Stepping Stones Pre School food hygiene rating

The rating: 5 - Very good

The rating dates from 23 September 2016, more than 9 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.

Address: 48 Wheeler Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1UA

How it compares in Maidstone

That puts Stepping Stones Pre School among the 1,136 places in Maidstone holding top marks, 82% 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.

A further 65 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.

What the inspector found

• Hygienic food handling Very good
• Cleanliness & condition of the building Very 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 Pre School 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.

Understanding this rating

• How often are food businesses inspected? Higher-risk businesses are inspected more often, roughly every six months at the top of the scale, stretching to two years or more for low-risk premises. Inspections are unannounced, and a business that disagrees with its rating has 21 days to appeal.
• What does a 0 food hygiene rating mean? A 0 means the inspector found serious problems and urgent improvement is necessary. It is the lowest rating the scheme gives, but it is not a closure order, and a business with a 0 can, and usually does, keep trading while it puts things right.
• Does a low hygiene rating mean the food is unsafe? A low rating tells you that an inspector found problems on a particular day. It is not a measurement of the food, it is not a prediction, and it is not a verdict on whether you will get ill. It is the best single signal a member of the public has, and it is a snapshot.

More food hygiene ratings near here

Maidstone inspects and rates 1,452 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Maidstone →

The official record is held by the council: http://www.maidstone.gov.uk/