Stepping Stones Pre-School
Good★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A pre-school in Market Harborough for children from birth to 5, open 08:45 to 15:15, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2022. Open since 1993, with 24 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 West Northamptonshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in West Northamptonshire 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
LE16 9RUWhat 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, 27 June 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thoroughly enjoy their time at Stepping Stones Pre-School. They separate from their parents at the door and are welcomed in by cheery, friendly staff. Staff are very attentive to children and know their needs extremely well. This helps children to feel secure, form positive relationships with staff and develop a good sense of belonging. The environment is well resourced and children make independent choices about what they want to do while at pre-school. Children enjoy learning, both indoors and outdoors. Staff have high expectations for children's learning. They plan a curriculum to take into account children's interests and their learning needs. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are making good progress.
Staff use planned and spontaneous activities to support children to extend their knowledge. For example, children count items in the shop and staff support them to name the things they choose to buy. Other children play with small-world figures on the floor and navigate their cars around the road map. Children learn to share and to take turns with their friends. Children share their ideas and knowledge when they talk to one another and encourage others to join their games. They are developing strong friendships with each other.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- further develop children's independence skills by consistently allowing them to carry out tasks by themselves n strengthen the support for staff to focus on developing their teaching practice, specifically around the management of group activities, to an even higher level.
- 27 June 2022Good
- 9 May 2016Outstanding
- 14 May 2009Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Stepping Stones Pre-School
- 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.