Our Support
At Special Steps, our support is built around understanding each child as an individual and working closely with families to meet their needs. We are a specialist nursery supporting children with additional and complex needs, providing a calm, nurturing and responsive environment where children feel safe, understood and valued.
Our approach is flexible and tailored. We recognise that children develop at different rates and in different ways, and we adapt our support to ensure every child can learn, grow and thrive at their own pace.
Supporting Children at Special Steps
Our setting is designed for children who may require a higher level of support than a mainstream nursery can typically provide. This may include children with complex communication, sensory, physical or developmental needs, or those who benefit from a highly individualised approach. Support is carefully planned and delivered through strong relationships, consistent routines, and responsive interactions that are adapted in the moment to meet each child’s needs.
Our Rooms and Learning Environments
We have two specialist buildings, both located on Minster Road in Stourport:
- Polar Bear Room – supporting children aged 1–3
- Panda Room – our pre-school provision for children aged 3–4
Each environment is thoughtfully designed to support communication, emotional regulation and engagement. Spaces include calm play areas, sensory resources and access to outdoor learning.
Polar Bear Room
Panda Room
Children at Special Steps benefit from a high level of adult support (1:2/1:1), allowing us to respond quickly and effectively to individual needs. We work closely with external professionals, including Speech and Language Therapists (SALT), to support communication development and therapy targets.
Daily practice is shaped by observation, assessment and professional knowledge, ensuring support remains meaningful, purposeful and child-led. Learning opportunities are embedded throughout the day and adapted to suit each child’s developmental stage.
Eating As Learning
Mealtimes are an important part of our support for children and families. We follow the Eating as Learning approach, recognising that food and mealtimes can be a significant area of challenge for many children.Children are supported to build positive relationships with food through routine, repetition, choice and communication. This approach is particularly beneficial for children with restricted diets, sensory sensitivities or anxiety around eating.
Learn more about how The Feeding Trust supports positive mealtimes through education and training. Click here to visit their website.
Working in Partnership with Families
We understand that strong partnerships with families are essential. Many of our children are unable to share details of their day verbally, so we ensure parents are kept fully informed and involved. We provide:
- Detailed daily diaries
- Multiple photos shared throughout the day
- Live updates using the Baby’s Days app
This includes information such as meals, care routines, activities and any incidents, helping families feel reassured, informed and connected to their child’s day.
Click here to visit their website.
What Ofsted Said
We are proud of the feedback we have received from Ofsted, which reflects the care, commitment and specialist support we provide for children and families.
