Stepping Stones Day Nursery
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Newcastle upon Tyne for babies from a few weeks old up to 5 year olds, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in April 2023. Open since 1997, with 94 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
2 & 3 year funding.
What childcare usually costs in Gateshead
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Gateshead 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
NE16 3EDWhat 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.
- 19 December 2024 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 11 January 2024 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 26 April 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children and babies receive a warm welcome on arrival. Staff provide a calm and nurturing environment, which enables children to feel safe and secure. Children and babies settle quickly and demonstrate their strong bonds with staff. Staff know children extremely well and are attentive to their individual needs and parents'
preferences. Children are confident to explore and show a positive attitude to their learning.
Children enjoy their time outside in the garden and have good opportunities to exercise in the fresh air. Staff are highly vigilant and teach children the importance of managing risks. For example, older children safely manoeuvre across the balance beams. Children have a can-do attitude and understand their own physical capabilities. Children and babies develop good balance and coordination skills.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to adapt activities in response to children's learning needs so that all children achieve as much as possible n organise group time more effectively to provide younger children with opportunities to concentrate without distractions.
- 26 April 2023Good
- 31 August 2017Good
- 31 October 2014Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Stepping Stones Day Nursery
- What it costs
- Meals
- 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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.