PCC St Stephen's, STEPS

A Christian ethos and a close connection with St Stephen’s Church in South Tonbridge define PCC St Stephen's, STEPS. It welcomes children from two years to school age and has capacity for 28 children. St Stephen’s Church is part of its identity, rather than simply a neighbouring landmark: the preschool operates as part of the church and gives its work a Christian ethos while respecting children's different faiths.

Ofsted rated the setting Good on 14 November 2022. That judgement comes with useful detail: children explored nature, practised language through play and received individual help with settling, but staff needed to give them more consistent opportunities to act independently. These are dated findings, rather than a description of every aspect of today's provision.

Term-time attendance can be organised around mornings, afternoons or a whole day. That gives families more than one way to use the preschool, with an optional lunchtime extension for children attending a single session.

Play supplies the starting point for learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework connects children's learning, development and care; here, the preschool's approach is to use play and activities adjusted to individual children rather than expect everyone to develop at the same pace. For parents, that means the educational offer is expressed through what children do, explore and practise.

In November 2022, the mud kitchen brought imaginative play and conversation together as younger children made pretend cakes. Children chose resources and moved between activities, while staff helped those who were less confident to make their own choices. This is a useful distinction: choosing an activity can itself be something a child needs help to learn.

The garden gave learning a physical dimension at that visit. Trikes and chasing games provided movement, while planting herbs and vegetables connected growing things with food. Outdoor play was substantial enough for children to spend extended periods there. The growing garden offered something different from simply having space to run: children could take part in caring for plants.

In November 2022, finding worms prompted staff to plan a bug hunt. They also encouraged children to handle worms gently and return them beneath logs, connecting curiosity with care for living creatures. An everyday discovery supplied the starting point for planned learning.

Language work in November 2022 used picture cards to introduce vocabulary, alongside stories and books in different languages. These examples matter for children learning English as an additional language because spoken words were supported by visual prompts. The Colour Monster, a story used to explore emotions, also gave children a way to discuss feelings and behaviour.

At the November 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and identified strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with assessment, professional collaboration and targeted resources helping address learning needs. This is the clearest dated assessment of those aspects of care.

Relationships were built through a key-person arrangement in November 2022. Staff offered comfort to children who were distressed and adapted settling to individual needs through discussion with parents. For a child who needs a gentler start, the relevant feature is that settling was adjusted rather than treated as one fixed process.

Continuity also received attention at that visit. Staff exchanged information with other settings that children attended, helping connect their care and learning across different providers. Within the preschool, observations and assessments were used to identify emerging difficulties, and the manager and special educational needs coordinator worked with practitioners on inclusion.

The current staff structure includes SENCO responsibilities and a lunchtime supervisor. Those roles give families clear subjects to discuss when considering support or attendance across lunch. The Christian ethos sits alongside an explicit respect for children's faiths, so the religious character and the approach to individual families both belong in the choice.

Sessions and Attendance

The preschool address is 37 Waterloo Road, Tonbridge, TN9 2SW. It operates during term time, with a Monday-to-Friday opening window of 8.45am to 3.45pm. The attendance choices are a morning session from 8.45am to 11.45am, an afternoon session from 12.45pm to 3.45pm, or all day from 8.45am to 3.45pm.

Children attending just one session can extend their booking with the optional lunch hour, from 11.45am to 12.45pm. This extension changes the length of a morning or afternoon booking; it is worth distinguishing it from the all-day pattern when planning regular attendance.

The 2026–27 calendar includes holiday breaks between terms and a closure for the May bank holiday. Term dates can change. Families arranging work around attendance therefore need a plan for the breaks as well as a suitable session pattern.

Getting There

STEPS occupies the Quarry Hill side of St Stephen’s Church, with access through wooden gates beside the church garden. The gates stay locked during sessions, and access during that time is arranged by telephone.

Funding and Paid Extras

Early Years Education funding covers up to 15 hours a week from the term after a child's third birthday, while Free for Two and Working Parents funding are offered for eligible two-year-olds. The preschool runs during term time; additional hours and lunchtime hours are invoiced each term, so funded session hours and the lunch extension need to be considered separately.

Private hours are also offered. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, and the attendance and funding arrangements are set out on its sessions and funding page.

• Christian character. STEPS is part of St Stephen’s Church and respects children's different faiths. On a visit, ask how that ethos features in activities and celebrations so you can judge the fit for your family.
• Independence and teaching consistency. In November 2022, staff sometimes completed tasks children could attempt themselves, and performance monitoring needed further development. Ask how practitioners now support self-help skills and review their teaching.
• Lunch and funded hours. The optional lunchtime extension adds an hour of attendance to a single session, and that attendance time is invoiced termly. Ask how your intended attendance would be set out in a written quotation, including food and consumables.
• Term-time routine. Morning, afternoon and all-day attendance sit within a calendar containing holiday breaks. This suits a term-time rhythm, but families needing childcare during those breaks will need to plan for them.

STEPS suits families seeking either a shorter morning or afternoon preschool session, or an all-day term-time pattern, within a Christian setting that respects other faiths. Its strongest examples from November 2022 combine outdoor exploration with practical language support and individually adjusted settling. The garden is more than background scenery in that account: it supplies movement, growing activities and discoveries that staff turn into learning.

The balance is clear. There is a Good inspection judgement and substantial dated evidence of thoughtful care, alongside improvement points about independence and the consistency of teaching. For families comfortable with the ethos and term-time calendar, that makes STEPS a considered option with a useful choice of attendance patterns.