Learning through play in a nurturing and empowering environment.
Stepping Stones hold fundraisers throughout the year in order to purchase new equipment and toys.
We welcome new helpers for any event, ideas for new events. Please speak to a staff or committee member if you would like to donate some time to help your charity pre-school. (See 'Meet the Team').
We aim to provide quality care and education for every child within a safe, inclusive and fun environment.
We strive to nurture and support all children through excitable activities and first hand experiences that are challenging but achievable to progress and develop their skills and knowledge – laying the foundations for their future learning.
The Nursery has a strong community approach which includes building a trusting partnership with our parents and carers where all will be welcomed, listened to and valued.
Stepping Stones Pre-School Play and Learn, is situated in Alrewas Village Hall on Wellfield Road and is fully inspected and registered with OFSTED (No. 218625). Our last inspection was October 2019 and we were awarded a “good” grading. The inspector praised the relationships staff have with children, the progress the children make in their learning , our children’s enthusiasm towards their learning and the importance we place on the physical and mental health and well-being of the children in our care.
We are registered to take up to 38 children between the ages of 14 months and 5 years. Sessions are a combination of free play as well as structured/supervised activities.
We operate a ‘Key Person’ system for all children by allocating a member of staff to each child who will record the child’s achievements on ‘Tapestry’ (online observation tool) and set them next steps to further their learning. We place great importance on developing strong relationships with our parents, to create and maintain a strong link between us and the child's home environment. Key persons are always available to talk to parents about their child's development, face to face or by a phone call.
We have strong links with all the local ‘feeder’ primary schools. This helps our older children to feel more at ease and supported during their transition to primary school.
Stepping Stones gets involved in many community activities and events, such as the Alrewas Show, Scouts Bonfire Night, Remembrance Sunday, All Saints Primary School Christmas Fayre and All Saints Church Christmas Tree Festival. Our children get the opportunity to be a part of these as well.
The Pre-School is staffed by experienced and highly qualified members of staff and, equally importantly, we are all mums! As we are a ‘not for profit charity run business’, we can offer low cost affordable childcare places. We rely on the income from the fees that parents pay and proceeds from fund-raising events throughout the year to cover all of our outgoing costs. We offer funded places, including the extended 30 hours places, and accept a range of childcare vouchers.