Special First Steps

Special First Steps
Unique reference number (URN): 2795078
Address: 195 Middleton Road, Carshalton, SM5 1HE
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 17/06/2024
Registers: EYR, CCR
Registered person: Special First Steps Ltd
Inspection report: 18 May 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Strong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders have highly secure and effective systems in place that consistently ensure
children's welfare and wellbeing. They prioritise and actively cultivate warm, nurturing and
responsive relationships with children, ensuring they feel emotionally secure, settled and
ready to learn.
Mealtimes are highly sociable and purposeful occasions. Staff skilfully use these interactions
to deepen children's understanding of healthy eating and overall positive health. As a result,
children are mindful of their options and increasingly independent, confidently making
healthy choices as they select nutritious items from their lunch boxes.
Care practices are consistently delivered with thought, dignity and respect. Staff ensure that
children's privacy is carefully protected during intimate hygiene routines, such as nappy
changing and wiping noses, supporting them to become independent. Staff speak warmly
and kindly to children, maintaining friendly and reassuring conversations. Children's
emotional security is promoted consistently and effectively, ensuring they feel safe, valued
and well supported at all times.
Leaders share clear procedures for reporting absences with parents and carers. Staff follow
up and monitor any unexplained absences in a timely manner. This ensures children's safety
and welfare remain a priority.
Inclusion Strong standard
Leaders take purposeful action to identify, assess and meet children's needs, successfully
reducing barriers to learning and development. Delays in children's development are swiftly
identified, enabling leaders to implement highly effective support at the earliest opportunity.
Leaders work in close partnership with parents, carers and other professionals involved in
children's care, such as speech and language therapists. This enables them to create
targeted support plans that are carefully tailored to children's individual developmental
needs. These plans are regularly reviewed and adapted in line with children's progress.
Leaders also ensure that staff undertake specialist training, precisely matched to children's
specific needs, including training to support communication and language development. As
a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive high-
quality, consistent support from knowledgeable staff. Leaders further ensure that the
learning environment is sensitively adapted to meet the needs of children with SEND, such
as allowing children to spend time outdoors on arrival, to support their emotional wellbeing
and successful transitions.
Leaders know families extremely well and use this knowledge effectively to support
disadvantaged children and those facing barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Leaders
use early years pupil premium funding effectively to enrich children's experiences and
reduce barriers to learning. For example, they purchase books that help children develop

Expected standard
their understanding of different families, and provide resources such as trampolines to
strengthen children's physical development and coordination.
Achievement Expected standard
Children typically achieve well from their different starting points. This includes developing
self-care skills, communication and growing in confidence. Children with special educational
needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive enhanced support that helps them to achieve. For
example, during small-group circle times, children develop their communication, listening
and interaction skills. Overall, all children, including those with SEND, are suitably prepared
for the next stage in their learning journey, including their move on to school.
Typically, children are keen to take part in regular whole-group activities, such as circle time.
However, ongoing assessment to support staff to differentiate between ages and stages of
development will enhance this further.
Children sing songs, and most are excited to take part in telling the story, practising their
language and developing their recall skills. However, not all children consistently join in and
engage. This means that not all children consistently access the intended learning and fully
benefit from the experiences.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders recognise the importance of regular attendance and implement effective systems to
monitor this closely. They generally work well in partnership with parents and carers to
promote regular attendance and punctuality, ensuring children benefit fully from the learning
opportunities provided.
Staff are kind and are attentive to children's needs. This helps children to feel confident in
their surroundings and be ready to learn. They readily go to staff for reassurance and to ask
for help. Staff use encouragement and meaningful praise to support positive behaviour.
Children respond to gentle reminders of nursery rules, such as using an 'indoor voice'.
Children enjoy a range of learning opportunities, such as independent play, group time and
one-to-one activities. They learn to play collaboratively with their friends, helping one
another during an art and craft activity for instance, waiting for their turn and sharing
resources.
Staff typically build warm and respectful relationships with children. They are positive role
models for children and encourage using manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'.
Children respond positively to these expectations and use polite language during
interactions with adults and their peers.

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders typically have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum. It is
designed and sequenced appropriately to build on what children know and can do. The
curriculum is ambitious and focused on promoting personal, physical and emotional
development. During circle time, children happily share how they feel. However, on
occasion, staff do not fully extend children's learning through insightful and targeted
teaching during activities and interactions.
Leaders and staff generally provide a well-planned curriculum that covers all areas of
learning and development. Staff typically assess children's progress to shape experiences.
They prioritise children's independence skills and emotional wellbeing. Teaching is adapted
for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, staff support
children who speak English as an additional language by using visual timetables and
learning words in their home language.
Children access a wide range of physical activities and resources, including bicycles in the
outdoor area. Staff support children by modelling how to push the pedals and encouraging
them to develop their coordination and confidence. Indoors, children enjoy using a
trampoline, supporting their balance and movement skills.
Children enjoy a range of mathematical activities through their daily routine. However, at
times, children lose interest because some activities are too challenging and are not always
matched appropriately to their stage of development. Parents and carers are positive about
the progress their children make at the nursery. As a result, children are generally well
prepared for school.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders have a secure understanding of the context of the setting and use this knowledge
effectively to tailor the support and care they provide. They regularly review practice and
make meaningful improvements to benefit all children, such as adjusting routines to support
individual needs. These changes support children's learning, included for those who are
disadvantaged.
Leaders continually evaluate provision and have recently used funding to develop a sensory
room, supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This has had a
positive impact on children's wellbeing, engagement and access to learning.
Leaders prioritise staff development and wellbeing. Staff access regular training and report
that they feel well supported in their roles. For example, staff have undertaken training to
support children with speech and language delays and work effectively with external
agencies to ensure early intervention and targeted support.
Partnerships with parents and carers are solid and contribute positively to children's
development. Leaders work with families to promote key areas, such as independence,
potty training and the use of technology. Initiatives, such as a book-bag scheme, support
shared reading at home and strengthen parental involvement in children's learning. Parents

speak positively about the support provided and the impact on children's progress and
readiness for school.
Leadership arrangements ensure clear oversight and reflective practice. Leaders recognise
the need to strengthen staff's understanding of curriculum design and differentiation for
stages of development to enhance teaching, interactions and children's learning outcomes.
Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Staff welcome children and their families into the setting. Children arrive content, including
those who are disadvantaged and those who may face other barriers to learning. Staff
support all children to enjoy meaningful activities. For example, during bug-themed
activities, children take turns and ask questions. Staff take the time to engage with all
children to help them feel well supported.
Staff promote children's welfare and wellbeing through daily practice. For example, they help
children to use scissors and to cut their fruit independently for snack. They adapt activities
by giving children smaller snacks to cut. This helps to keep children safe while promoting
their learning.
Children thrive in the calm and positive atmosphere that staff create. They behave well and
respond positively to staff's clear boundaries and expectations. They learn about emotions
and talk about their feelings during small-group activities. Children safety is supported by
staff who supervise them closely and follow clear guidance during mealtimes and play

Inspector:
Nicoleta Spanu
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2795078
Address:
195 Middleton Road
activities, including when children explore outdoor equipment. Staff also maintain children's
safety throughout the daily routine by ensuring regular supervision, carrying out regular
checks of the environment, and reinforcing safe practices during transitions and everyday
activities.
Children enjoy a range of engaging activities. For example, they benefit from using the new
sensory room, which enhances their curiosity and supports learning through play. They use
bicycles and trampolines to develop their physical skills, strengthen their large and small
muscles, and improve their coordination and movement skills. These opportunities support
children's physical development, confidence and understanding of the world.
Leaders inform parents and carers about their children's learning, progress and
development, supporting regular attendance and participation. Parents speak highly of the
setting and say that their children enjoy attending and are making progress in preparation
for school.
Next steps
Leaders should support staff to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding to
support children's learning and development even more effectively.
Leaders should support staff to differentiate activities to extend all children's learning and
ensure they remain engaged and challenged.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents, carers and children during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Carshalton
SM5 1HE
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 17/06/2024
Registered person: Special First Steps Ltd
Register(s): EYR, CCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Sutton
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 18 May 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
Total number of places
30
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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