We provide day care for 51 weeks of the year (excluding Christmas) for children from 0-5 years providing funded and non-funded childcare places.
First Steps at Cansfield has been in operation since 1994 and most of the staff that work here have enjoyed many years of continued service, this offers the children and families a unique stability that is often not found in most childcare settings. The building is purpose built and we have a separate dining room, meals are cooked fresh daily and meet all individual dietary requirements.
All our staff are qualified to level 3, some staff are qualified up to level 5. Our Special educational needs co-ordinator has completed an Early Years SENCo Award. All staff have a high standard of work experience and have been at First Steps for many years.
We are a fully inclusive setting and offer full and part time places for children aged between 6 weeks and 5 years, which can be full year or term time only. We also offer free funded places for eligible 2 year olds and all 3 and 4 year olds, and these can either be term time only, or stretched weeks all year round. We have 3 indoor learning environments, Babies 0-2 years, Toddlers 2- 3 years, and Pre-School 3-4 years. Whilst following the Early years foundation stage curriculum, each of our environments are filled with resources that are age appropriately stimulating, engaging and incite curiosity, to create environment's that the children enjoy learning through play. We have 2 well-equipped outdoor play areas, one for use by our children 0-3 years, and the other for our 3-4 year age group.
Once your child starts school the care is continuous as we work with the following primary schools in Ashton, St Oswald’s, RL Hughes & Nicol Mere, we provide breakfast, afterschool and holiday clubs during all school holidays, except Christmas.
We offer extracurricular activities to support your child's learning in the Early Years Foundation stage and have access to extensive provision such as gymnasium, sports hall, Library within our on site school Cansfield High. Our Pre-School children have weekly swimming lessons at Ashton Leisure Centre and partake in a weekly Intergenerational project with a local care home.
We have close links with our community nursery nurse who is on site regularly to offer parents & carers any additional support and guidance they may need.
We accept all variety of childcare vouchers, tax free childcare payments or fees can be paid via standing order or using a debit/credit card/cash or cheque will be accepted.
Please note, during the current pandemic some of our services/ activities may be delivered differently.