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Childcare & Early Education

Our Aims & Values

As a community business, we do not seek to make profits for owners or shareholders, but rather to use all of our resources to support families in Derby and the surrounding areas so that parents and children have the best access to early years’ support and education.

Since its creation over 30 years ago, Derwent Stepping Stones has had community at its heart. We have always recognised the need to provide local childcare with high-quality early education, to offer families and parents support and guidance, and to help local communities learn in any other ways we can. This focus has formed our mission statement, our key values and led us to establish four key aims for our business:

  • Offer high quality, flexible and affordable childcare
  • Develop and deliver services that meet the needs of all individuals
  • Deliver first class advice services to enable people to set learning and work goals and provide support throughout their journey
  • Utilise ethical commercial opportunities that create sustainability

Quality

From the training of our staff and their teaching, to our learning environments and opportunities, we strive to ensure that quality is found in every aspect of Derwent Stepping Stones. By giving young children the best possible early years’ support and opportunities, we can help communities to thrive and allow individuals to realise their full potential.

Honesty

We are honest and transparent in everything we do. Honesty is vital for building trusting relationships, and we aim to develop these strong bonds with the children in our care, their families and our wider community. Even when communicating difficult subjects, honesty lets us to provide the best possible early years’ support to both children and families.

Passion

We want to make the best contribution to our community and early education that we possibly can. Passion and a genuine love for what we do drives all of our staff members, trustees and other stakeholders, ensuring that they are always performing at their best when delivering early years’ support, and they are fully invested in the lives of the children in their care.

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Reliability

Derwent Stepping Stones began because the women who founded it were struggling to find any early years’ support in their local area. We therefore make sure that we provide services upon which our community can depend, from day-care and after-school services, to holiday clubs and adult education. We will always be there for our community.

Respect

Respect is an important part of society. We believe respect should always be mutual and we make sure we act with respect for the rights and contributions of each individual. We respect the children in our care, their families, and our dedicated staff members, to make sure that all can experience Derwent Stepping Stones with confidence and happiness.

Family

We are first and foremost a centre for childcare and early education, but our support and opportunities stretch to the community as a whole. From adult learning to helping young people begin careers in childcare, we aim to support every person we can in Derby and the surrounding areas, welcoming them to our extended Derwent Stepping Stones family.

Latest News

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06.10.22

YMCA Derbyshire expands into nursery provision

Local charity, YMCA Derbyshire is excited to announce a new partnership with Derwent Stepping Stones, a local nursery and childcare provider.

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24.06.21

Adult Learning is Back

We are delighted to share the news that our community learning programme, delivered by Derby College Group, will be re-starting in September.

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09.02.21

Working Safely During Covid-19

We have always been committed to ensuring the safety of our staff, children, and parents through stringent safeguarding measures. The covid-19 pandemic has take...

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09.02.21

Communication and Language

Derwent Stepping Stones has always had communication and language at the heart of our early years' delivery. We believe strongly that this is the cornerstone fo...

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09.02.21

Supporting Home Learning

During the first lockdown in March last year, we were only able to open for key worker and vulnerable children, 36 of our 300 children on roll. We understood ho...

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