Step Start has been nothing short of amazing for my little boy. The environment is calm, low-stimulating and welcoming, the staff are so kind and caring. I trust them completely with him whilst I have to work which is not something I find easy as a working mum. His language has really flourished since starting and he is growing in all areas including his motor skills, creativity and communication. Most importantly, he absolutely loves coming here and I am so grateful for the support they have given him so far in his nursery journey.

The care my son has received at Step Start Ongar has been absolutely amazing. He is thriving here and is already so ahead for his age, which I put down to the encouragement and support of the wonderful teachers. We love receiving the regular photos and detailed daily breakdowns of what he has been doing - it really makes us feel connected to his day. Michelle, the manager, is fantastic; she is always approachable and happy to discuss any questions or concerns. We couldn’t be happier with the nurturing environment they provide.

Since Ace has joined Step Start in January he has come on so far in his development. When he joined he wasn’t talking - now he can express himself with full sentences. He wasn’t eating much variety in food before, and the staff have really encouraged Ace to try lots of things which has expanded his palette. He has grown so much in confidence and this is all down to the wonderful staff. He even started napping at the nursery which we did not know he would do. He has loads of fun and never cries at drop off because he feels happy in the environment. Thank you team Ongar!

Our son, Asa, has been attending Step Start Ongar for 9 months and we cannot thank the nursery enough for all they have done for our son. He has thrived into a happy, confident toddler and he looks forward to attending each and every day. My son has strong bonds with the staff in the nursery, who are incredible at providing us parents a window into the day our children have with them. We are always informed of our son’s progression and targets. The nursery itself has a fantastic culture, you feel warmth and passion from every member of staff. We have enjoyed attending events held by the nursery and we love the personal touches that our son brings home when it is a special occasion such as Mother’s Day. We as parents both feel very lucky that we found such a nurturing, supportive nursery for our son.

My child is extremely happy at Step Start and as parents we are too. We are updated with our child’s learning journey regularly with next steps that nursery are working on allowing for us to work on them at home with her too. These updates are always in depth and show us that the staff know her so well. The staff all know the children so well personally and academically - not just her key worker but all adults she comes into contact with. If my daughter goes into nursery a little unsettled we are provided with an update of how she has settled which is greatly appreciated. The stay and plays that have occurred through the year are one of our favourite things as this allows us to share our daughters' learning with her. It is clear from the updates that we are given at the end of the day (both on the app and at collection) that the children are at the centre of all learning and the staff run with their interests for the day. Michelle is an amazing manager whenever I have spoken to her for advice or to mention something she has always helped or offered support. She always ensures that parents are kept updated with events that are happening and has even checked in with us after nursery has closed when our daughter has been poorly. We are so happy with the level of care and education that our daughter is receiving at step start and this is down to the phenomenal team that works there!