Stepping Stones Pre School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Leicester for children from birth to 8+, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2022. Open since 1993, with 28 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 Leicestershire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Leicestershire 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
LE9 4JEWhat 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, 13 May 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are eager to enter the pre-school and separate from their parents easily.
They are greeted by their friends and by friendly staff. Staff work well to meet the individual needs of children. Children feel safe here. They have strong relationships with staff and are quick to ask them for support. Children are developing their social skills. They learn how to be kind to their friends and are learning to share with each other.
Children enjoy learning, both indoors and outdoors. Staff have high expectations for children's learning. They plan a curriculum that considers children's interests and their learning needs. All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are learning to communicate well. Staff use planned and spontaneous activities to support children to extend their mathematical knowledge.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen further staff's teaching, so that they consistently challenge children to learn more, and continue to develop their practical skills.
- 13 May 2022Good
- 18 March 2015Good
- 9 November 2011Good
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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.