East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School food hygiene rating
School/college/university · Torridge
East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the school kitchen that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 5 December 2025, 7 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Pollyfield, Avon Road, Bideford, EX39 4BL
How it compares in Torridge
A 2 is rare: only 7 of 679 rated places in Torridge score this low, about one in 97. By contrast 86% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 581 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 59 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 24 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 7 | 1% | ← East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School | |
| 1 out of 5 | 8 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 94 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barton Tors Stores Retailers - other | 262 yards away | 5 - Very good | 14 November 2025 |
| East The Water Primary School School/college/university | 394 yards away | 5 - Very good | 19 December 2025 |
| Biddy Baps Mobile caterer | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 19 September 2024 |
| Gurkha Bideford Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 September 2024 |
| Deanies Delights Retailers - other | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 September 2025 |
| Costa Coffee Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
| Chef Duet Catering Co. Other catering premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 July 2025 |
| Belluno Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 25 September 2025 |
Questions about East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School
What is East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School's food hygiene rating?
East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by Torridge Council on 5 December 2025.
Is East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The school kitchen is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School last inspected?
East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School was last inspected on 5 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Torridge Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School compare to other places in Torridge?
86% of the 679 rated food businesses in Torridge hold the top rating of 5, while East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School holds a 2. 7 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Torridge Council inspects East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at Torridge, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: Torridge
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
East The Water Stepping Stones Pre School is one of 299 rated food businesses in Bideford. See every hygiene rating in Bideford →
Torridge inspects and rates 773 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Torridge →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.torridge.gov.uk/food
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →