JC Little Explorers

JC Little Explorers
Unique reference number (URN): 2840477
Address: Bourne Pre-School, Park Road, Emsworth, PO10 8PJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 28/04/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: JC Little Explorers LTD
Inspection report: 23 April 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Strong standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Children thrive in the warm and welcoming environment that leaders and staff have
thoughtfully created for them. The well-organised environment and clear routines help
children to feel safe, secure and confident. Staff build into the daily routine opportunities for
outside purposeful play. This positively supports the learning and wellbeing of those children
who prefer to play and learn outside. Staff respond sensitively to children's changing needs,
particularly for those who require additional support and/or intervention. There are clear
boundaries and expectations for children. Staff consistently teach children how to develop
and work on their individual social skills and how to behave. Children learn that it is
important to listen to what others have to say, share resources and how to be kind to their
friends who may need someone to play with. Children demonstrate empathy and are
beginning to take responsibility for their actions.
Children show extremely positive attitudes to their learning. They are attentive during
activities and take pride in their achievements, such as when painting a picture or cutting up
carrots for the first time. Staff teach children to persevere and not to give up easily. Children
are polite and thoughtful, such as when handing out instruments during a music activity.
Staff adapt their expectations for children's behaviour. They provide strategies for those
children who are at risk of becoming overwhelmed. This helps all children to benefit and
enjoy their learning. Leaders carefully monitor attendance and work alongside families to
remove barriers. As a result, children's attendance is extremely positive. They attend
regularly and develop excellent habits that prepare them well for school.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Children demonstrate impressive independence in managing their own needs. They
regularly wash their hands, use the toilet and prepare their own snacks with confidence.
Staff use every opportunity to actively promote healthy lifestyles through daily routines and
learning experiences. They discuss nutritious foods at snack and mealtimes. Children are
captivated as they learn about the role of the taste buds on their tongues.
Leaders complete individual risk assessments for children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities and share these with all staff. This ensures that all staff can support
children safely and consistently. Staff sensitively meet babies' and children's sleeping,
feeding and personal care needs with kindness and respect. All staff vigilantly supervise
children when they are eating.
Children have access to a highly impressive programme of physical development. Staff
provide daily opportunities for energetic outdoor play, where children run, climb, balance and
practise their coordination. Children show their delight as they thoroughly enjoy dancing and
music activities. Staff include themselves in these sessions, which adds to children's
involvement and enjoyment.
The key-person system is highly effective. This enables children to form warm and loving
bonds with staff. Children are confident to seek reassurance when needed. They

demonstrate that they feel safe and have a deep sense of belonging.
Inclusion Strong standard
There is a highly inclusive culture at the provision. Staff identify children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) early and support them very effectively. They
work closely and in partnership with families to gather accurate starting points in order to
establish children's existing knowledge and stages of development. They use this
information alongside their observations and assessments to create children's next steps,
which are purposeful and precisely support children's progress. Staff use any additional
funding well to target and close any gaps in children's learning. Children have access to
experiences that they may not have previously experienced.
Leaders work closely with families who may need support to fully access the provision and
to be involved in their children's learning. Parents and carers are regularly invited to visit the
setting for social events and to discuss their children's development. They provide extremely
positive feedback on the quality of education and care given to their children, particularly for
those children who face disadvantage.
Staff are skilled at implementing strategies to precisely support children's development.
They effectively use signs and visual cues to help children understand what is about to
happen next. Children with SEND make impressive and sustained progress that provides
them with the tools for the next stage in their learning.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders review practice regularly and have a precise understanding of the quality of
teaching and areas that need further improvement. They have a planned programme of
support in place for staff, which has yet to be fully embedded. Staff have access to targeted
training and coaching to help them further develop their own teaching skills. This helps staff
to deliver the curriculum effectively and highlight areas for further development. Leaders
ensure that all children can access a bespoke settling-in period that meets the emotional
needs of individual children. Consequently, children settle quickly and parents and carers
feel welcomed into the setting to help with this.
Leaders have excellent partnerships with external professionals and parents. They share
detailed and clear information about children's development and how learning can be
supported at home. Leaders ensure that they prioritise support for the most disadvantaged
children and their families. As a result, all children, regardless of their needs and/or
capabilities, make significant and sustained progress and are able to fully participate.
Parents appreciate the involvement that they have in their children's learning, which includes
daily feedback and detailed reports.
The commitment to ongoing staff development and the attention given to the learning
environments allow leaders to maintain a very high standard of education and care across
the provision. Staff feed back that they feel lucky to have such positive support from the

Expected standard
leadership team. They say that leaders go to great lengths to help staff to feel valued and
appreciated.
Achievement Expected standard
Children are confident to fully explore the environment and benefit from the activities and
experiences provided. Typically, activities are adapted well to cater for children's unique age
and stage of development. Children generally progress well through all the areas of the
curriculum, particularly in communication and language. They enjoy playing with other
children and engaging in activities together. For example, when making play dough, children
share the tools and work collaboratively. They show their enthusiasm as they point out to
staff proudly what they have done.
All children, including those who face barriers to their learning, develop well from their
starting points. They gain the necessary skills to help them recognise and celebrate their
own achievements and be ready for the next stage in their learning. Any minor
inconsistencies in staff's teaching do not adversely affect children's overall achievement.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders and staff plan a range of activities that cover all areas of the curriculum. They use
observation and assessment well to establish what children are capable of and what they
need to be learning next. Children make sustained progress in their mathematical
knowledge. This is because staff weave mathematical language and concepts into everyday
activities and routines, such as snack time and outside play in the mud kitchen. Stories,
rhymes and discussions are very well embedded throughout the provision. Children have
rich communication and literacy skills.
Children who face barriers to their learning benefit from interventions and adaptations that
allow them to access all areas of the provision and always be included. Children learn to be
independent in tasks, such as dressing, feeding and toileting. This prepares them very well
for the next stage of their learning, such as school. Staff consistently give children the
opportunity to manage their behaviour and emotions. They typically support children well to
manage any minor conflicts.
Generally, staff teach the curriculum well. They have the skills and knowledge to extend
children's learning in the moment. However, this is not yet fully embedded across the whole
workforce, which at times negatively impacts children's experiences. Leaders are aware of
this and have plans in place to provide support for staff to understand how and when to
extend children's learning.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children arrive at the nursery full of excitement. They are settled and confident in the
inclusive and nurturing environment. Children form deep friendships with other children.
They have warm and trusting bonds with staff. There are consistent expectations and clear
routines. This helps children to feel safe and secure and to develop a very positive sense of
belonging. Staff provide a wide range of stimulating and purposeful activities, such as messy
play, planting vegetables and dancing. Staff work and play alongside children and
encourage them to explain their ideas. This supports children's confidence in communication
and critical thinking. Children are articulate and have effective conversational skills. Staff
work closely with children who need additional support through intervention in order to
develop their language skills. Consequently, all children, including those who face barriers to
their learning, make excellent progress from their starting points.
Children demonstrate highly positive attitudes to their learning. They are eager to be
involved and take responsibility for carrying out small tasks, such as cutting up fruit for
snack and helping to make the play dough. Staff are excellent role models. They are kind
and nurturing and give children the respect they deserve. This has a very beneficial effect on
the way children treat each other, the resources and the environment. Children are caring,
extremely thoughtful and well mannered.
All children are fully welcomed and involved. They transition successfully between rooms
and then on to the next stage in their education, such as moving to school. Leaders work
well with outside agencies to provide a tailored programme for those children who most
need this support. Attendance at the setting is excellent. Leaders work with families to
ensure that children attend regularly and on time.
Next steps
Leaders should continue to support staff to strengthen their interactions, ensuring they are
purposeful, and help to extend children's thinking skills.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents, carers and children during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The

Inspector:
Tina Lambert
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2840477
Address:
Bourne Pre-School
Park Road
Emsworth
PO10 8PJ
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 28/04/2025
Registered person: JC Little Explorers LTD
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00
Local authority: West Sussex
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 23 April 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Total number of places
62
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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