First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)

175 Buxton Road, Furness Vale, High Peak SK23 7PZ
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8.0 13 Reviews
  • First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale), High Peak
First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) offers babies and toddlers a spacious area, which includes an underfloor heated conservatory for messy play.

The forest nursery is in operation for the over two children to access free flow play with several outdoor areas including an outdoor classroom. An indoor area is also available if children wish to come indoors. This helps to encourage their independence and free choice.

The nursery has a magical ‘story tent’ where children can sit quietly and enjoy books or can go on a story adventure.

Staff can lead a session of ‘tales toolkit’ where children are encouraged to make up and tell their own stories.

This site has outdoor space involving an adventure area and a large paddock, where children can play in its small orchard and willow tunnel. This is used all day everyday for the forest nursery, babies and toddlers access this as part of their daily routines.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Sheila Worthington (Owner/Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 8

Total Places for Children

  • 40

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Parking

  • Car parking available on premises

First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) Reviews (13)

8.0

First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) has a Review Score of 8.0 (8.000) out of 10, based on 2 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) has 13 reviews.

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Total of 13, showing 1-13
Review from James B (Father of Child) published on 3 October 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son recently departed First Steps Nursery at Furness Vale for primary school, and the care he received there was second-to-none. He has come a very long way since starting there at 18 months old, and the staff were wonderfully understanding of both his needs and our needs as parents. I highly and
wholeheartedly recommend First Steps Nursery to anyone living in the general vicinity of Furness Vale.


We also had some brief interaction with the New Mills branch and they were similarly exemplary. We can't thank them enough.

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Review from B S (Mother of Child) published on 11 October 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A lovely nursery with a fantastic outdoor space. Very approachable and caring staff. The older the children are, the more outdoor fun is available to them.
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Review from Eve K (Mother of Child) published on 28 September 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little girl has attended First Steps Nursery for 6 months now. It has become a home from home for her. The staff are incredibly attentive and their core values of 'play, nature and nurture' resonate through everything they do. They truly believe in allowing children to be children. We love seeing
our daughter, and others, coming out at the end of the day with giant smiles and mucky faces!
If you're a family who value fun, exploration, and lots of messy play. First Steps in an ideal nursery for you. We have seen our baby flourish into a confident toddler with a lust for learning and a love of the outdoors. Thank you to all of the staff who have worked with her so far - you've done a tremendous job!
Reply from Clare Budden, Manager at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thanks Eve for your lovely kind words, we love every second of watching your little girl grow and flourish.
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Review from Millie D (Mother of Child) published on 13 September 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of my children absolutely love attending First Steps Nursery. Every single member of the staff is so warm and friendly and I feel like they genuinely love what they do. I honestly can't thank them enough! The outdoor paddock is a fabulous asset and I love that the toddlers are out there in most
weather conditions enjoying the outdoors, playing in the mud kitchen, broadening their imaginations and getting some fresh air. I would highly recommend this nursery!
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Review from A S (Mother of Child) published on 16 August 2022 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The whole team is absolutely awesome with the kids. They take all the time needed for induction, carrying a baby in their arms for hours to build a bond and get them settled. 2nd child will go there too! They have lots of different outside play areas with a lot of nature.
Reply from Clare Budden, Manager at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thank you for your kind words and lovely response, it is much appreciated.
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Review from Lucy M (Mother of Child) published on 2 September 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending First Steps Nursery since she was 11 months old and she is now leaving for school at 4-years-old. She has been so happy here and has developed into a kind, adventurous and smart little girl. I can honestly say First steps Nursery has a lot to do with it. I love their ethos
and I have been able to trust them with my little girl. My little boy is also attending here and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Reply from Clare Budden, Deputy Manager at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thank you for your comments Lucy. It is lovely to hear how much we are appreciated and I will pass them on to the staff. We loved having her and watching her grow up into such a lovely confident…read more
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Review from Darryl S (Mother of Child) published on 1 September 2021 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My girls have loved attending this nursery for over 3 years. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and my children have formed good bonds with them. The environment is engaging and interesting and the activities challenging yet enjoyable. The outdoor space is outstanding. I would recommend this nursery
to anyone looking for an excellent forest nursery.
Reply from Shelia Worthington, Owner at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thank you Darryl. It has been a pleasure having them and watching them grow up into confident inquisitive little girls who are now ready to take their next step into school. Sheila
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Review from S L (Mother of Child) published on 6 July 2020 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
First Steps always goes above and beyond, my child loves the paddock, it's fun. Staff are always kind and thoughtful.
Reply from Sheila Worthington, Owner at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thank you, S L. It is so nice to be appreciated. We have some fabulous staff who are a credit to nursery.
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Review from S S (Mother of Child) published on 6 July 2020 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fabulous staff - lovely with the children and very caring. Great site with lots of outside space. Managers are very hardworking and flexible.
Reply from Sheila Worthington, Owner at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thank you. It is so nice to know we have the support of parents. It makes it all worthwhile.
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Review from Lauren L (Mother of Child) published on 7 October 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son went to First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) for 4 years, he was extremely happy there, they took great care of him throughout all the various stages of his development and when the time came they made sure he was school ready.
Even though he suffered from separation anxiety, our son loved going
to the nursery every day, it was actually a battle to get him home at pick up time because he just wanted to stay and play!! My son made lots of friends there but he also enjoyed mentoring the younger ones.
Every one of the key workers he has had, have been absolutely outstanding.
Throughout the week the kids have lots and lots of outdoor time, lots of stimulating activities organised for them but also plenty of time to discover the wonders of nature.
The food is fantastic, I always knew my son was going to have healthy meals every day even though he was a very fussy eater.
I would definitely recommend First Steps to anyone looking for an outstanding childcare provider.
Reply from Clare Budden, Deputy Manager at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thank you so much for your kind words. He was a pleasure and will be missed.
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Review from C R (Mother of Child) published on 9 September 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has had an incredible experience at First Steps Nursery. With the help and support of the experienced, nurturing staff she has developed into a more confident, self-assured little girl.
The nursery really focuses on developing a good sense of well-being in each child in a safe nurturing
environment. The woodland nursery has been a fantastic experience.
It’s been wonderful to see my daughter develop and grow at First Steps. Highly recommended!
Reply from Clare Budden at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thank you very much for the lovely review, it has been a pleasure nurturing her into a happy and confident little girl.
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Review from Charlotte O (Mother of Child) published on 29 July 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter loves nursery. The fact that she is outside most of the day is the main reason that I love it too. The staff are friendly and helpful and are always on hand to chat and discuss anything. Really happy parent.
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Review from Katie G (Mother of Child) published on 4 April 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am very pleased with how well my son has settled in, the staff are amazing with him, he is in a secure, friendly and clean environment. The outdoor space is excellent for children to play and explore.
Reply from Clare Budden at First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)
Thank you. It is lovely to be appreciated.
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Current Review Score: 8.0 (8.000)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.0 (8.000) out of 10 for First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 2 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.4 out of 5 from 2 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.625 for First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) is calculated as follows: ( (16 Excellents x 5) + (7 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 24 Ratings = 4.625
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 3.375 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) is based on 2 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 = 3.125
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 40 number of registered child places is 8. 2 Positive Reviews ÷ 8 = 0.25
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

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Frequently Asked Questions about First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale)

What is the Age Range of Children that First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) accepts?

First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) Open?

First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) is open: Monday 07:30-18:30, Tuesday 07:30-18:30, Wednesday 07:30-18:30, Thursday 07:30-18:30, Friday 07:30-18:30.

How many Children does First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) have capacity for?

First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) has capacity for a total of 40 Children.

How far is First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) to the centre of High Peak?

1.9 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. First Steps Nursery (Furness Vale) has an Enhanced Service - more info.