Inspector
Sarah Stephens
Active in published reports from Jun 2015 to Jan 2026.
Inspections
234
As lead
228
97% of visits
Last 12 months
1
Remits
2
Early years 223 · Other 11
Grades given vs. national, last 5 years
Early years6 graded by Sarah
Sarah
National
| Outstanding | 0% | 11% | -11 |
| Good | 33% | 76% | -42 |
| Requires improvement | 0% | 7% | -7 |
| Inadequate | 67% | 7% | +60 |
Small sample: fewer than 10 graded inspections, so differences mean little.
Early years1 graded by Sarah
SarahNational
Small sample: fewer than 10 graded inspections, so differences mean little.
Inspections by year
Writing style
From 198 reports, each compared with reports of the same type that got the same grade. Language only: it says nothing about the judgements themselves.
Sarah Stephens's reports read more critical than others with the same grade (warmer than 6% of inspectors).
more criticaltypicalwarmer
- Tone vs peers
- −22
- Length
- −8%
- Next steps
- 4.0
- per report
- Hedged
- 3%
- of sentences
Topics that come up most in their reports
Progress & outcomes 85%Parents & families 82%Teaching & assessment 73%Communication & language 62%Behaviour 56%Records & policies 42%Safeguarding 41%Wellbeing & mental health 36%
Area grades (report cards and judgements)
Achievement1
Behaviour and attitudes18
Behaviour, attitudes and routines1
Children's welfare and wellbeing1
Curriculum and teaching1
Early years128
Inclusion1
Leadership and governance1
Leadership and management195
Outcomes169
Personal development18
Personal development, behaviour and welfare177
Quality of education18
Teaching, learning and assessment177
All inspections (234)
- lowestExpected
- Cheeky Monkeys Preschool16 Jun 2025 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Essex· critical tone· Lyndsey Barwick, Sarah StephensInadequate
- Blossoms Preschool3 Dec 2024 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Essex· mixed tone· Shelly McDougall, Sarah StephensInadequate
- Nursery On The Hill (Enfield) Ltd15 Aug 2024 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Enfield· very positive tone· Sandra Watt, Sarah StephensGood
- The Duckling Nursery27 Jun 2024 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Essex· mixed tone· Fiona Sapler, Sarah StephensInadequate
- Safari Childcare13 Jun 2024 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Essex· critical tone· Lynn Hughes, Sarah StephensInadequate
- Cedar Daycare10 Jan 2023 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Enfield· positive tone· Rachael Small, Sarah StephensGood
- Met
- Busy Bees Day Nursery at Maidstone Hospital17 Aug 2021 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Kent· mostly positive tone· Sarah StephensRequires improvement
- Met
- Kings Nursery12 Jul 2021 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Met
- Requires improvement
- Kingsdown Pre-School26 May 2021 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· positive tone· Sarah StephensRequires improvement
- Outstanding
- Inadequate
- Good
- Good
- Met
- Requires improvement
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Inadequate
- Busy Bees Day Nursery at Eastbourne7 Aug 2019 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· East Sussex· positive tone· Sarah Stephens, Lizzie MackeyReport
- Inadequate
Show all 234 inspections
- St Peters Playgroup9 Jul 2019 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· positive tone· Sarah StephensReport
- Inadequate
- Report
- Little Quackers Nursery & Pre School29 May 2019 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Kent· very positive tone· Sarah StephensReport
- Inadequate
- Good
- Kings Nursery2 Apr 2019 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· mixed tone· Sarah StephensReport
- Report
- Busy Bees Day Nursery at Eastbourne13 Mar 2019 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· East Sussex· critical tone· Sarah Stephens, Lizzie MackeyReport
- Report
- Requires improvement
- Report
- Report
- Report
- Not met
- Good
- Inadequate
- Requires improvement
- Inadequate
- Inadequate
- Requires improvement
- Requires improvement
- Wiggles Playgroup5 Dec 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Kent· very positive tone· Sarah StephensOutstanding
- Inadequate
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Not met
- Playhouse Community Nursery24 Oct 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Lewisham· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Blackboard Schooling Support & Solutions Ltd18 Oct 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Out-of school day care· Kent· critical tone· Sarah StephensInadequate
- Alphabet Lanes Nursery & Pre School13 Oct 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Lambeth· very critical tone· Sarah StephensInadequate
- Met
- Little Explorers Kindergarten The Hive9 Oct 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· very positive tone· Sarah StephensOutstanding
- Requires improvement
- Requires improvement
- Inadequate
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Met
- Good
- Inadequate
- Good
- Good
- Inadequate
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Inadequate
- Blossom Years Nightingale Lane, Bromley Pre-school - BR1 2SB29 Jun 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Bromley· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Inadequate
- Inadequate
- Penenden Heath Pre-School25 May 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· mostly positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Inadequate
- Inadequate
- Good
- Good
- Playhouse Preschool5 May 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Good
- Inadequate
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Met
- Good
- Good
- Good
- New Foundations Day Nursery17 Feb 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Bexley· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- The Hospital Day Nursery10 Feb 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Bexley· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Thames Tiddlers Nursery6 Feb 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Greenwich· very critical tone· Sarah StephensInadequate
- Good
- Tiggywinkles Pre-School and Playgroup1 Feb 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Good
- Schools Out (South) Ltd26 Jan 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Out-of school day care· Bexley· mostly positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Inadequate
- Inadequate
- Met
- Good
- Bright Horizons Sidcup Day Nursery and Preschool10 Jan 2017 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Bexley· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Inadequate
- Good
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Met
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Inadequate
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Enchanted Wood Preschool28 Sept 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Bexley· critical tone· Sarah StephensRequires improvement
- Inadequate
- Kingswood Pre School Group19 Sept 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Met
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Abacus Children's Nurseries Ltd25 Aug 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Kent· mostly positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Good
- Met
- Requires improvement
- Met
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Cherry Tree Kids Club Old Bexley12 Jul 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Out-of school day care· Bexley· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Busy Bees Day Nursery at Gillingham27 Jun 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Medway· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Nettlestead & Wateringbury Preschool & Out of school Club10 Jun 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· mostly positive tone· Sarah StephensRequires improvement
- Requires improvement
- Requires improvement
- Not met
- Good
- Good
- Met
- Lollipops Pre-school Ltd12 May 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· very critical tone· Sarah StephensInadequate
- Not met
- Inadequate
- Good
- Outstanding
- Good
- Good
- Teynham Community Pre-School19 Apr 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· very positive tone· Sarah StephensOutstanding
- Requires improvement
- Outstanding
- Met
- Good
- Cavendish Lodge Nursery School7 Apr 2016 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Lambeth· very positive tone· Sarah StephensOutstanding
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Outstanding
- Good
- Outstanding
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Met
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Outstanding
- Outstanding
- Outstanding
- Met
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Good
- Met
- Met
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Requires improvement
- Good
- Good
- Inadequate
- Requires improvement
- Orpington Montessori Preschool10 Nov 2015 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Bromley· very positive tone· Sarah StephensOutstanding
- Good
- Good
- Not met
- Good
- Whitehouse Day Nursery28 Sept 2015 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Full day care· Lambeth· positive tone· Sarah StephensGood
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Good
- Culverstone Green Nursery26 Jun 2015 ·Childcare on Non-Domestic Premises, Sessional day care· Kent· mixed tone· Sarah StephensRequires improvement
Where they've inspected
Often inspects with
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