Stepping Stones Montessori Nursery Ltd
GoodBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in London for children from birth to 5, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in December 2023. Open since 1996, with 30 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 Lewisham
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Lewisham 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
SE14 5TWWhat 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 December 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
The manager and staff work together to promote children's independence. For example, children learn to always tuck in their chairs, carefully hang their coats up and serve themselves food. Staff's expectations of children are high. They promote children's self-sufficiency by expecting them to do things for themselves. Children make decisions about what they want to play with. They display very high levels of competency. Children are confident and excited to do things for themselves and each other.
Staff have high expectations of children. Babies learn to make their own play dough and remember the ingredients. They pour oil and flour and learn how to knead dough. The youngest children persevere and try hard, even when they find things difficult. They are motivated and excited to learn.
Staff teach children to understand their feelings. They help them to understand why it is important to share. Staff ask questions about how children feel when they share with their friends. Children learn how their behaviour impacts on others.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- develop interactions with children to support them to develop their fluency in language at the highest levels.
- 18 December 2023Good
- 27 March 2018Good
- 6 July 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Stepping Stones Montessori Nursery Ltd
- 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.