Stepping Stones Day Nursery
Good★ 4.5 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Pattison Industrial Estate for children from birth to 8+, open 07:00 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2023. Open since 1998, with 98 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 Sunderland
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Sunderland 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
NE38 8NWWhat 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, 10 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are warmly welcomed by a friendly and nurturing staff team. They come happily into a well-organised, safe and homely environment. Staff provide reassurance and comfort to children when they become upset, encouraging them to explore their emotions by talking to them about their feelings. Children have many opportunities to freely explore the resources and the environment. They greet their friends as they begin to play, making paint, scooping sand and pouring pasta. Children have excellent relationships with staff. They enjoy engaging and initiating conversations with staff as they eat their healthy snack and use their imaginations in the home corner.
Children are excited and motivated to learn. They enjoy getting ready for outdoor play and help each other to put on their waterproofs and wellington boots. They make the most of being outside and develop good gross motor skills. Children build resilience as they climb, negotiate space on bicycles and cars and balance on stepping stones. Children feel valued. Their achievements are praised and their excellent behaviour is celebrated. Children are able to share and take turns extremely well. For instance, children pass the flour to one another as they make play dough, and listen to each other at group time.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- consider the length of time young children need to respond during conversations, so that they can fully think out the solutions to their problems and questions n support staff to make a clear link between the intent and delivery of planned activities to enable them to shape all activities to children's learning needs.
- 10 January 2023Good
- 11 April 2017Good
- 2 March 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Stepping Stones Day Nursery
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.