URN 2743769 · Inspected 2026-02-25 · Published 2026-05-05 · Inspector: Agnes Wink
Early Steps Daycare Unique reference number (URN): 2743769 Address: 47 Hobsons Place, Woodseer Street, London, E1 5HH Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 18/09/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Early Steps LTD Inspection report: 25 February 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 Overall, children including those receiving additional funding, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known or previously known to children's social care make steady progress from their starting points. Typically, children secure foundational knowledge in all areas of development. Overall, children develop language and communication skills and use these to communicate their needs. They demonstrate their mathematical knowledge and show pride in their knowledge. For example, they proudly count in front of one another and adults present. Children develop their physical skills with plenty of opportunities to develop both small and large muscles. Children know they need to wash their hands before mealtime, showing they know the hygiene routines. As a result, children become increasingly independent, confident and ready for their next stage of education. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders establish clear and age-appropriate expectations for behaviour that children understand and follow. Staff attend training to strengthen their understanding of supporting children's behaviour in a positive way. This helps staff to teach children about kindness and respect. Children behave well and respond positively to guidance from staff. Relationships between staff and children are warm and positive. Children collaborate, take turns and typically stay engaged during activities, including outdoors, where they negotiate space and share resources safely. Overall, leaders and staff work together to create a positive, inclusive and respectful setting for everyone. Clear routines help children to feel safe and secure. Leaders' work with families has improved attendance and punctuality with targeted support, where patterns of absence emerge. Staff consider children's stage of development and individual needs when helping them follow routines. For example, by using visual schedules, prompts and a calm tone. Where children need additional help, staff typically provide them with tailored support so they can participate well alongside peers. This helps to build their confidence in their learning. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Leaders ensure that children's welfare and wellbeing are promoted well. Care practices meet children's individual needs effectively. Staff recognise those children who need sleep and follow safer sleeper practices. Secure attachments are fostered through consistent key- person relationships, which help children feel safe, soothed and ready to learn. Leaders and staff implement effective allergy management and risk assessments, to ensure children's safety. Children have daily access to outdoor play, where they develop their physical skills. Overall, staff supervision of outdoor spaces is attentive and proportionate. Children learn about healthy choices and personal safety through daily conversations and modelling. For example, staff support children with handwashing, safe climbing and tidy-up routines. Generally, staff support children to notice and name emotions, offering words and visuals to help them regulate. Routines, such as mealtimes and transitions, are typically used to promote independence. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have strengthened curriculum sequencing so that experiences are built on what children know and can do. Leaders ensure that staff use assessment effectively. Staff assess children's prior knowledge and tailor activities to their different starting points. Staff build children's early mathematical understanding through daily routines and planned experiences. For instance, matching quantities to numerals, comparing sizes and talking about position and pattern. Staff promote physical development indoors and outdoors. For example, children have frequent opportunities to practise core strength, balance and fine motor control. Staff make appropriate adaptations for disadvantaged children, those with special educational need and those who speak English as an additional language. For example, they simplify instructions, repeat new vocabulary and use visual supports. Leaders evaluate the curriculum that is being delivered and identify areas to improve further. Staff typically teach the curriculum well. However, they are times when interactions are not yet consistently rich in language or challenge. At these times, children can get distracted or lose focus as staff do not fully extend their learning as they play and during daily routines. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders and staff identify children's individual needs early and act quickly. Staff use observation and assessment to identify children's emerging needs. They engage in timely liaison with external agencies where appropriate. Typically, staff use visual prompts, key vocabulary in children's home languages and predictable routines, to enable all children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language, to participate meaningfully. Generally, leaders monitor children's progress closely and use these checks to refine next steps. They adopt the curriculum to meet children's individual needs to help them thrive. Leaders and staff share effective strategies with parents and carers so they can continue their children's learning at home. This helps to provide level of consistency in children's learning and development. Leaders use additional funding thoughtfully for targeted time and resources. For example, they provide increased adult support during small-group work. Children known or previously known to children's social care and children with SEND are monitored. Leaders ensure that records are clear and accurate. They evaluate the impact of support that children receive to ensure they make steady progress from their individual starting points. Overall, leaders provide staff training, which is developing staff's confidence to adapt routines and experiences responsively, however, not all staff yet consistently support SEND children's thinking and communication and language skills Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders have taken meaningful action since the previous inspection and regulatory visits. They have improved safeguarding practice, staff deployment, paediatric first-aid arrangements, staff's understanding of behaviour expectations and premises safety. Oversight of notifications and record-keeping is now stronger and consistent. Partnership work supports children and families, especially those who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities or are known to children's social care. Leaders always act in the best interests of children. Additional funding is used carefully to help all children to make steady progress and achieve the best possible outcomes. Leaders understand the setting's strengths and the areas that could be further developed. Recent staffing changes mean leaders are prioritising the recruitment of suitable, qualified staff and consolidating induction, supervision and daily coaching so improvements continue and are exceeded over time. Leaders consider staff workload, when making decisions. However, their coaching is not always precise enough to secure consistent curriculum implementation, through language-rich teaching to further support children's engagement, thinking and communication and language skills. This means that, on occasions, children can get distracted or lose focus as staff do not fully extend their learning as they play and during daily routines. What it's like to be a child at this setting Children arrive happily and move into familiar routines with confidence. Staff and leaders greet families warmly at the door, using the information parents share to shape children's day. Children feel secure and form trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. Younger children sit closely with their key person during small-group times. Older children ask for help when they need it and enjoy showing what they have learned. Overall, children experience a balanced blend of play and learning. During tabletop activities, staff skilfully help children to match quantities to numerals. They adjust challenge to what each child already knows. Staff encourage children to squeeze, roll and pat play dough. This helps to strengthen children's small muscles. Staff introduce new words and model actions. Staff use familiar home language words and visual systems, including Makaton signs. Overall, this supports children's language and communication development, Inspector: Agnes Wink About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2743769 Address: 47 Hobsons Place including children who speak English as an additional language. Staff ensure that every child is included and able to participate. Children explore activities provided outside with enthusiasm. They ride wheeled toys and climb and play in the sand, laughing together as they balance, take turns and share ideas. Children show kindness and consideration towards one another. Children who receive additional funding, those known or previously known to children's social care or who have emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit, overall, from tailored approaches that typically remove barriers over time. Parents say they feel informed and supported to continue learning at home. Overall, children are settled, and supported to develop the confidence, independence and age-appropriate knowledge and skills they need for their next stages of learning. Next steps Leaders should strengthen staff's interactions so that they are consistently rich and responsive, extending all children's communication, vocabulary and thinking across routines and play. Leaders should sharpen their oversight and target professional development to secure consistent curriculum implementation, especially language-rich teaching to further support all children's thinking and communication and language skills. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children and parents 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. Woodseer Street London E1 5HH Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 18/09/2023 Registered person: Early Steps LTD Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Tower Hamlets Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 25 February 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 4 Total number of places 32 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. 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