Stepping Stones Childcare

Joeys, Possums and Roos share an open-plan nursery at Holy Trinity Church Hall, with age-specific sections rather than separate rooms. That arrangement gives Stepping Stones Childcare its character: babies, toddlers and preschool children belong to the same setting, while their spaces and activities respond to different stages of development. With capacity for 30 children, this is a small nursery with a shared daily life.

At its 19 June 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), made good developmental progress. The practical strengths are clear too: outdoor space, meals cooked on site and care essentials included in the childcare fee.

Children from 6 months to 5 years are welcomed, and attendance can follow structured or flexible booking arrangements. The shared room is central to the choice here. Families who value contact between age groups may find it appealing; those considering baby care should pay close attention to how quieter activities sit alongside older children's play.

Rooms and Ages

The nursery occupies one open-plan room divided into sections, so Joeys, Possums and Roos are groups within a shared environment. Moving between stages therefore involves a change of section rather than a move to a separate room. The arrangement also gives younger children opportunities to observe older children.

Joeys, for under-twos, has a calmer area with an emphasis on relationships, early communication, sensory play and movement. Possums, for children aged two to three, concentrates on language, growing independence and early friendships. Roos, for children aged three and above, brings early reading, number understanding and problem-solving into playful preparation for school. These are different emphases within the same space, rather than three copies of the same programme.

Learning and Activities

EYFS shapes the curriculum: children develop language, movement, relationships and early understanding through play, with stories, number activities and creative experiences extending their learning. It is the early-years foundation here, rather than an extra programme. Conversations, songs and role play give communication a clear place in the day.

The Enabling Environment approach adds a practical emphasis on organised spaces and resources children can use in different ways. Indoors and outdoors, children are encouraged to investigate, make choices and pursue their own play. Staff use observations and interactions to extend those interests, rather than relying solely on an identical activity for everyone. The curriculum overview explains how these elements fit together.

In June 2025, toddlers used signing alongside songs and rhymes, while older children experimented with bridges and vehicle obstacle courses in water. Those examples show the different demands made on children as they grow: practising communication first, then testing ideas and discussing solutions with friends. Books were accessible outside as well as inside, bringing reading into more than one part of the nursery day.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden provides space for running, jumping and climbing, and outdoor learning also extends into the local area. Visits from firefighters and librarians introduce children to people whose work they may recognise beyond nursery. Seasonal and cultural celebrations bring the groups together, while culturally varied books and resources offer further ways to explore different experiences.

The daily routine alternates shared moments with group activities and outdoor play. Stories and singing sit alongside free play, lunch and a sleep or rest period. There is structure, but children also have time to choose what they do.

Relationships and Communication

Settling includes gentle visits, time to build relationships with staff and communication with families. Changes between sections and preparation for school receive the same attention. For Roos, independence and early literacy are part of that preparation, keeping the next stage connected to everyday nursery experiences.

The Famly App carries daily updates, photographs and observations, giving parents a view of both care and learning. Events and opportunities to give feedback provide other points of contact. An update about what happened today can be useful; guidance about how to extend it at home serves a different purpose.

The June 2025 inspection identified two priorities: making staff development more closely match teaching needs, and giving parents stronger guidance for continuing learning at home. These are useful questions to carry into a visit, especially for families who want practical ideas beyond photographs and daily summaries.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

In June 2025, staff adjusted activities and resources in response to observations of children, including those with SEND. Babies sought comfort from their key person, and everyday routines encouraged independence: children helped with lunch, dealt with their plates and practised managing shoes and handwashing. These small tasks made self-care part of the day.

Current safeguarding arrangements include designated safeguarding lead roles and continuing safeguarding training. Practitioners also undertake ongoing professional development linked to EYFS practice. These arrangements describe how responsibilities and training are organised; the dated safeguarding judgement sits above.

An on-site chef prepares meals, and food is freshly cooked at the nursery. The timetable includes a sleep and rest period, with drinking water accessible throughout the day.

Sessions and Attendance

Stepping Stones Childcare operates at Holy Trinity Church Hall, 4 Holloway Road, London E11 4LD, and opens from 8am to 6pm. Structured attendance and flexible bookings give families different ways to organise care; the opening window should be considered alongside the actual booking arrangement.

Closures comprise one week at Easter, the first two weeks of August and two weeks at Christmas, with exact dates issued at the start of each year. Those breaks matter for families organising work and holiday cover. Contact is by telephone, email or the nursery's enquiry form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Government-funded childcare hours and Tax-Free Childcare are accepted, and families can choose stretched funding to spread funded hours across the year rather than use them only in term time. Funded hours and paid childcare are separate parts of the attendance decision.

Meals, snacks and refreshments are included in the childcare fee, as are nappies, wipes, sun cream and nappy cream. Families supply spare clothing, a sun hat and wellies. This reduces the everyday supplies parents need to pack, while leaving clothing for changes and outdoor play with the family.

The fees and funding page explains the booking and inclusion arrangements. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Shared space for babies. Joeys occupies a section of the open-plan room. On a visit, ask how rest and quieter baby play are managed alongside Possums and Roos.
• Learning beyond nursery. June 2025 brought a recommendation for stronger home-learning support and more targeted staff development. Ask what practical guidance families now receive and how training priorities are chosen.
• Holiday cover. Easter, August and Christmas closures interrupt the usual attendance routine. Match the annual closure dates to your family's work commitments before choosing a booking pattern.

Stepping Stones suits families who want a small, shared nursery environment and either structured attendance or flexible bookings. Age-specific sections, outdoor play, an on-site chef and included care supplies make the everyday offer concrete. The Famly App adds a regular connection between nursery and home.

Its June 2025 Good judgement supports the choice, while the recommendations on staff development and home learning give families clear points to explore. The deciding feature is the open-plan layout: this is a nursery built around shared space, with different expectations for Joeys, Possums and Roos.