About Us
Stepping Stones is a Pre-school located within the beautiful countryside of Clipston, Northamptonshire.
Based in the Grade 2 listed school house at the heart of the village, we aim to provide the highest quality of early years learning and childcare.
We are proud that the fundraising from our committee enables us to have a generous ratio of staff to children (of at least 1:5), meaning that the team can focus wholeheartedly on the needs and interests of every child.
Inspire, Aspire, Transform
We became one of the first Pre-schools in our area to setup and run a weekly Forest School which is available for all children in their Pre-school year. The Forest School enables children to discover innovative educational outdoor play in a woodland environment.
In 2015 we began using the specialist Early Years Learning online journal 'Tapestry' which records all the learning and fun of children's early years education. Tapestry transforms early years experience. It is vibrant and interactive, it's a simple and effective way to track learning and share special moments with parents. Please ask the team if you would like to find out more about how this works.
Consistently Good
In 2022 we were delighted to gain a Good status at our Ofsted inspection.
It has always been an excellent Pre-school and we are proud of our achievements. We work hard not only to maintain this status but also to continually develop our work.
A brief history
Opposite the park in Clipston, there is a field still called 'Stepping Stones' where people could cross Sidom's Ford, a tributary of the River Ise. This is thought to be the inspiration behind our own preschool which was named in 1982.
At first, it was run in the Orbell Room attached to the church but soon outgrew this venue. It then moved into the old school kitchens within the primary school and became a registered charity managed by parents. In 2010 the preschool moved again into the two larger classrooms within the school to accommodate growing numbers of children.