What Ofsted grade does Stepping Stones have?

Stepping Stones has one of Ofsted's new report cards, from its inspection on 9 December 2025. Its most common grade is expected standard in all 6 areas, and safeguarding was met.

How many children can Stepping Stones take?

Ofsted registers Stepping Stones for 40 places at any one time. The average day nursery in Ripon has 47.

How much does Stepping Stones cost?

Stepping Stones sets its own fees, so ask it for a price list. As a guide, the average nursery in Yorkshire and the Humber charges £156 a week for 25 hours for a child under 2, before any free hours.

Does Stepping Stones offer 30 hours free childcare?

Any nursery on the Ofsted Early Years Register can offer the funded hours, but each one chooses how many funded places it has and what it charges for meals and extras. Ask Stepping Stones how it offers them.

When was Stepping Stones last inspected?

Ofsted last inspected Stepping Stones on 9 December 2025. The full report is on the Ofsted website.

Which nurseries are near Stepping Stones?

Nearby in HG4: Little Pippins Montessori Nursery, Happylands Nursery/Playgroup, Acorns Pre-School.

Stepping Stones

Day nursery in Ripon, HG4. Part of the North Yorkshire council area.

Blossomgate, Ripon, HG4 2AJ

40 places

2002 registered with Ofsted

2 of 7 in our Ripon ranking

£118 a week, 50 hours for a 3 year old, Yorkshire and the Humber average

What Ofsted found

Expected standard in all 6 Inspected 9 December 2025

Ofsted report card for Stepping Stones
Area	Grade	What the grade means
Inclusion	Expected standard	Meets the standard Ofsted expects of every nursery.
Curriculum and teaching	Expected standard	Meets the standard Ofsted expects of every nursery.
Achievement	Expected standard	Meets the standard Ofsted expects of every nursery.
Behaviour, attitudes and routines	Expected standard	Meets the standard Ofsted expects of every nursery.
Children’s welfare and well-being	Expected standard	Meets the standard Ofsted expects of every nursery.
Leadership and governance	Expected standard	Meets the standard Ofsted expects of every nursery.
Safeguarding	Met	Ofsted found the nursery keeps children safe in the ways the law requires.

Read the full Ofsted report Open in maps

What a place could cost

Stepping Stones sets its own prices. These are the averages for day nurseries in Yorkshire and the Humber, for 50 hours a week in term time once the 30 funded hours are taken off.

Child's age	You pay a week	About a month
From 9 months to 2	£126	£400
2 years old	£124	£392
3 to 4 years old	£118	£374

A month here is 38 term-time weeks spread over 12 months. Work out your own hours or check your free hours.

Stepping Stones against Ripon

	Stepping Stones	Ripon average
Places	40	47
Ofsted outcome	Expected standard in all 6	86% rated Good or better

Other nurseries close by

Questions parents ask about Stepping Stones

What Ofsted grade does Stepping Stones have?: Stepping Stones has one of Ofsted's new report cards, from its inspection on 9 December 2025. Its most common grade is expected standard in all 6 areas, and safeguarding was met.
How many children can Stepping Stones take?: Ofsted registers Stepping Stones for 40 places at any one time. The average day nursery in Ripon has 47.
How much does Stepping Stones cost?: Stepping Stones sets its own fees, so ask it for a price list. As a guide, the average nursery in Yorkshire and the Humber charges £156 a week for 25 hours for a child under 2, before any free hours.
Does Stepping Stones offer 30 hours free childcare?: Any nursery on the Ofsted Early Years Register can offer the funded hours, but each one chooses how many funded places it has and what it charges for meals and extras. Ask Stepping Stones how it offers them.
When was Stepping Stones last inspected?: Ofsted last inspected Stepping Stones on 9 December 2025. The full report is on the Ofsted website.
Which nurseries are near Stepping Stones?: Nearby in HG4: Little Pippins Montessori Nursery, Happylands Nursery/Playgroup, Acorns Pre-School.

Nursery list and inspection outcomes from Ofsted's register of childcare providers, as at 30 June 2026.

Fees shown are regional averages from the Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2026, not any one nursery’s price. Confirm with the nursery before enrolling.

Eligibility rules are the government’s (childcarechoices.gov.uk). Whether a nursery offers the funded hours, and what it charges for meals and consumables, is the nursery’s decision; ask for its funded-hours terms in writing.