First Steps Cornwall Ltd - Porthleven
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Helston for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2022. Open since 2014, with 53 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Cornwall
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cornwall from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
TR13 9BXWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 8 February 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children have excellent relationships with all the staff. Due to COVID-19, parents drop their children outside of the front door. Children have adapted to this and they hang up their belongings independently, and soon become engaged in playing together. They are happy, safe and content in the nursery. Babies seek out familiar adults for cuddles of reassurance when visitors enter the room. Staff swiftly use techniques to distract children, such as initiating an activity. All children clearly enjoy the company of their friends, as well as time playing and learning on their own. They show exceedingly high levels of self-control and respect for others.
Children develop their natural curiosity and explore independently. They persevere calmly and quietly towards the goals that they set themselves. For example, older children continue to try, several times, to scoop water out of the bottom of a large tyre into saucepans. They are proud to tell staff how much water they have collected.
The management team is aware of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's personal, social and emotional development. The team put strategies quickly into place to support children with this. For instance, staff encourage children to take part in small-group activities to develop their social skills.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen staff development to ensure that all interactions continually focus on building children's knowledge.
- 8 February 2022Good
- 25 February 2016Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for First Steps Cornwall Ltd - Porthleven
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.