Small Explorers

In November 2023, gardening projects, a sensory tent and books borrowed for home gave Small Explorers a recognisable character: play connected practical discovery with opportunities to settle, communicate and become more independent. At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. The detail beneath that judgement matters, including concerns about the premises and the use of children’s home languages.

Based at Forestdale Forum in Croydon, Small Explorers accepts children aged 13 to 60 months. Its term-time opening pattern makes the holiday calendar an important part of the decision for families arranging childcare around work.

In November 2023, gardening gave children something tangible to remember and discuss. Parents had helped with projects, and children recognised flowers they had planted. Staff used growing plants and life cycles to explore the natural world. This linked learning to changes children could observe, rather than leaving it as an abstract topic.

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children’s learning, development and care: here, the inspection-time examples included learning through play, conversation and practical exploration. Older children identified their names on a board, giving early reading a purpose within the daily routine. Younger children explored their surroundings and made choices, with independence built into ordinary activities.

Sensory play was another substantial part of the November 2023 day. Older children experimented with large syringes in a water tray, while younger children handled mud and filled pots. These activities gave children materials to investigate together and reasons to talk about what they were doing. Dressing up also featured among the experiences children enjoyed.

Diwali celebrations prompted conversations and salt-dough candle-holder making in November 2023. Staff introduced vocabulary through the activity and discussed its meaning, so making something became an opportunity to extend language. Familiar stories offered another route into conversation: children used the illustrations to anticipate what might happen next. A book lending library, recently restarted at that point, let children take a chosen story home to share. That connected nursery reading with family time.

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and identified prompt work with parents and assessment agencies when children needed additional SEND support. This included recognising possible needs early and arranging targeted help, rather than treating support as a separate issue for families to resolve alone.

Relationships shaped the November 2023 routines. Staff helped children manage separation from parents, explained behavioural expectations and talked through feelings. A sensory tent gave children a space to pause when they needed to calm down. Gentle reminders helped children adjust their behaviour, combining clear expectations with attention to their emotions.

Communication continued beyond the nursery day in November 2023. An app shared children’s development and achievements with parents, while the book lending library offered a practical activity to continue at home. Staff training had also covered sign language and healthy eating. These were specific areas of professional development at that time, rather than evidence of a named current programme.

Safety arrangements had been revised following incidents before the November 2023 visit. Risk assessment changes addressed children’s safety and supervision. That context belongs alongside the effective safeguarding judgement: the assessment reflected arrangements at the visit, rather than a guarantee about future practice.

Small Explorers operates at Forestdale Forum, 1 Bardolph Avenue, Croydon, CR0 9BG. Current opening hours are 7.30am to 5.30pm during term time. The term-time calendar is a defining practical consideration: families need a childcare plan that also works during school holidays.

In November 2023, the nursery operated Monday to Friday and also ran breakfast and after-school provision for local schools. Those were inspection-time arrangements and should be read separately from the current opening window.

Funded early education for children aged two, three and four formed part of the November 2023 provision. This is a dated participation detail, rather than a promise of a current funded place or a particular entitlement. It should not be treated as a complete description of today’s booking or charging arrangements.

• Premises and warmth. In November 2023, worn window sills, dirty paintwork and periods of cold affected the environment for play. What improvements have been made to cleanliness, decoration and indoor temperature?
• Home languages. In November 2023, everyday routines made too little use of the languages children spoke at home. For a multilingual family, how staff now bring those languages into conversation and activities is a useful visit question.
• Term-time care. Opening hours run from 7.30am to 5.30pm during term time. Families whose work continues through school holidays need to weigh that calendar alongside the daily hours.

Small Explorers suits families seeking term-time care and interested in practical, play-led experiences such as gardening, sensory exploration and shared books. Its November 2023 picture combines attentive relationships and purposeful activities with specific weaknesses in the physical environment and home-language provision. Those concerns deserve as much weight as the Good judgement when deciding whether the setting fits a child’s needs.