Submit a Review for Stepping Stones Day Nursery & Preschool
46 Chase Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 2RE
View Full Details of Stepping Stones Day Nursery & PreschoolLatest Reviews for Stepping Stones Day Nursery & Preschool
26 February 2025
I couldn't be more thrilled with Stepping Stones! Finding this nursery feels like a great discovery. My children love coming here - they are always eager to go in and return with beaming smiles, excited to share their day's adventures. This speaks volumes about the wonderful environment. The staff are absolutely fantastic: caring and providing new and exciting opportunities for play and learning. I am so grateful for their dedication and creativity. The children enjoy plenty of outdoor time and lovely local trips to the library, park and beach and the food sounds absolutely delicious. While the nursery may be on the expensive side, I do feel that the exceptional care provided makes it worthwhile.
25 June 2024
Our child has been attending Stepping Stones for almost a year and we couldn't be happier. The staff have been incredible in creating an environment that has really encouraged and supported both confidence and learning. The relationships that they have developed with the team and other children are beautiful and something that I certainly couldn't have imagined. I know that not everyone is as lucky as us to find a nursery that their child slots into quite like this, and for that, I am forever thankful to the team at Stepping Stones. I am so happy that we chose Stepping Stones.
21 May 2024
Stepping Stones has been a special place for my son. We get updates and photos throughout the day. All outings, accidents/incidents, naps and food are recorded on the app. My son loves doing new things every week. He absolutely loves the animals and especially the teachers. Everyone is so friendly and attentive. A special thank you to the deputy manager who he absolutely adores.
10 May 2024
Stepping Stones has been a special place for our son, the team there are so creative and supportive and have really helped him to develop over the past 3 years. Big shouts out to greet leadership, staff and a commitment to fulfilling potential.
10 May 2024
After working in childcare for many a year (not at Stepping Stones) I'm only too pleased that 2 of my grandchildren attend this excellent nursery with others due to start soon. The outings they have allowing children learn through play. The variety of activities are excellent and the regular updates and pictures throughout the day let's you see what your little ones have been up to and encourages conversation about their day when home. The food which is served is fresh with such a wide menu to encourage eating. The staff are so welcoming kind and friendly, they are full of encouragement for the children and liaise with parent's etc regularly. Couldn't recommend this nursery highly enough.
10 May 2024
We have 2 grandchildren at this nursery (and 2 more to attend soon!), they both enjoy going to this nursery, they learn so much through playing at Stepping Stones, and it's lovely to see the updates of them having fun on their regular trips out. The staff are caring and helpful and I thoroughly recommend this nursery.
23 April 2024
We have nothing but praise for this nursery, both our children have been here for 13 months and have stayed/will stay until school. The staff have extremely high standards so they have the best people working there who genuinely care about the children. Their chef is fantastic and the food they are fed is nutritious and I am told delicious! There are guinea pigs and a dog so the children are taught all about animals and regularly go for outings to local parks/church/walks for the dog. We love the eco friendly vibe, using reusable nappies/using junk from home and repurposing things at nursery and really making the most of all materials they have. Overall my son is very happy here and we've had no complaints at all.
23 April 2024
Stepping stones has been great for our little girl. She loves going there and all the staff members. She has learnt so much from them and we are also placing our twins there come June. Would highly recommend them!
23 April 2024
My daughter has been attending for over a year now and we are so happy with the nursery, they are fantastic. Love the relationship that each of the staff has developed with my daughter, and they are incredibly supportive to the family as a whole. We loved the ethos of the nursery, how they support and engage the children to develop in all areas, and that they regularly take the children on excursions. Would 100% recommend it to anyone.
23 April 2024
My son joined Stepping Stones in October 2020 when he turned 1. All of the staff are incredible, they continually go above and beyond what is expected. The children are encouraged to be kind and look out for their peers. They are regularly taken out on trips to the park/beach/local florist etc, which enables a great understanding of the world. Whilst the setting is only small, there is a huge amount of engaging resources for the children to explore and the staff are regularly rotating the layout in line with the children’s individual interests. I receive lots of updates via the app with photos of what they are up to and regular updates on development. Meals are prepared onsite by a fantastic chef, there is always a great variety and everything is homemade. I would recommend this nursery to anyone and I will be using them again for my second child next year.
23 April 2024
We cannot fault the support Stepping Stones has given us in regards to our child’s development. From our experience we can say that all the staff at stepping stones are extremely helpful and invested in making sure children are encouraged with their development and their learning style. Our child has delays in communication and social interactions and Stepping Stones have been helping us and have been part of the speech therapy journey we are on, they follow the same activities we do at home to ensure there is consistency for our child. All of the staff are welcoming and friendly but we have to make a special mention to the staff our child adores them and they have been a great support to us navigating a potential neurodivergent diagnosis. Our child runs in to nursery and leaves happy every single day they are there, and that to me is priceless!
23 April 2024
Stepping Stones is a caring and lovely nursery. My son does 2 days a week there and he is loving it! I was very anxious about putting him into nursery but he has settled so well at Stepping Stones. The nursery staff are quick to respond to any questions I have and I can clearly tell how much they care about the children. My son eats very well when he’s at nursery and he’s made lots of friends! They are always taking part in educational and exciting activities and often go on little outings too which is fab. The staff are genuinely so kind and down to earth - I couldn’t recommend Stepping Stones enough.
19 February 2024
We absolutely love Stepping Stones Day Nursery. The communication is fantastic as they use an app where I can message them at any time. They have lovely small rooms, meaning it’s a calmer environment. The onsite homemade food is amazing, I am often jealous of the children's food! I really like their curriculum as they tailor it to each individual child, making it personal to them. Thank you to all at Stepping Stones for doing such an amazing job. Big shout out to the manager too for all she does to ensure the nursery has such high standards.
18 May 2022
My daughter had her first settling in session at Stepping Stones, and I was updated throughout the day on when she was changed and how much she had eaten. I also received photos of her making new friends and playing, which is so lovely to be able to see for myself. As a working Mum, this gave me so much relief getting these through the app while working. The staff are all lovely and show so much nurture to my daughter already within her first time in the setting. The communication between the staff and myself have been very positive and responses are very quick. I would recommend this nursery to anyone; there is no better feeling than knowing your child is in safe hands.
14 February 2022
Our experience in the Stepping Stones Day Nursery could not be better. Our 1-year-old girl entered shy and crying in February 2021 with the pandemic in full swing, but the team was able to introduce her, and she started to quickly love it. After one year of attendance, we cannot complain about a thing: good facilities indoors with a cosy garden as well, good fostering environment with sings language, and recently introducing different languages (amazing for us as we are a trilingual family). Constant contact with the family sharing interests and progress, as well as 2/3 daily pictures in the app (so we can stop wondering how she is doing there). Now the transition period to the older kids is very attentive to our girl's interests and attitude, letting her choose for now where she wants to pass the day (younger or older kids) and planning with us the transition. Good attention to the environment as well (with the usage of reusable nappies) and pandemic rules.
14 February 2022
Our daughter is always very excited to go to nursery and see her 'lots of friends', the teachers are also included as her friends, and when she does role play at home, they are often mentioned as she is so fond of them. The interaction on the app about our daughter's progress and daily photos are always great to receive as we can see how much she's doing and learning. The food is a big hit, with most meals saying she's eaten all or all+, and I like how healthy they are with them being homemade. Very happy with how welcoming, friendly and fun the nursery is, and our two and a half-year-old daughter loves it!
11 February 2022
We have been really pleased with Stepping Stones since we moved our son to the nursery post the first lockdown. The children are encouraged to choose what activities they’d like to do during the day, and the staff are there to support them. The children always take part in a variety of activities and often things we’d never think of doing at home, which is great to see. They spend a lot of time outside, and I rated this as four because although it’s a great space, it isn’t huge. There is also a fantastic menu for the children, and our son eats lots of different cuisines! We get updates via an app on what our son is doing throughout the day and what he eats, we can also upload activities we do at home. The staff we are in contact with regularly are wonderful and responsive when we contact them.
11 February 2022
Stepping Stones is the most wonderful environment, and I cannot rate it highly enough. My daughter is in her second year there, and they have helped her learn, flourish, grow and gain confidence. Every child is treated like an individual, and their individual needs are always met. Communication is outstanding, and the whole team are wonderful human beings. Handing over your child to strangers is the hardest thing - but there’s no one else I would trust more!
10 February 2022
After some strategically planned settle sessions, our Covid baby (15-months), that hadn’t been left in the care of others before, started waiting by the door ready to leave for nursery by week three! As a first time mum, to an IVF baby, I’m extremely anxious, but the nursery app means I’m updated throughout the day with what he eats, when he sleeps, his nappy changes, and the ladies even update me with photos of what he’s up to. There is great communication from the nursery, meaning I can always settle into my own work knowing he’s taken care of. There are monthly reviews of his progress and support in areas that we feel will benefit our babies development. An extensive introduction meant we could tell the staff all about his likes and dislikes, and they contact us regularly for updates on his interests so they can incorporate that into his play. The staff and manager are extremely kind and caring; you can certainly see the experience the manager has and the thought that goes into everything.
22 December 2021
Our girls love the staff at Stepping Stones, and they have come on so well since they have been attending the nursery. One of our daughters was initially really struggling with all-new environments, people and was quite behind with her communication skills and engagement. But with lots of special care and attention from the wonderful staff at Stepping Stones, she has really turned a corner and is like a new baby. Engagement and updates from staff are fantastic, and we receive regular updates and images throughout the day. The nursery also runs lots of wonderful learning initiatives throughout the year, including learning sign language.
Latest Reviews for Stepping Stones Day Nursery & Preschool
26 February 2025
I couldn't be more thrilled with Stepping Stones! Finding this nursery feels like a great discovery. My children love coming here - they are always eager to go in and return with beaming smiles, excited to share their day's adventures. This speaks volumes about the wonderful environment. The staff are absolutely fantastic: caring and providing new and exciting opportunities for play and learning. I am so grateful for their dedication and creativity. The children enjoy plenty of outdoor time and lovely local trips to the library, park and beach and the food sounds absolutely delicious. While the nursery may be on the expensive side, I do feel that the exceptional care provided makes it worthwhile.
25 June 2024
Our child has been attending Stepping Stones for almost a year and we couldn't be happier. The staff have been incredible in creating an environment that has really encouraged and supported both confidence and learning. The relationships that they have developed with the team and other children are beautiful and something that I certainly couldn't have imagined. I know that not everyone is as lucky as us to find a nursery that their child slots into quite like this, and for that, I am forever thankful to the team at Stepping Stones. I am so happy that we chose Stepping Stones.
21 May 2024
Stepping Stones has been a special place for my son. We get updates and photos throughout the day. All outings, accidents/incidents, naps and food are recorded on the app. My son loves doing new things every week. He absolutely loves the animals and especially the teachers. Everyone is so friendly and attentive. A special thank you to the deputy manager who he absolutely adores.
10 May 2024
Stepping Stones has been a special place for our son, the team there are so creative and supportive and have really helped him to develop over the past 3 years. Big shouts out to greet leadership, staff and a commitment to fulfilling potential.
10 May 2024
After working in childcare for many a year (not at Stepping Stones) I'm only too pleased that 2 of my grandchildren attend this excellent nursery with others due to start soon. The outings they have allowing children learn through play. The variety of activities are excellent and the regular updates and pictures throughout the day let's you see what your little ones have been up to and encourages conversation about their day when home. The food which is served is fresh with such a wide menu to encourage eating. The staff are so welcoming kind and friendly, they are full of encouragement for the children and liaise with parent's etc regularly. Couldn't recommend this nursery highly enough.
10 May 2024
We have 2 grandchildren at this nursery (and 2 more to attend soon!), they both enjoy going to this nursery, they learn so much through playing at Stepping Stones, and it's lovely to see the updates of them having fun on their regular trips out. The staff are caring and helpful and I thoroughly recommend this nursery.
23 April 2024
We have nothing but praise for this nursery, both our children have been here for 13 months and have stayed/will stay until school. The staff have extremely high standards so they have the best people working there who genuinely care about the children. Their chef is fantastic and the food they are fed is nutritious and I am told delicious! There are guinea pigs and a dog so the children are taught all about animals and regularly go for outings to local parks/church/walks for the dog. We love the eco friendly vibe, using reusable nappies/using junk from home and repurposing things at nursery and really making the most of all materials they have. Overall my son is very happy here and we've had no complaints at all.
23 April 2024
Stepping stones has been great for our little girl. She loves going there and all the staff members. She has learnt so much from them and we are also placing our twins there come June. Would highly recommend them!
23 April 2024
My daughter has been attending for over a year now and we are so happy with the nursery, they are fantastic. Love the relationship that each of the staff has developed with my daughter, and they are incredibly supportive to the family as a whole. We loved the ethos of the nursery, how they support and engage the children to develop in all areas, and that they regularly take the children on excursions. Would 100% recommend it to anyone.
23 April 2024
My son joined Stepping Stones in October 2020 when he turned 1. All of the staff are incredible, they continually go above and beyond what is expected. The children are encouraged to be kind and look out for their peers. They are regularly taken out on trips to the park/beach/local florist etc, which enables a great understanding of the world. Whilst the setting is only small, there is a huge amount of engaging resources for the children to explore and the staff are regularly rotating the layout in line with the children’s individual interests. I receive lots of updates via the app with photos of what they are up to and regular updates on development. Meals are prepared onsite by a fantastic chef, there is always a great variety and everything is homemade. I would recommend this nursery to anyone and I will be using them again for my second child next year.
23 April 2024
We cannot fault the support Stepping Stones has given us in regards to our child’s development. From our experience we can say that all the staff at stepping stones are extremely helpful and invested in making sure children are encouraged with their development and their learning style. Our child has delays in communication and social interactions and Stepping Stones have been helping us and have been part of the speech therapy journey we are on, they follow the same activities we do at home to ensure there is consistency for our child. All of the staff are welcoming and friendly but we have to make a special mention to the staff our child adores them and they have been a great support to us navigating a potential neurodivergent diagnosis. Our child runs in to nursery and leaves happy every single day they are there, and that to me is priceless!
23 April 2024
Stepping Stones is a caring and lovely nursery. My son does 2 days a week there and he is loving it! I was very anxious about putting him into nursery but he has settled so well at Stepping Stones. The nursery staff are quick to respond to any questions I have and I can clearly tell how much they care about the children. My son eats very well when he’s at nursery and he’s made lots of friends! They are always taking part in educational and exciting activities and often go on little outings too which is fab. The staff are genuinely so kind and down to earth - I couldn’t recommend Stepping Stones enough.
19 February 2024
We absolutely love Stepping Stones Day Nursery. The communication is fantastic as they use an app where I can message them at any time. They have lovely small rooms, meaning it’s a calmer environment. The onsite homemade food is amazing, I am often jealous of the children's food! I really like their curriculum as they tailor it to each individual child, making it personal to them. Thank you to all at Stepping Stones for doing such an amazing job. Big shout out to the manager too for all she does to ensure the nursery has such high standards.
18 May 2022
My daughter had her first settling in session at Stepping Stones, and I was updated throughout the day on when she was changed and how much she had eaten. I also received photos of her making new friends and playing, which is so lovely to be able to see for myself. As a working Mum, this gave me so much relief getting these through the app while working. The staff are all lovely and show so much nurture to my daughter already within her first time in the setting. The communication between the staff and myself have been very positive and responses are very quick. I would recommend this nursery to anyone; there is no better feeling than knowing your child is in safe hands.
14 February 2022
Our experience in the Stepping Stones Day Nursery could not be better. Our 1-year-old girl entered shy and crying in February 2021 with the pandemic in full swing, but the team was able to introduce her, and she started to quickly love it. After one year of attendance, we cannot complain about a thing: good facilities indoors with a cosy garden as well, good fostering environment with sings language, and recently introducing different languages (amazing for us as we are a trilingual family). Constant contact with the family sharing interests and progress, as well as 2/3 daily pictures in the app (so we can stop wondering how she is doing there). Now the transition period to the older kids is very attentive to our girl's interests and attitude, letting her choose for now where she wants to pass the day (younger or older kids) and planning with us the transition. Good attention to the environment as well (with the usage of reusable nappies) and pandemic rules.
14 February 2022
Our daughter is always very excited to go to nursery and see her 'lots of friends', the teachers are also included as her friends, and when she does role play at home, they are often mentioned as she is so fond of them. The interaction on the app about our daughter's progress and daily photos are always great to receive as we can see how much she's doing and learning. The food is a big hit, with most meals saying she's eaten all or all+, and I like how healthy they are with them being homemade. Very happy with how welcoming, friendly and fun the nursery is, and our two and a half-year-old daughter loves it!
11 February 2022
We have been really pleased with Stepping Stones since we moved our son to the nursery post the first lockdown. The children are encouraged to choose what activities they’d like to do during the day, and the staff are there to support them. The children always take part in a variety of activities and often things we’d never think of doing at home, which is great to see. They spend a lot of time outside, and I rated this as four because although it’s a great space, it isn’t huge. There is also a fantastic menu for the children, and our son eats lots of different cuisines! We get updates via an app on what our son is doing throughout the day and what he eats, we can also upload activities we do at home. The staff we are in contact with regularly are wonderful and responsive when we contact them.
11 February 2022
Stepping Stones is the most wonderful environment, and I cannot rate it highly enough. My daughter is in her second year there, and they have helped her learn, flourish, grow and gain confidence. Every child is treated like an individual, and their individual needs are always met. Communication is outstanding, and the whole team are wonderful human beings. Handing over your child to strangers is the hardest thing - but there’s no one else I would trust more!
10 February 2022
After some strategically planned settle sessions, our Covid baby (15-months), that hadn’t been left in the care of others before, started waiting by the door ready to leave for nursery by week three! As a first time mum, to an IVF baby, I’m extremely anxious, but the nursery app means I’m updated throughout the day with what he eats, when he sleeps, his nappy changes, and the ladies even update me with photos of what he’s up to. There is great communication from the nursery, meaning I can always settle into my own work knowing he’s taken care of. There are monthly reviews of his progress and support in areas that we feel will benefit our babies development. An extensive introduction meant we could tell the staff all about his likes and dislikes, and they contact us regularly for updates on his interests so they can incorporate that into his play. The staff and manager are extremely kind and caring; you can certainly see the experience the manager has and the thought that goes into everything.
22 December 2021
Our girls love the staff at Stepping Stones, and they have come on so well since they have been attending the nursery. One of our daughters was initially really struggling with all-new environments, people and was quite behind with her communication skills and engagement. But with lots of special care and attention from the wonderful staff at Stepping Stones, she has really turned a corner and is like a new baby. Engagement and updates from staff are fantastic, and we receive regular updates and images throughout the day. The nursery also runs lots of wonderful learning initiatives throughout the year, including learning sign language.