Welcome to Next Little Step — a child-centred education, family support, and childcare service dedicated to helping children thrive from their early years through to the end of primary school.

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I'm Donna, a qualified teacher with a passion for helping children build confidence, develop strong foundations, and discover a lifelong love of learning!

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Through Next Little Step, I provide personalised one-to-one tutoring and support for children aged approximately 3–12 years. I also offer 11+ preparation, helping children develop the academic skills, confidence, and exam techniques needed for grammar school and independent school entrance assessments.

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For younger children, I focus on building strong foundations across all areas of early childhood development, supporting communication and language, physical development, personal and social skills, early literacy and maths, understanding of the world, and creative development. These early experiences lay the foundations for future learning and school success.

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I believe parents and carers are a child's first and most important teachers. That's why I also offer practical support for families, including guidance on:

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• Preparing your child for preschool or starting school.

• Understanding what your child is expected to learn before, during, and by the end of Reception.

• Supporting phonics, reading, writing, and maths at home.

• Teaching your child to read and fostering a love of books.

• Making homework enjoyable, manageable, and effective.

• Creating bedroom and playroom spaces that encourage learning, independence, creativity, and play.

• Understanding how to play purposefully with your child to support their development.

• Building confidence as a parent through personalised, practical advice.

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Alongside tutoring and family support, I also provide professional childcare and babysitting services, creating safe, nurturing, and engaging environments where children can learn, play, and flourish.

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Next Little Step was born from a simple belief: every child deserves to be seen, supported, and given the opportunity to reach their full potential. Whether your child is taking their very first steps into learning, preparing for the transition to school, working towards the end of primary school, preparing for the 11+, or simply needs a little extra support along the way, I'm here to help your family—one small step at a time.