Stepping Stones Day Nursery food hygiene rating
Caring Premises · New Forest
Stepping Stones Day Nursery holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the care premises met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 3 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: 74 Eling Lane, Eling, Totton, SO40 9GF
How it compares in New Forest
That puts Stepping Stones Day Nursery among the 1,153 places in New Forest holding top marks, 80% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,153 | 80% | ← Stepping Stones Day Nursery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 183 | 13% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 69 | 5% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 6 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 23 | 2% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 138 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 Good
- How well they manage food safety Very 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 Stepping Stones Day Nursery none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Stepping Stones Day Nursery, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee Oasis Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 338 yards away | 5 - Very good | 26 October 2024 |
| Co-Operative Group Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 348 yards away | 5 - Very good | 11 September 2025 |
| Charcoal Grill Takeaway/sandwich shop | 383 yards away | 5 - Very good | 25 October 2023 |
| Cinnamon Indian Takeaway Also Trading AS Shapla Tandoori Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 5 November 2024 |
| Eling Sailing Club Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 September 2014 |
| Eling Tide Mill Manufacturers/packers | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 April 2018 |
| Chopsticks Takeaway/sandwich shop | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 12 January 2026 |
| Forest Park Senior School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 February 2026 |
Questions about Stepping Stones Day Nursery
What is Stepping Stones Day Nursery's food hygiene rating?
Stepping Stones Day Nursery has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by New Forest Council on 3 December 2025.
Is Stepping Stones Day Nursery safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this care premises to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Stepping Stones Day Nursery last inspected?
Stepping Stones Day Nursery was last inspected on 3 December 2025, 7 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by New Forest Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Stepping Stones Day Nursery?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Stepping Stones Day Nursery compare to other places in New Forest?
80% of the 1,435 rated food businesses in New Forest hold the top rating of 5, and Stepping Stones Day Nursery is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
New Forest Council inspects Stepping Stones Day Nursery 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 Stepping Stones Day Nursery and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Stepping Stones Day Nursery is one of 133 rated food businesses in Totton. See every hygiene rating in Totton →
New Forest inspects and rates 1,573 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in New Forest →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.newforest.gov.uk
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 →