URN 2813329 · Inspected 2026-05-15 · Published 2026-06-15 · Inspector: Victoria Salisbury
Little Explorers Eastry Ltd Unique reference number (URN): 2813329 Address: Eastry Young People's Club, Wilmott Place, Eastry, CT13 0QB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 04/11/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Little Explorers Eastry Ltd Inspection report: 15 May 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 Achievement Strong standard Children are very well prepared for their next stage of learning and development. Transitions to school are very smooth. All children make highly effective progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face disadvantage make significant progress across all areas of learning. All children achieve very well from their starting points. Children receive individualised and tailored support to enable them to overcome barriers to learning quickly and swiftly, ensuring they are very well prepared for their next educational stage, including transition to school. Where at times, children could be provided with further challenge during some activities to support their learning even further this does not detract from the significant achievement children make. Children who started with anxieties around food are now comfortable to try new foods and eat a wide range of nutritious and balanced meals. Children who required specialist medical interventions when they started, now fully access all areas of the curriculum. Children who needed support with consistent sleep routines are now very well settled. Children are provided with flexible sessions and start times to help them access their full entitlement. As such, families travel significant distances to ensure their children attend regularly and recognise the importance of this for future learning. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard Leaders embed well-structured routines creating a very respectful and positive culture. For example, children immediately respond when it is tidy up time, gathering timers to help them know when to finish. All children respond positively to requests from staff and enjoy helping. Staff are very good role models. They explain to children the importance being polite and using manners. These practices ensure children consistently demonstrate positive attitudes. Leaders create a strong sense of community successfully. Older children help their friends to use tongs at mealtimes to develop their independence skills. They celebrate with them when they are successful. Children play very well with each other. Babies smile at their friends and toddle over to join them in play. This supports children's understanding of others and their developing relationships very well and impacts incredibly positively on their self- esteem, feelings and behaviour. Children benefit from staff who are warm and nurturing in their approach. Staff have very high expectations for children and as such, children respond very well to instructions from staff and fully understand the settings expectations for behaviour. This supports children highly effectively to understand boundaries. Staff promote the importance of regular attendance and support families who face disadvantage and barriers to learning to access their full entitlement to funding and sessions. Leaders are creative and proactive in securing grants to support families to secure places and financial support. This ensures all children establish very positive routines in readiness for school Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard Children's emotional and personal development is at the heart of leaders' focus. They consistently prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing, adapting practice and routines swiftly to ensure all children develop positive self-esteem, confidence and emotional resilience. Staff support children to manage their own feelings successfully, supporting them to develop strong bonds and attachments. Staff skilfully support children to make healthy choices. For example, children thoroughly enjoy meal times, eagerly anticipating what they are going to have. Staff hold thoughtful conversations with children explaining to children how nutritious foods help their immune systems. Children are encouraged to manage their own needs very effectively. They learn to wash their own hands and wipe their own noses. Young children learn to use cutlery independently. These activities successfully support children's self-care skills and understanding. Children are encouraged well to keep themselves fit and to appreciate the importance of being outdoors on their mental health. Older children talk excitedly about going to the local forest school and being outside. Staff promote children's understanding of the local community, taking children on daily walks and supporting children's understanding of nature effectively. As such, children develop an appreciation of the outside world and secure knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, fit and healthy. Inclusion Strong standard Leaders and staff make a demonstrable difference to children's outcomes. For example, from the outset they ensure specialist and tailored support is in place. They draw on professionals and other partners to ensure children and families access highly effective advice and guidance. As such, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face disadvantage and barriers are provided with individualised and flexible support. All children achieve significantly from their starting points. Children who could not walk when they started now balance and move with increasing confidence. Children who could not talk when they started are now confident communicators. Leaders and staff ensure they consistently provide a very inclusive and supportive environment. Leaders are proactive in seeking additional funding and specialist grants to provide families with individualised support. For example, children thoroughly enjoy choosing books to keep from the 'forever book nook'. Leaders recognise where families need further support, providing them with flexible sessions and resources to help them ensure their children attend regularly. Leaders regularly monitor and review the support in place and are passionate about providing staff with the skills to support children's individual needs. For example, staff provide visual aids, one-to-one sessions and access a wide range of training to ensure they consistently make a sustained improvement to children's progress. Leadership and governance Strong standard Leaders are committed and extremely motivated to secure excellence for children and families. They know the local community very well and are highly responsive to the changing Expected standard needs of families. They provide strategic targeted support to ensure all families access effective outside help, advice and guidance. Leaders ensure they provide families with free and flexible sessions supporting them financially and to return to work. They provide bespoke tailored start times to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face disadvantage and barriers to learning are very well supported and able to attend regularly. Leaders create a culture of team work and collaboration. They have excellent partnerships with the local authority, other settings and schools to share resources and knowledge and support very smooth transitions. Leaders are passionate about supporting staff to improve and continually develop their practice. A very strong vision and action plan ensures there is an embedded culture of support and feedback. Leaders are working incredibly hard to ensure across the setting there is consistency within the teaching and recognise the journey they are on with regard to this. Staff appreciate the focus on their workload and encouragement to take on further qualifications supporting their ongoing knowledge and skills. Key people know their children incredibly well. They share information regularly with parents and other professionals to ensure all children access the right support and make significant progress. Parents speak very highly of staff and leaders, especially the focus on children's wellbeing and the significant progress their children have made in their physical, emotional and communication development. All children thrive. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have a very accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They recognise where they need to tailor support for staff to provide ongoing consistently high-quality practice. Leaders have made significant strides in supporting staff on this journey. Leaders are passionate and proactive, ensuring all staff have access to ongoing support and professional development. They work very closely with other partners and professionals to share expertise. Leaders have a very clear vision to provide excellence for children and families. Children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, facing disadvantage and barriers to learning are provided with a wide range of experiences to develop the necessary skills for their next stage. For example, staff introduce children to new vocabulary and concepts effectively. Babies sustain high levels of engagement in interactive stories. Older children are provided with specific activities targeted to support next steps and skills. For example, children spend a long time persevering to learn to use scissors with skill. Staff prioritise children's personal, social and emotional needs successfully. They use assessment information to identify next steps and target gaps in learning. For example, staff promote children's understanding of others well, supporting them to make firm friendships and secure relationships. As such, children collaborate and play well, sharing and taking turns. Staff make sure the curriculum is an entitlement for every child. Staff prioritise opportunities for children to develop their understanding and enjoyment of mathematics. Older children learn to measure soil and water when planting seeds. Babies learn about different sizes when exploring pasta and playdough. These activities support children's knowledge well. However, at times, some staff do not consistently recognise when they could extend children's learning even further during activities. Although leaders have recognised this and have an action plan in place, this is yet to be consistent across the setting, but this does not impact on the level of achievement that children make. Compulsory Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met Voluntary Childcare Register requirements This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register. How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare Register When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes: Met Not met What it's like to be a child at this setting Children flourish and thrive at this very inclusive setting. Children arrive happily, greeted by friendly and welcoming staff. Babies are cuddled and comforted, ensuing they feel safe and secure. Older children are keen to play with their friends and explore the wide range of activities on offer. All children settle very well. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those facing disadvantage and barriers to learning are provided with specialist and tailored support. Staff create cosy spaces where children can retreat to if needed learning to manage their feelings and emotions effectively. All children display high levels of wellbeing and very positive attitudes to learning. Staff plan a highly motivating and enriching curriculum. They use detailed assessment and tracking information to ensure they bridge gaps in learning. Staff prioritise children's communication and language. Older children learn vocabulary such as 'stegosaurus' when talking about different dinosaurs. Other children maintain high levels of interest when identifying letter sounds during a phonic activity. Babies use sign language, helping them join in and understand. These activities support children's skills highly effectively. Staff use children's interests to provide them with exciting experiences to support their ongoing learning. Older children thoroughly enjoy using binoculars to identify how many spots they can see on ladybirds outside. Babies are supported to learn to count carefully when planting seeds. These activities very effectively support children's mathematical knowledge. Staff work very closely with parents and other professionals from the start, ensuring all children attend regularly. Settling in processes are personalised and smooth. Babies who struggled to settle are provided with tailored sessions to support their emotional wellbeing. As such, babies separate from their parents with ease and develop very strong bonds with staff. Children who found it overwhelming when they started are now confident and independent learners. All children make significant progress from their starting points. Next steps Leaders should support staff's confidence further so that they can consistently identify when they can extend activities and opportunities for children to support learning even more. About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, managers, special educational needs coordinator and practitioners 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: Victoria Salisbury About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2813329 Address: Eastry Young People's Club Wilmott Place Eastry CT13 0QB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 04/11/2024 Registered person: Little Explorers Eastry Ltd Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 18:00 Local authority: Kent Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 15 May 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 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 46 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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