Kiddie Capers Childcare, Hassocks

Books on a garden bench, homemade roads for toy cars and babies practising their balance give this Hassocks setting a recognisable character. At its January 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged its safeguarding arrangements effective. The strengths came with two practical improvement points: the space babies had to move indoors, and how consistently adults explained behaviour expectations.

Kiddie Capers Childcare, Hassocks has capacity for 32 children, with an age range of 0 to 60 months. Its address is Windmill Avenue, Hassocks, BN6 8LJ. The inspection account gives families useful examples of how staff responded to children's interests, alongside clear questions to take into a visit.

In January 2025, books travelled beyond indoor story time. Children listened to stories on a bench outside, and outings to the local library extended their contact with books. Conversations during play introduced new vocabulary: when staff made a road from tape for children interested in cars, they brought directional words into the game. Learning followed something the children already wanted to do.

The early years foundation stage sets the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the January 2025 examples included creative play, conversation and exploration: children spent sustained periods making lanterns, experimenting with materials and choosing their own designs. Chinese New Year provided a starting point for stories and activities about celebrations familiar to their friends.

For babies, the outdoor arrangement supported pulling up and balancing in January 2025. Indoors, furniture and sleep equipment sometimes reduced the space usable for movement. That distinction matters: suitable outdoor opportunities did not remove the need to improve the indoor layout.

In January 2025, babies showed familiarity and attachment to their key person. Staff used their knowledge of individual interests to shape activities, rather than treating every child’s play in the same way. Parents were invited to discuss development and see their children's work, with ideas for continuing learning at home. This gave families a connection between nursery activities and home life. The conversations involved both discussing progress and looking at what children had made, giving parents concrete examples to talk about with staff. Ideas for home learning extended that exchange beyond the nursery day. For families, these were opportunities to understand the activities behind a child's development and take part in supporting it.

Staff development also formed part of the January 2025 account. Performance discussions led to individual training plans, including training about children's speech and language. That links adult learning to an everyday part of nursery care: conversations with children. Alongside staff knowing children's interests, it gives parents a useful example of how professional development related to the play and interactions described elsewhere.

At the January 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that staff and leaders worked with other professionals on targeted support plans for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, helping them participate in the breadth of nursery experiences. The useful detail is the mechanism: individual needs informed joint planning.

Behaviour also needed attention in January 2025. Older children included younger children in games, but adults did not always explain rules or guide children through the reasons behind them. Consistency was the improvement sought, rather than simply adding more rules.

The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 5pm. It operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. For families matching childcare to work, those opening and closure arrangements are the practical starting point.

In January 2025, the setting provided government-funded early education for eligible children from nine months to four years. That is a dated account of participation, rather than a promise of an individual child's entitlement or placement.

• Babies' indoor movement. In January 2025, furniture and sleeping equipment sometimes restricted movement indoors. On a visit, ask how the layout now gives babies room to crawl, pull up and move alongside adults.
• Consistent behaviour guidance. In January 2025, explanations of rules varied between staff. Ask how practitioners now help children understand expectations and use a shared approach.

This setting suits families seeking care across the year within its weekday opening hours, and those who value learning built around children's interests. The January 2025 examples make that approach tangible: books outdoors, language woven into car play and creative work around celebrations. For parents of babies, the indoor movement space deserves close attention; for all families, consistent behaviour guidance is the other decision point.