Stepping Stones Pre-School

Bishops Road, Bristol BS49 4NF
Review Us
9.9 33 Reviews
  • Stepping Stones Pre-School, Bristol
Stepping Stones Pre-School is a provider of high-quality care and education situated in Claverham, North Somerset.
The setting is located on Court De Wyke Primary School site and benefits from fantastic partnership working with the school. This enables them to provide the best support to children transitioning to school.

The setting is based nearby to local facilities and amenities and has good transport links to Bristol and the surrounding area.

Children learn through access to an exciting and inspiring curriculum focused around learning outdoors. All children are recognised as unique individuals with their own interests, skills and needs. This is why the team ensure that activities are tailored to individual children's next steps of learning. The environment is designed to offer a child-led learning experience that promotes independence, curiosity, exploration and a life long love or learning.

The setting provides a home-from-home environment that allows children to feel safe and secure and where partnerships with parents are a strong focus of all that they do.
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Funding & Fees

We accept Early Years Education funding, Tax-Free Childcare, Childcare vouchers- please contact us for more details.


Our hourly fee is £6.50 per hour.

Contact Stepping Stones Pre-School to get a personalised quote.

Contact Stepping Stones Pre-School to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

  • Nursery School
  • Open term time
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Bridie Marsh (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 5

Registered Charity Number

  • 1076434

Total Places for Children

  • 22

Age Range

  • from 2 years 0 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-17:00
    Tuesday 08:00-17:00
    Wednesday 08:00-17:00
    Thursday 08:00-17:00
    Friday 08:00-17:00

When Closed

  • School Holidays

Parking

  • When visiting the setting, please use Claverham Village Hall car park, which is located across the road from the nursery.

Stepping Stones Pre-School Reviews (33)

9.9

Stepping Stones Pre-School has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.947) out of 10, based on 24 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Stepping Stones Pre-School has 33 reviews.

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Review from D A (Mother of Child) published on 7 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This setting is fantastic. After having a bad experience with our toddler in another setting (when he was a baby) we were a bit nervous at the start. Every member of staff, especially the manager, was incredibly supportive and reassuring from day one and my son ended up settling quickly and really well.
He now loves his time at Stepping Stones and always has great things to tell us about his day. The communication with parents is great, we get daily pictures of what they're up to and I feel like we're really working together as a team with his best interests at heart when any issues come up. He's really come out of his shell since starting, his speech has improved so much as well as his confidence, which is just so reassuring as a parent. The fact that it's a relatively small setting with mixed ages is also a huge benefit for their development. Really recommend this preschool for any local parents looking for childcare.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review. We love having your little one in the setting and are so pleased that your experience with us has been so positive. We have a fantastic team of staff who go over and above to make sure each child is supported to develop in a caring and nurturing environment. I'm so glad that this is reflected in your experience of the setting. I will pass your feedback on to the team, I know how much they appreciate it. Many thanks, Natalie
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Review from Jennifer B (Mother of Child) published on 20 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son joined the preschool, aged 2, in September 2024. He has learned so much since starting. They helped with potty training. He is making excellent process with numbers and recognising some letters. My son always comes home with new songs and a smile on his face. The staff are friendly and I feel
they know my son well. The wrap-around care is very helpful.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely review. I am so pleased that you are having such a positive experience at Stepping Stones. The staff are amazing and work hard to support the children to progress in their development, whilst maintaining a very caring and nurturing environment. I will pass on your comments to the team. Best wishes.
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Review from Connor R (Father of Child) published on 20 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff are very welcoming, very good system of care and management at the nursery. Very much prefer a nursery to have a link to a primary school like this one. Has a nice suitable outdoor space for the staff and children.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you for your lovely review. We are very proud of the team and the work they put in to ensuring the children are well cared for, building confidence and achieving good levels of development. We are very lucky to have such great relationships with the school and can support the children with transitions and feeling comfortable in their next stage of education. Best wishes.
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Review from P M (Mother of Child) published on 20 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child started in September this year, we have felt extremely welcome and my child has settled in well.
Overall amazing experience so far. All the staff are fantastic. Especially his key worker, my child loves going to school and he is evolving and learning loads thanks to the school and all the
teachers.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. We are delighted that your child has formed such a good attachment with their key person and settled in so well. It is so important to us that children feel safe, cared for and nurtured in order that they feel comfortable to learn and develop. I agree, our staff are amazing and I will pass on your comment to them. Thank you very much. Best wishes.
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Review from Leigh W (Mother of Child) published on 7 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son loves Stepping Stones. The staff are friendly and caring, and they always provide detailed feedback about his day when I collect him, as well as uploading photos every day to the app. I consider this to be a home away from home. Very grateful.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you for such a lovely review. It is amazing to hear you describe the setting as a "home away from home". This is exactly the environment that we aim to create, where children feel safe, happy, cared for and excited to learn. I will pass your feedback onto the team, who will grateful for the time you have taken to write your review. Best wishes.
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Review from Pavlina M (Mother of Child) published on 6 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Stepping Stones is a lovely preschool. Our daughter started there when she was 2 years old and she developed a lot, specially her speech and social skills. She was fully supported in potty training and went off her nappies in very short time. All staff is really nice and positive, they engage kids in
different activities, they do yoga, signing, kids making their own play-dough etc. They have nice outdoor space and park shared with school. They send photos from almost everyday and using app to track sleep time/ nappy changes. I would recommend the settings to everyone in area.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Early Years Education at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you so much for taking the time to leave such a positive and detailed review. We love to hear feedback from parents and it really supports other parents when making childcare choices that are right for their children. We are very proud of our amazing team who are passionate in providing the best care and education to the children. They are skilled at planning a variety of activities that support the children in their development and keep them keen and eager to learn, I will pass on your feedback to them.
Best wishes
Natalie
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Review from C J (Mother of Child) published on 4 August 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
We have been very pleased with the care and education that our daughter has received here. The staff are kind, considerate and our daughter is always very happy to go to pre-school every day. She experiences a wide variety of activities and learning experiences which she enjoys. She has made good friends
of all ages and has progressed academically as well as socially. I would highly recommend.
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Review from Laura W (Mother of Child) published on 15 March 2023 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All of the staff are really friendly and attentive to my child's needs. Communication is amazing - we get daily and weekly updates and photos. They make us feel like they genuinely care about her and her progression. She looks forward to going to preschool and now runs in with excitement every morning.
The variety of activities are excellent, the perfect blend of adult-led activities and free pay for the children. After doing an extensive search to find the best place for her to develop, we're confident there is no better place than Stepping Stones.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely review of the setting. It is great to hear how happy you are with the care your child is receiving and how much she enjoys coming to Stepping Stones. I will pass your feedback on to the team, who will appreciate it.
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Review from S H (Mother of Child) published on 27 January 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A great preschool with an intimate setting where the children get lots of attention. Very knowledgeable, kind and calm staff who take safeguarding very seriously. Communication is fantastic from the staff. I feel happy and secure sending my child here and would highly recommend the setting.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely review of Stepping Stones. We are very pleased to hear how happy you are with your childcare choice. I will pass your feedback on to the staff team, who will be very grateful. Thank you for recognising that safeguarding is always a priority for us all.
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Review from Pip C (Mother of Child) published on 20 January 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My sons have been coming to this nursery for the best part of two years, and I couldn't fault it at all. I had a look at roughly three nurseries in the area, and this one felt like a home-from-home environment. All the staff go above and beyond; they treat my son like he is their own, and I know he
is very well looked after. There's brilliant communication between staff and families, and we are updated daily on our children but also kept up to date with their progress throughout the year. My son started two years ago with only saying a few words and was extremely shy; fast forward two years, and he's the most confident little boy who speaks fluently, and I think nursery has massively helped with that.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you so much for your lovely, detailed feedback. It is so wonderful for the team to hear how happy you are with the care your son has received at Stepping Stones. He is such a lovely, happy boy who takes part in all elements of the preschool day, and I agree, the staff do go above and beyond to get to know the children well and support their all-round development.
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Review from E K (Mother of Child) published on 17 January 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son loves it at Stepping Stones! He is so excited to go in the morning and always gets such a lovely welcome from the friendly staff. He has built great relationships with his key workers as well as the rest of the team, and we have been really impressed with the excellent communication, range of
activities and the fantastic outdoor space. His language and social skills have blossomed since he started due to the caring and nurturing environment the staff have created. The staff really make an effort to create fun and engaging activities for the children - baking, exploring, painting, singing and dancing! The setting also feels very clean, secure and welcoming.
Reply from Natalie Purkiss, Head of Childcare at Stepping Stones Pre-SchoolThank you for taking the time to leave us a fabulous review. It is so great to hear how happy you are with the care that your son receives at Stepping Stones and how excited he is to come to the setting. I agree that the setting is a very nurturing environment, created purposefully by the staff to ensure the children feel safe, confident and happy. They do plan many exciting activities and really focus on the children's interests to support their learning and development. We have recently had the setting redecorated, and we are very proud of how it is looking. This supports the children in their learning by creating a very calm and neutral backdrop to their activities.
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Review from Katie W (Mother of Child) published on 17 January 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Brilliant preschool. My daughter really struggled with starting, it was very upsetting for her, but the staff did amazingly to make her feel safe and happy, ensuring they could explain the day to her so she knew what to expect throughout the day. My daughter always comes out having had a fun day and
asks to go on her days off. No complaints here - highly recommended. The outside space does at first look to be small but they have access to the large area next to the preschool on the school grounds.
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Review from Charlotte (Mother of Child) published on 22 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son attended Stepping Stones for 2 years and he loved every minute. He settled in really quickly and grew with confidence after each session and would always come home full of exciting things to tell us. I trusted the staff completely and my son had a lovely relationship with all of them.
My son
was able to return to preschool in June after months of lockdown and he was so happy to be going back even for a short time to properly say goodbye before starting school in September. The staff made us feel totally at ease and had introduced plenty of additional measures to keep them as safe as possible.
Our youngest is starting soon and we can't wait to be back!
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.947)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.947) out of 10 for Stepping Stones Pre-School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 24 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 24 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.947 for Stepping Stones Pre-School is calculated as follows: ( (271 Excellents x 5) + (9 Goods x 4) + (3 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 283 Ratings = 4.947
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Stepping Stones Pre-School is based on 24 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 22 number of registered child places is 4.4, which has been reached with 24 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (3)

Meet the Team (1)

Bridie

Bridie Gadd

Job Title: Manager of Stepping Stones Joined: 2025

Bridie is a passionate leader who has worked for YMCA Dulverton Group for nearly 9 years. During this time, she started as a practitioner and has worked her way up to manager.


Bridie took over the leadership and management of Stepping Stones in January 2025. Since doing so, she has been an inspiration to the staff and a huge support to the families and children. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and this is reflected in the care and dedication of the team.


Bridie would love to introduce herself to you in person, so please get in touch should you wish to visit our beautiful setting for yourself.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Stepping Stones Pre-School to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Stepping Stones Pre-School has an Enhanced Service - more info.