A Child-Focussed Charity Preschool near Wincheap
[a prominently displayed 'Ofsted outstanding provider' logo somewhere at the top of this page]
Nurturing Canterbury's Children Since 1967
For over 55 years, our preschool has provided a welcoming place for children in Canterbury to grow!
Our creative approach to the Early Years puts children at the centre of everything we do. Every term-time weekday morning, we give children a wonderful place to learn and play.
We're proud to say that in 2023 Ofsted rated our setting as 'Outstanding'.
Staff go above and beyond to provide children with exciting, high-quality experiences.
Ofsted, 2023
All About Stepping Stones Preschool
Where is Stepping Stones?
Our preschool is tucked away in a quiet corner near Wincheap, Canterbury. The Kendall Hall provides a safe space for our children to explore all sorts of activities.
The wide open outdoor area is particularly popular with our children and families! Here children can play on equipment, get creative on a purpose-built stage, explore nature, and experiment with water and sand.
Children are free to go inside and outside as they please.
What Age Children Do Stepping Stones Welcome?
We welcome all children aged 2-5 years old. Our curriculum is created to nurture children at this important stage in their development.
When is Stepping Stones Open?
We're open every weekday during term-time, from 8:30am-2:30pm.
Our term dates for 2024/25 are:
| Term | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | 9th September | 25th October |
| Term 2 | 4th November | 20th December |
| Term 3 | 6th January | 14th February |
| Term 4 | 24th February | 4th April |
| Term 5 | 22nd April | 23rd May |
| Term 6 | 2nd June | 18th July |
Do Stepping Stones Accept Government Funded Places?
We work with children and families across the local area and welcome all government childcare funding for children aged 2 and over. This includes funded places under Free for 2, 15 hours universal funding, and the 30 hours extended entitlement, as well as fee-paying families.
What Are Stepping Stones' Fees?
Our fees per session are £18.00. We also ask for voluntary contributions from families through JustGiving.
Is My Child with Special Educational Needs Welcome at Stepping Stones?
We provide an inclusive environment for children with a range of needs and abilities.
Before your child starts at Stepping Stones, we offer a home visit and ask you to complete a pre-start questionnaire. Together we will identify any needs your child may have.
Our Local Offer details our special educational needs provision and we partner with local health, education and community services to join up support around children and families.
The setting is so open for children to explore and do as they like. This enables my child to let their ideas run wild and see what things might go well.
Yanni Stavroulakis, Parent, 2024
Our Team
We have an incredible team of staff, trustees and volunteers that work together to make Stepping Stones the very best preschool it can be!
Staff Team
Our dedicated staff team is committed to providing a creative, inspiring, and inclusive environment for your child to play and grow.
Vicky Hough
- Manager
- Early Years Educator
- Blue Group Key Person
- BA (Ed) Primary Education
- Vicky has worked as a primary school teacher for over 20 years, with 10 of those in Early Years. She says "I love working with young children and am excited to have joined the Stepping Stones 'family'."
- In her spare time Vicky enjoys spending time with family and friends and going for long dog walks in the countryside.
Rebecca Page
- Early Years Staff
- MA in Early Childhood Education (with distinction)
- Rebecca has been working in early years for one year and says that, "The warm, welcoming feel to Stepping Stones makes it a lovely place to work." In her spare time Rebecca enjoys going for long walks with her dog and going for coffee with friends.
Nicola Humphrey-Smith
- Early years educator
- BA in History, Level 3 NVQ in Early Years
- Nicola says, "I love that you never know what children will do next and how they amaze you with their knowledge!"
- In her spare time, Nicola likes to spend time with her daughters and read non-fiction historical books.
Catherine Lane
- Early years educator
- Level 3 Diploma in Early Years
- Catherine says, ""I love the free flow of play both indoors and out, and the children being able to explore play that suits their needs come rain or shine."
- In her spare time Catherine likes relaxing with a cup of tea and spending time with family going to the beach and shows.
Rachel McLarney
- Administrator
- BA Hons in Accounting and Finance
- Rachel says, "I enjoy the challenge of working at stepping Stones, no two days are the same!"
- In her spare time, Rachel likes to bake and have fun family trips to places such as Lego Land and the park!
Trustees
Our trustees volunteer their time and experience to guide the charity's activities and ensure it serves the Canterbury community well.
- Tiffany Carter - Acting Chair, and Staff, Volunteers & Health and Safety
- Debbie Cavero - Fundraising
- Brianne Page Hamilton - Treasurer, Governance & Finance
- Rosetta Lancaster - Children, Families & Safeguarding
- Abigail Stavroulakis-McMahon - Communications
Our trustees need you!
We want to expand our trustee team so that Stepping Stones continues to provide an outstanding service to children in Canterbury.
Find Out More About Volunteering as a Trustee
Volunteers
We're grateful for the family members, carers, and friends who dedicate their time and expertise to help Stepping Stones flourish!
Our volunteers bring their skills and time to support the preschool in many ways, including helping out at morning sessions, running events and promoting the charity's work.
Find Out More About Volunteering at Stepping Stones
Staff ensure parents are well informed about children's progress and development. They are always available to speak to parents.
Ofsted, 2023
Our Values
Our friendly preschool in Canterbury holds firm to six core values that shape everything we do.
Child-Led
We're committed to providing a caring and supportive environment that fosters the well-being and growth of each child.
Inclusive
We welcome and embrace diversity, ensuring that every child feels accepted and valued.
Community-Centred
We build strong partnerships with families, volunteers and the wider Canterbury community to create a collaborative and supportive network.
Excellence
We're always improving by staying at the forefront of best practices in early childhood education.
High-Quality Learning Environment
We provide a flexible, safe, age-appropriate space where little learners can explore, play, and thrive.
Family Partnerships
We involve each child's family, parents, and carers in their learning journey.
Equality and diversity are embedded and woven through all areas of the preschool.
Ofsted, 2023
Why Stepping Stones?
You've decided that enrolling your preschool-aged child in an early years setting is the right choice for your family - the tricky part is finding the perfect setting for your child.
What makes our preschool in Canterbury so special is our commitment to nurturing every child's individual interests. We partner with you in your child's learning, giving your child the freedom to develop at their own pace.
Everything we do, from selecting toys, to the layout of our remarkable outdoor space, is expertly chosen to benefit your child's individual development.
We're inspired by:
- Froebel, who coined the term kindergarten (children's garden) and was passionate about natural resources and learning in the outdoor environment
- Montessori, who believed children learn through doing tasks for themselves
- Bottrill, who knows that children learn through play
- Ephgrave, whose 'planning in the moment' approach ensures learning is meaningful as it is led by children
We believe all children, regardless of background or abilities, deserve equal opportunities for a nurturing and enriching early years education.
We are a communication friendly space and are Makaton friendly.
Our work implements both Development Matters guidance and Birth to Five Matters guidance.
We work in partnership with families within the setting and using our online system Baby's Days. Our staff and families share updates and photos about children's learning and development and we also use the system to share news about the setting and our charity's policies and safeguarding procedures.
Three times a year, each child is a focus child, meaning that the team will concentrate on developing a child's strengths through their interests. We ask parents and carer to share photos and information from home and at the end of the week the child's key person produces a video and ideas for the family to share at home with their child.
Our team delivers best practice in the early years through continuous professional development. Our Manager is one of the three Mentor Champions in the county for the Early Years Professional Development Programme.
If you think Stepping Stones could be the right preschool in Canterbury for your child, talk to our friendly team today.
Talk to the Stepping Stones Team
Stepping Stones is helping to (slowly) build my child's independence. It gives him a safe space to be curious about the world.
Chloe Deenmamode, Parent, 2024
Visit Our Preschool
Get a feel for what a session at Stepping Stones is like by visiting our setting!
- Contact our friendly team to arrange a day to visit
- Feel free to bring your child to explore our setting together
- Use the morning to talk to our staff about your questions and requirements
Unlike an 'open day', we invite you to join us during a real session so that you can learn about our curriculum, facilities, schedule, and friendly community. We want to help you find the perfect fit for your child!
We welcome families into Stepping Stones for a welcome session and at the end of terms 1, 3 and 5 so they can spend time with their child's key person and exploring how their children learn.
We hold community events at Christmas and Easter and during term 6 we hold a sports day, a summer event and a celebration for those children that are leaving us to start school the following September.
Zip Up Your Puddle-Suit and Let's Get Started!
Stepping Stones is a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where children in Canterbury can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.
We have limited availability for September 2025 - so get your application in now!