First Steps Pre-school is owned and managed by Elaine Williams and Julie Elsworth. Elaine and Julie have been involved since 1990 when their own children first joined the local pre-school. Initially the pre-school was of charitable status and run by a committee of volunteers. Due to the many changes in Early Years Education, the committee struggled to cope with the many pressures being put upon them. It was in 1997 that Elaine and Julie purchased the group from them and took over as a privately run pre-school.
Shortly afterwards they were able to buy a building and have it transported to Newquay whilst awaiting planning permission to have it sited on St Columb Minor CP School. In September 1998, First Steps Newquay was officially opened by Mr Paul Tyler Mp, offering Full Day care to 24 children and also the launch of the 'Blues Club'. The Blues Club offers before and after school care as well as holiday care for children aged 4 to 12 years old.
Four years later, due to the great demand for baby care and a growing waiting list, a new extension had then been added to offer 62 places, 51 weeks of the year.
In 2003, Elaine and Julie were approached to open a school club in Porthleven. This has provided a much needed service in the area and parents are now able to return to work safe in the knowledge that their children are being well cared for on the school site.
In April 2006, Elaine and Julie, opened up First Steps Pre-school within the new St Elvan's Children Centre in Porthleven. This new nursery caters for 35 children aged 0-5 years old and is also open 51 weeks of the year. This year is also the launch of a new out of school club which opens at Archbishop Benson C of E School in Truro. This will provide 26 places for children aged 3 to 12 years old. Throughout the past 18 years Elaine and Julie have been fully involved with the pre-school activities. These have involved carrying out fundraising events to help sustain the pre-school whilst it was of charitable status, learning to manage the pre-school once having taken over privately, run and organised the pre-school sessions, always involved parents fully in their Childs Education, grown the pre-school to now employing over 30 staff and using 100% of their time now to manage the business. Their experience and knowledge ensures that the Highest Possible Care is provided at all times and they are always striving to continually improve. They recognise that Pre-school Education is always changing and being updated and it is imperative that they have open minds and meet these changes to ensure that their children have their "First Steps on their Educational Ladder for Life"us an
The majority of families who are registered with First Steps have come to them through word of mouth. Please take a look at what some of our families have had to say.