Stepping Stones Pre-School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Newmarket for children from birth to 8+, open 07:45 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2022. Open since 1995, with 55 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 Suffolk
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Suffolk 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
CB8 7EWWhat 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 September 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the warm and welcoming pre-school. They are happy, confident and positively engage with staff who know them well. Staff provide a calm and relaxed atmosphere that helps children to feel safe and secure.
Children are eager to explore exciting and purposeful activities. For example, children explore the 'potion station'. They investigate a colourful array of flowers and water. Staff extend children's vocabulary as they introduce words, such as
Children confidently move around, both inside and outside. They have good opportunities to develop physical skills. Children share and take turns as they pedal tricycles and balance on ride-on toys. They show great excitement as they take supervised risks. For instance, children push ride-on vehicles to the top of the grassed hill and race down.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- help staff to enhance their teaching skills to consistently support children's communication and language skills.
- 13 September 2022Good
- 7 October 2021Needs improvement
- 21 March 2016Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.