Exmoor Stepping Stones CIC
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Lynton for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2024. Open since 2008, with 16 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Devon
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Devon from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
EX35 6ARWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 18 January 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children greatly benefit from attending this small community setting, which is managed and run by a dedicated and hard-working team. The staff intend for children to become sociable and confident individuals who are well prepared for school and later learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. The managers have developed strong partnerships with other agencies to ensure that children with
SEND are provided with the additional support they need.
Children develop close attachments to the warm and caring staff and also with one another. Staff are very good role models, who treat children kindly and with respect for their individual characters. Children learn to be kind and considerate towards their friends. They are very active in their own learning, choosing what and who to play with. Children are well behaved and show a good understanding of the expectations. For example, they line up to go outside after putting on their coats and tell each other how cold it is outside and how their coats and hats will keep them warm.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop opportunities for younger and quieter children to speak, to enable them to confidently join in with conversations.
- 18 January 2024Good
- 11 May 2018Good
- 12 February 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Exmoor Stepping Stones CIC
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.