, we are only a quick phone call or email away and will be happy to help.

Children Playing With Jigsaw
Child Playing in Mud
Part of the Glebe Family
First Steps is now part of Glebe House School & Nursery. Glebe House School is a family of day nurseries and an independent prep school, founded on over 100 years’ experience in caring for babies and children in West Norfolk. The Glebe House School family of nurseries offers the highest quality, professional childcare for children from 3 months to 5 years old.
Glebe House School
Eating Healthy Food

FOOD AND HEALTH

Healthy eating is so important to growing bodies and developing minds…

Naturally, if your child suffers with food allergies or intolerances, we will accommodate their needs, carry out relevant risk assessments and train staff. We support breast feeding mothers and can safely store your milk. Please note, we are a ‘nut free zone’.

We support parents with healthy eating lunchbox ideas.

To support healthy eating, we have regular visits by the dentist to come in and speak with the staff.

STAFF & QUALIFICATIONS

To help your child settle and thrive throughout their nursery experience, they will have a Key Person to bond with. That person will be responsible for planning purposeful, age and stage appropriate activities and be your main contact.

National guidelines suggest that 50% of staff should have a Level 2 childcare qualification – at First Steps at least 75% of our staff are qualified to a Level 3, staff qualifications range from apprentices in early years to BA Hons in Early Years! To maintain our exceptional care standards, only qualified staff are employed or those working towards a recognised Early Years training qualification. Each room has one Head of Room (minimum qualification Level 3) and Room Staff.

 

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