First Steps Nursery
Good★ 4.8 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Salisbury for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2025. Open since 2010, with 76 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 Wiltshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Wiltshire 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
SP1 2ASWhat 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, 3 June 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children learn to be confident and independent at this nursery. Key-person systems are well established, and children settle quickly as they form strong attachments with staff. Staff provide nurturing interactions to help children feel happy and secure. The provider ensures a joyful and positive environment that encourages children to engage in play.
Staff provide support and opportunities for baby's physical development. Babies love climbing and practising controlled jumps. They engage with instruments, shaking and tapping them as part of their sensory exploration. Staff interact with babies, using strategies like playing peek-a-boo with see-through coloured cloths, which effectively capture attention and encourage early communication skills.
Younger children enjoy singing songs with actions. Staff lead singing sessions with enthusiasm, ensuring children stay focused and engaged. Older children learn to sustain their concentration by listening to stories. Staff draw their attention to patterns in language, helping them recognise sounds within words and preparing them for future reading and writing skills. Staff create a positive, friendly atmosphere that promotes children's enjoyment and participation.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the sequence of the curriculum so that staff can consistently plan activities that build on what children know and can do n provide clear and consistent expectations for children during routines and times of transition between activities so they cooperate, work as part of a group and follow rules and expectations.
- 3 June 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 25 July 2019Good
- 26 June 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for First Steps Nursery
- 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.