Surestart 'Where Kids Come First'

Books became the starting point for children's own storytelling here: in June 2025, staff wrote down children's invented stories, which the children illustrated to make personal storybooks. That gives reading a practical purpose beyond listening to an adult.

Surestart 'Where Kids Come First' has capacity for 33 children, with a current age range of 3 to 60 months, at The Ockenden Children's Centre in South Ockendon. At its 25 June 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the provision Good overall.

The early years foundation stage sets requirements for children's learning, development and care; here, the June 2025 activities connected stories, conversation, physical exploration and everyday independence.

Books supplied curriculum themes, and expressive storytelling held children's interest. Older children also used hammers and nails to make a wooden scarecrow for the garden. A large climbing frame offered opportunities to weigh up physical challenges. These were practical experiences requiring children to make decisions and explain what they had done.

In June 2025, babies practised feeding themselves and finding their shoes, while older children dressed for PE and helped with fruit at snack time. Singing, action rhymes and conversations supported language during ordinary routines. Group activities sometimes ran too long, however, leaving some children restless: the organisation of these sessions needed attention.

At the June 2025 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and monitoring helped children make good progress, with timely referrals enabling children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to access support.

Settling arrangements in June 2025 adapted to individual children. Staff gave children individual attention, used their interests to plan activities and encouraged familiar comforters from home. The practical emphasis was on building familiarity rather than expecting every child to settle in the same way.

Children also practised handling disagreements through words, with adults helping them express when another child's behaviour made them uncomfortable. Responsibility extended to tidying and helping with everyday tasks. Staff supervision and induction supported their understanding of their roles, and adults positioned themselves around indoor and garden activities to support children.

Support for children learning English as an additional language needed greater consistency in June 2025. This matters separately from the everyday singing and conversation: those children needed more dependable help with both expression and understanding.

The address is The Ockenden Children's Centre, 2a Afton Drive, South Ockendon, RM15 5PA. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with bank-holiday closures.

In June 2025, the setting provided funded early education for eligible children. Eligibility remains a condition of that provision.

• Group activities. In June 2025, some sessions outlasted children's engagement. The balance between shared activities and sustained attention deserves consideration.
• Additional-language support. Consistency was an improvement priority in June 2025. Families whose children are learning English should weigh this finding alongside the language-rich daily routines.
• Settling and attendance. How would settling be adapted to your child and the attendance pattern you need?

For families who value books, practical independence and physical exploration, the June 2025 picture has clear appeal. Individual settling arrangements add useful substance to that picture. The two improvement priorities also matter: keeping group learning engaging and making additional-language support consistent.