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Small Explorers in Croydon

Ofsted: Good
(Nov 2023)
·
4.0(4 parent reviews) ·Forestdale Forum, 1 Bardolph Avenue, CROYDON, CR0 9BG · Croydon
Number of places
35 places
Age range
2–5 yrs
Last inspected
Nov 2023
Local authority
Croydon

About this day nursery

Small Explorers Ltd, registered in 2016 and operating from the Forestdale Forum in Croydon, provides childcare for children aged 2 to 10 years. With a capacity for 35 children and a team of nine staff, six of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications, the nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, term-time only.

The setting is committed to delivering a good quality of education and nurturing environment, as evidenced by its 'Good' Ofsted rating during its inspection on 7th November 2023. Children benefit from a curriculum that includes a variety of indoor and outdoor learning experiences, fostering exploration and independence.

The nursery also provides breakfast and after-school club provisions for local schools and offers funded early education for two, three, and four-year-old children. The manager and staff strive to build strong relationships with parents and the wider community, actively involving parents in their children's educational journeys.

What it's like

Staff have developed close bonds with children, providing nurturing care that helps children separate confidently on arrival. The provision offers a calm environment where children are supported to make choices and develop independence, leading to happy and secure children. The manager and staff work hard to build strong relationships with parents and the community, which considerably supports children’s educational experiences.

Nurturing careEffective curriculumStrong parent partnershipsSensory playOutdoor learning

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 7.30am to 5pm

Term time / All Year

Term_time_only

Established

2016

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Small Explorers

Last inspected 7 November 2023

Overall effectiveness
Good

What it's like to attend

Staff have developed close bonds with children, providing nurturing care that helps children separate confidently on arrival. The provision offers a calm environment where children are supported to make choices and develop independence, leading to happy and secure children. The manager and staff work hard to build strong relationships with parents and the community, which considerably supports children’s educational experiences.

Inspector highlights

  • Children are supported to separate confidently on arrival.
  • Older children use the name board to self-register, supporting early reading skills.
  • The manager and staff build strong relationships with parents and the community.
  • Staff plan the curriculum effectively with indoor and outdoor learning experiences.
  • Staff focus on increasing children’s language and communication skills.
  • Children particularly enjoy sensory play.
  • Leaders use additional funding well to ensure that all children have a good variety of appropriate learning experiences.
  • Children enjoy listening to familiar stories and anticipate what is going to happen next by looking at the pictures.

Areas to develop

  • 1Extend opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to hear and use their own languages to help support their communication and language skills further.
  • 2Improve the presentation of the premises to ensure that all areas are sufficiently clean and ensure that a comfortable temperature is maintained so that children do not become too cold.
Inspection #10310951 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Staff are very committed to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They swiftly identify children who may need extra support, engage promptly with parents, and refer to appropriate agencies for assessment. Targeted support is provided to help children make good progress.

Outdoor space

Staff plan the curriculum effectively with a good variety of indoor and outdoor learning experiences. Children excitedly recall activities and are keen to identify which flowers they have planted. Older children are fascinated by using large syringes in the water tray, while younger children confidently explore the mud tray.

EAL / language support

Children who speak English as an additional language are consistently engaged by staff to develop communication skills, though opportunities to include their home languages in daily routines are not yet fully utilised.

Parent Reviews of Small Explorers

4.0
(4)
Tina Lloyd
2 years ago

Amazing for my little one Really nice teachers that worked there.

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Inspection history

Most recent inspection

7 November 2023

Good

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 Small Explorers

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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