URN 2831218 · Inspected 2026-01-13 · Published 2026-03-10 · Inspector: Shelly McDougall
Step Start Nurseries Witham Unique reference number (URN): 2831218 Address: 59 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, CM8 2AJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 31/03/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Step Start Nurseries Witham LTD Inspection report: 13 January 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. Expected standard Achievement Expected standard Children make secure progress through the curriculum, particularly in their communication, language and physical skills. Children show a love of books and enjoy listening to stories. Babies and toddlers gain confidence as they practise early walking, climbing and balancing. Older children refine their coordination through increasingly challenging activities indoors and outdoors. Pre-school children show growing confidence in early mathematics, using simple addition in their play and applying what they have learned in practical ways. Children who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities build their knowledge securely from their starting points. They show that they know and understand the daily routine. Children enjoy taking part in activities that are accessible to all and planned to meet their individual needs. As a result, children are settled and continue to make steady progress. Pre-school children develop the skills they need for their eventual move to school. Transitions between rooms are managed well, helping children feel ready for their next stage and supporting positive attitudes to learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Children benefit from a positive environment where expectations for behaviour are generally clear and consistently applied. Staff model kindness and good manners, praising children's efforts and encouraging them to play cooperatively. As a result, children build respectful relationships and learn to play well with others. Well-established routines help children feel safe and understand what will happen next. Children respond well to simple, calm instructions and are developing an awareness of what staff expect. For example, older children generally wait for their name to be called before leaving circle time. Staff recognise when children need extra help to manage their emotions. They use shared stories, small-group discussions and gentle reassurance to support children to understand and express their feelings. Transitions between rooms are generally managed well. Staff share information effectively, prepare children carefully and offer ongoing reassurance, helping them settle quickly and feel confident in their new environment. Leaders promote regular attendance and work closely with parents to highlight the importance of consistency for children's development. Through daily routines, staff build children's independence, such as encouraging them to wipe their faces after meals and dispose of their rubbish, helping them develop responsibility and positive habits. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Leaders and staff create a welcoming environment where all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning or wellbeing, feel valued. Children benefit from well-planned settling-in arrangements that help them build trusting relationships quickly. Staff prioritise children's emotional wellbeing by forming warm, supportive relationships. Care routines, including sleeping and mealtimes, are adapted to meet each child's individual needs, helping them feel settled and secure throughout the day. Staff recognise when children need extra comfort and provide reassurance and cuddles when needed, which helps them feel safe and develop confidence. Children behave well and play harmoniously, showing kindness and consideration towards their friends. Children spend regular time outdoors, which supports their physical development and contributes positively to their wellbeing. Indoor and outdoor activities provide meaningful opportunities for them to build strength, develop coordination and form positive attitudes towards physical activity. Meals are nutritious and encourage children to make healthy choices, helping them understand how to look after their bodies. Children receive positive praise and encouragement, which supports their self-esteem and understanding of expectations. Staff help children identify and manage their emotions through books, discussions and everyday activities. For example, children are encouraged to think about what makes them happy and share this with friends. This promotes emotional awareness and encourages positive social interactions. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They design an ambitious curriculum for all children and adapt it so that those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to learning or wellbeing can participate fully. The curriculum is sequenced so that children build knowledge and skills over time. Children's physical development is a high priority. Staff provide regular opportunities for babies to pull up to stand and practise early walking outdoors as they explore low-level equipment. Indoors, toddlers use climbing apparatus to develop balance, coordination and core strength as they progress through the curriculum. Staff place a strong emphasis on communication and language. They model new vocabulary, narrate play and encourage turn-taking in conversations. During activities, staff use simple words and phrases to help children link actions to language. For example, when painting, staff repeat words such as 'dip, dip' to reinforce early vocabulary in meaningful ways. Children explore new concepts. Staff show them how to mix colours to create new ones and encourage them to experiment, such as by painting their hands. Staff gather detailed information about children before they start. They use this alongside their assessments to check what children know and can do. Staff adapt teaching to meet children's different starting points. As a result, all children make steady progress. Needs attention Inclusion Expected standard Leaders and staff create a nurturing environment where all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged children and those known or previously known to social care, are welcomed and supported. Children's individual needs are typically identified through careful observations and discussions with families. Leaders use this information to plan support that helps reduce barriers to children's learning. Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of children's needs. They receive appropriate training in the graduated approach and generally apply strategies consistently, so that children can join in successfully in routines and activities. Leaders work with parents and other professionals to plan support and ensure children get the help they need. They typically review children's progress and make adjustments so that support generally remains well matched to each child. Leaders make purposeful use of additional funding and check the impact of this, so that the children benefit from any additional funding they are entitled to. As a result, most children engage positively, feel included and make steady progress from their starting points. Families generally feel listened to and know who to approach when they need additional guidance or support. Leaders respond promptly so that children can continue to take part confidently alongside their peers. Leadership and governance Needs attention The provider did not inform Ofsted of a notifiable event. Leaders responded promptly and put further risk assessments in place to maintain children's safety. As a result, Ofsted does not intend to take further action in relation to the non-notification. Leaders have identified strengths within the nursery and have developed a broad curriculum that supports all children's learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning and/or wellbeing, across all areas of development. However, while a programme of staff supervision is in place, it has not been implemented effectively. This reduces leaders' ability to monitor practice thoroughly, which means inconsistencies in the implementation of the curriculum are not always identified or addressed promptly. Despite this, staff say they feel happy in their work and feel that they can approach leaders for support. Leaders have taken steps to reduce pressure on staff by arranging consistent agency workers who know the routines of the nursery. This has helped provide stability for children and supported staff during periods of growth and challenges with recruitment. Leaders have ensured that recent staff training is used effectively. Staff apply learning well, including making purposeful changes to the environment for babies, which has improved the quality of experiences for babies and young children. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children arrive happy and settle quickly in this welcoming nursery. As a newly established setting, the nursery has experienced several changes, including room moves and adjustments to the key-person system. Although this caused some disruption, staff supported families closely and maintained consistent care. Children have formed trusting relationships with familiar adults and show confidence in their surroundings. The nursery monitors attendance closely and works with parents to support and promote regular attendance, helping children benefit fully from the learning on offer. Leaders support staff wellbeing and have plans for effective supervision, although these are not yet fully implemented. As a result, some staff are not always guided well enough to plan and deliver activities consistently. Even so, staff understand children's individual needs and work positively to support them. Children take part in activities that reflect their interests and stage of development. Babies enjoy gentle interactions, such as stacking blocks and sharing simple stories, which help them feel secure and curious. Staff adapt activities well so that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning or wellbeing, can take part successfully. Toddlers and older children explore with increasing independence, joining in familiar songs, listening to stories and playing in ways that promote cooperation and turn-taking. Staff model calm, positive behaviour to help children learn to play respectfully alongside others. Children enjoy stories and use them to understand their experiences. Staff ask questions that prompt children to recall key details, and children make meaningful links, such as forming heart shapes with their hands when these appear in the story. Children are familiar with daily routines. They respond well to guidance and manage simple self-care tasks, such as wiping their faces and putting tissues in the bin. Indoor and outdoor play helps them climb, balance and move confidently, supporting their physical development and helping them feel settled and secure. Next steps To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following action by the assigned date: Inspector: Shelly McDougall About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2831218 Address: 59 Newland Street Witham Essex CM8 2AJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 31/03/2025 Registered person: Step Start Nurseries Witham LTD Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Essex Action Completion Date ensure there are appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of all staff who have contact with children and families, to help improve personal effectiveness, promote the interests of children and maintain a culture of continuous improvement. 16/02/2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, parents 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. Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 13 January 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 107 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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