Squirrel's Den Daycare

Secure baby-care routines and uneven teaching sit side by side at Squirrel's Den Daycare. Based at Barnham Community Hall in Bognor Regis, it has capacity for 46 children; children attending in April 2026 were aged 0 to 4.

At its April 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding standards met, with behaviour and routines, welfare and wellbeing, and inclusion meeting the expected standard, while achievement, curriculum and teaching, and leadership and governance needed attention. Those differences matter when weighing everyday care against the consistency of children's learning.

The early years' foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and daily routines should help children build skills and understanding. In April 2026, activities included searching soil for dinosaur bones, comparing the lengths of playdough creations and sketching ideas before building models. These gave children concrete things to explore and discuss.

Teaching did not consistently make enough of those opportunities. In April 2026, some staff struggled to extend children's existing understanding, and snack-time conversation sometimes missed opportunities to develop language. Learning intentions were too general, leaving practitioners to interpret them differently. A clearer sequence of learning was needed across the setting.

Whole-group circle time also exposed a mismatch between the activity and children's needs. In April 2026, younger children and those with SEND sometimes lost interest in mixed-age teaching, and staff did not adjust it effectively. Outdoors, children of different ages played together, while some older children used sand timers to manage turns. Shared experiences worked better when children could participate meaningfully.

At the April 2026 inspection, Ofsted found more consistent teaching and established care routines in the baby room, alongside generally well-targeted SEND support, but individual education-plan targets were sometimes too broad and variable teaching prevented children with SEND from benefiting consistently.

In April 2026, babies practised feeding themselves, settled readily for sleep and heard reassuring conversation during nappy changes. Key persons used information from families about interests and individual needs, with settling arrangements adapted to each child. Calm, cosy spaces gave children somewhere to practise managing their emotions.

Support involved parents and external professionals. In April 2026, individual and small-group language work helped address communication needs, and interventions were reviewed and adjusted. For transitions requiring specialist provision, leaders accompanied families on visits to prospective settings. This gave families practical help with understanding the next environment.

The address is Barnham Community Hall, Yapton Road, Barnham, Bognor Regis, PO22 0AY. In April 2026, opening hours were 8am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. These are dated opening hours rather than a description of bookable sessions.

• Teaching consistency. April 2026 requirements covered a more clearly sequenced curriculum, closer monitoring and feedback for staff, and stronger evaluation of provision, with a completion date of 1 June 2026. Discuss the changes made in response and how they shape children's activities now.
• Individual SEND targets. In April 2026, some education-plan targets needed smaller, achievable steps. Families needing additional support should pay close attention to how targets are broken down and reviewed.
• Attendance arrangements. The April 2026 opening window ended at 3pm. What current attendance pattern would fit your family's working day?

Squirrel's Den Daycare merits consideration by families who value individual settling arrangements and practical help with specialist transitions. Its April 2026 picture was mixed: baby-care routines were established, but teaching needed greater consistency across the setting. The decisive issue is how the required curriculum and staff-development changes have translated into children's daily experience.