Stepping Stones School, Lancaster
Stepping Stones School is a pru school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Lancaster. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Stepping Stones School in detail
Stepping Stones School in its own words
In its own words: "Stepping Stones is a welcoming place where children come first. Children learn in a happy, safe school where values are at the heart of everything we do. Through consistency of approach and high expectations all our pupils make exceptional progress academically, socially, emotionally and behaviourally."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
95.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 14 pupils (63.6%) received SEN support and 8 (36.4%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lancaster Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moorside School (by), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Stepping Stones School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Stepping Stones School excels at building confident, happy learners through warm relationships and clear values. Staff are skilled at helping pupils manage their emotions and behaviour, resulting in significant improvements over time. The school also provides excellent support for pupils with additional needs and enriches learning through visits and real-world experiences.
Key Strengths
- Warm and caring staff relationships help pupils feel safe and supported
- Well-designed curriculum with strong focus on communication and language skills
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND who learn well and make progress
- Calm atmosphere with generally good behaviour and effective behaviour management
- Enriching activities including outdoor adventure visits and local castle trips
- Parents are exceptionally happy with how the school transforms their children
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff lack expertise in delivering the phonics programme consistently, slowing pupils' reading progress
- Staff do not always check well enough if pupils have understood learning or identify misconceptions
- Some pupils with gaps in phonics knowledge do not receive high-quality catch-up support
- Gaps in learning persist when misconceptions are not effectively identified and addressed
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Outdoor adventure centre visits, castle visits for history learning, house captain roles, water safety, stranger danger training, online safety and scam awareness
Stepping Stones School has maintained the high standards from its previous outstanding inspection. The school provides warm, caring relationships and focuses on developing pupils' emotional management and behaviour through its values of respect, kindness, trust and tolerance.
At a Glance
95.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Latest from Stepping Stones School
Focus Values WB 05/10/26
5 Oct 2026
Focus Values WB 28/09/26
28 Sep 2026
Focus Value WB 21/09/26
21 Sep 2026
Focus Value WB 14/09/26
14 Sep 2026
Focus Value WB 07/09/26
7 Sep 2026
Values in Autumn 1
3 Sep 2026
From Stepping Stones School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Stepping Stones School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Stepping Stones School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Stepping Stones School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Lancaster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Lancaster
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
14
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
22
Total Pupils
19
Boys
3
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
3.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,671
Mean salary
2026 data
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Questions parents ask about Stepping Stones School
What is Stepping Stones School's Ofsted rating?
Stepping Stones School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Stepping Stones School?
No fixed boundary. When Stepping Stones School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Stepping Stones School?
Stepping Stones School has around 22 pupils on roll. 96% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Stepping Stones School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Stepping Stones School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Stepping Stones School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Stepping Stones School?
Stepping Stones School is at Bowerham Road, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 4HT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)