St Pauls Second Steps Pre School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Paignton for children from birth to 8+, open 08:30 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2022. Open since 1997, with 26 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 Torbay
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Torbay 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
TQ3 2DZWhat 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, 24 March 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children stand and wave at a train as it rushes by their setting. Children comment on how quickly it passes and make links with what time it is and where it is coming from, 'this train is from Torquay'. Children are encouraged to take notice of their surroundings. For example, they explore the adjacent field looking for flowers, sticks, insects and feathers. They tick them off the list and race to tell their friend,
'I've done it, I found them all'. They look under tarpaulin for bugs and examine the ground for holes. 'Look this is where he lives, ants take their food under the ground'. Children delight in the natural world and are ably supported by staff.
Children remind visitors 'don't walk on the grass'. They walk, holding hands with their walking partner, through the churchyard. Children behave well. They remind each other to be kind and considerate and how to be a good friend. They gaily shout, 'hello' and wave to members of the community as they go about their business. Children are confident in their interactions and their abilities, saying, 'that word on the sign says 'garden'. I am good at reading'. Children demonstrate they are happy, feel safe and feel secure at this setting.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- seek more detailed information from parents about what their child can already do and what they already know to help staff plan for children from the very beginning n support staff to develop children's positive behaviour and to gain a better understanding of how their behaviour affects others n review the organisation of the setting so that the responsibility is better shared between leaders and the governance.
- 24 March 2022Good
- 8 March 2016Good
- 14 February 2011Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for St Pauls Second Steps Pre School
- 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.