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Fireflies childcare at Gildredge House

Ofsted: Strong standard·Gildredge House, Compton Place Road, Eastbourne, BN20 8AB · East Sussex
Number of places
24 places
Age range
4–5 yrs
Last inspected
Feb 2026
Local authority
East Sussex

About this day nursery

Fireflies Childcare at Gildredge House in Eastbourne provides care for children aged 4-11 years, operating on non-domestic premises. The nursery was established in 2023 and underwent its latest Ofsted inspection on February 26, 2026.

While the setting has significant strengths, particularly in its nurturing atmosphere and effective routines, the inspection highlighted weaknesses in its safeguarding arrangements. Despite this, children thoroughly enjoy their time at Fireflies, eagerly engaging with staff and friends, and quickly settling into a variety of activities.

The setting demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing disadvantage, with staff receiving valuable training in autism and an awareness of disadvantage. Individual needs are well-addressed through provisions like one-to-one support, noise-cancelling headphones, and picture symbols, which aid emotional wellbeing and communication.

Children also benefit from a well-considered timetable that includes a mix of restful and energetic activities, such as collaborative games, creative artwork, and outdoor play. The nursery’s opening hours are Monday to Friday, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and it follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum approach.

What it's like

There are weaknesses in the safeguarding arrangements, which means that children's safety is not assured. All other aspects of the provision are well thought out and effective. Children thoroughly enjoy attending the setting, eagerly greeting staff and friends, and settling quickly into snacks or tabletop games. They respond well to interactions with staff and display very positive social skills, benefiting from a well-considered timetable of varied activities, including outdoor play and creative indoor pursuits.

Nurturing atmosphereEffective routinesOutdoor playSEND supportPositive social skills

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 15:00 - 18:00

Established

2023

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Strong standard

Last inspected Feb 2026

Headline: Strong standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

Achievement—
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesStrong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected standard
Curriculum and teaching—
InclusionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceUrgent improvement
Age range
4 to 11
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Fireflies childcare at Gildredge House

Last inspected 26 February 2026

Actions the provider must take

  • Ensure that all staff have the skills and knowledge to identify any safeguarding concerns and to refer these in a timely manner by 03/04/2026.

What it's like to attend

There are weaknesses in the safeguarding arrangements, which means that children's safety is not assured. All other aspects of the provision are well thought out and effective. Children thoroughly enjoy attending the setting, eagerly greeting staff and friends, and settling quickly into snacks or tabletop games. They respond well to interactions with staff and display very positive social skills, benefiting from a well-considered timetable of varied activities, including outdoor play and creative indoor pursuits.

Inspector highlights

  • Staff create an extremely nurturing, positive atmosphere where children form very warm, friendly bonds with staff.
  • Children eagerly approach staff to share news, engage in lively conversations, and make jokes.
  • Children play cooperatively and share resources, collaborating on games and creating artwork.
  • Staff have established very clear and effective routines that promote children's sense of security and emotional wellbeing.
  • Children behave extremely well, becoming fully engrossed in play and socialising.
  • Children enthusiastically join in with mealtime activities, expressing gratitude for staff, food, and activities.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding.
  • 2Leaders do not ensure that all staff are fully aware of child protection issues.
  • 3Leaders rely on the fact that staff have completed safeguarding training and do not have effective arrangements to check their knowledge.
  • 4Leaders and staff do not all have a clear understanding of the signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm or abuse, or their responsibilities to report concerns to relevant agencies.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Leaders have experience in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those facing disadvantage, with staff attending valuable training to enhance their understanding of autism and disadvantage. Individual needs are addressed well, with provisions like one-to-one support, noise-cancelling headphones, and picture symbols to aid emotional wellbeing and communication.

Outdoor space

Children enjoy playing in groups in the outdoor area and spending time outside, running and playing with their friends.

Inspection history

Most recent inspection

26 February 2026

Strong standard

Only one graded inspection on record — a trend chart will appear here once a second graded report is published.

View full Ofsted report

Frequently asked about Fireflies childcare at Gildredge House

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more