First Steps Nursery
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Macclesfield for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 15:15, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2024. Open since 2016, with 19 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
What childcare usually costs in Cheshire East
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Cheshire East 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
SK11 8RHWhat 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, 27 November 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Leaders and staff create a welcoming, bright and friendly nursery. They invite children into the nursery each morning, with a very enthusiastic welcome. Children respond with big smiles and eagerly wave goodbye to their parents and carers. The warm and hospitable atmosphere helps children to settle quickly, ready to learn.
Staff are cheerful and play with children in an energetic way. This infectious enthusiasm and humour helps to inspire children, who are keen to try hard and do their best. They have fun and enjoy their learning. Children behave well and are helpful and polite. They tidy-up toys after playing and look after books and games.
Children's independence is well promoted. They locate their lunch boxes, find their names at the table and feed themselves with ease. When children require help they assertively ask, showing impressive confidence. Children are independent and selfassured.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- share updates of children's development and next steps with home more frequently, to enable parents and carers to better support their children's learning and impact on outcomes for children n provide staff with more frequent feedback on their practice, to help create a culture of coaching and improve good teaching standards further.
- 27 November 2024Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 8 January 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for First Steps Nursery
- What it costs
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? 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.