Kiddie Capers Childcare Ltd

Kiddie Capers Childcare Ltd
Unique reference number (URN): 2856215
Address: Rusbridge House, Rusbridge Lane, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2XX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 31/07/2025
Registers: EYR
Registered person: Kiddie Capers Childcare Ltd
Inspection report: 25 August 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.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
All children make steady progress from their individual starting points. This includes children
with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other barriers to learning. Children
develop secure communication and language skills over time. Younger children repeat
single words clearly, label different colours accurately and copy animal sounds during play.
Older children speak confidently about numbers, recognise starting sounds in words, and
enjoy sounding out the letters in their names.
Younger children use their developing hand–eye coordination to slide plastic spinning rings
onto sticks independently. They also explore cause and effect as they push buttons on
musical toys. Older children sit with friends to look at books, studying the pictures and
talking about what they see. They successfully achieve age-, and stage-appropriate skills
that build a foundation for future success. All children develop the knowledge needed for
their next stage of learning, including their readiness for school.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Leaders and staff set clear expectations for children's behaviour. Staff act as positive role
models to teach children about kindness. For example, staff model polite language by
saying 'thank you' and talking about sharing during play. Warm relationships exist between
staff and children, allowing children to comfortably seek a cuddle when feeling unsettled.
Leaders proactively encourage regular attendance, so children do not miss out on learning
opportunities.
Children are familiar with the daily routines and know what is expected of them throughout
the day. While overall routines are effective, there are times when staff have not fully
recognised the preparation needed. As a result, children wait longer than necessary and
become disengaged. They follow instructions well and understand the core nursery rules,
such as using 'indoor voices' and 'kind hands' when playing alongside friends. For example,
during table tasks, children cooperate well by returning resources calmly when reminded.
There is an area with a soft sofa where children can sit quietly to regulate their emotions .
Staff recognise whether to allow children to self-regulate or, if necessary, to step-in with
adult support. Children also show great confidence during trips outside in the local
community. They follow safety routines easily by putting on high-visibility vests and allowing
staff to apply sun cream without any fuss.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Staff focus on children's wellbeing, supporting care routines to provide comfort, safety and
emotional security. Children form positive relationships with their key person, who knows
them well and responds to their needs quickly. This safe environment supports all children,
including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Staff follow appropriate hygiene procedures to meet children's personal care needs. For
example, staff wipe the hands of younger children with damp cloths before and after eating.
While older children independently visit the toilets to wash their own hands. Staff also
support babies' feeding routines safely, prompting them to use spoons during lunch to build
independent habits. Staff closely follow safe-sleeping practices. For instance, staff perform
and record checks every ten minutes.
Staff also adapt specific care routines to manage health needs. For example, they work
closely with families to ensure that packed lunches comply with the setting's allergy policies,
to protect children during mealtimes. Staff explicitly teach road safety rules to older children
to keep them safe during off-site trips, such as to the local supermarket. They offer
immediate comfort and reassurance when needed, helping children build a secure sense of
emotional wellbeing.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
Leaders use regular supervisions and focused action plans to support staff knowledge and
strengthen teaching skills. Staff use regular observations to check what children know and
can do. Overall, staff adapt activities well to match children's different abilities. For example,
staff change the difficulty of table tasks by offering targeted support to children who need
extra help sounding out specific words. The curriculum covers all areas of learning and
prepares children for school. However, teaching can be inconsistent at times, as some staff
members are more confident than others in delivering the intended learning.
Staff prioritise children's personal, social and emotional development to help them feel
secure and happy. Babies build early curiosity by exploring different texture trays. Staff
support children's physical development effectively from an early age. For example, staff
prompt younger children to use spoons during meals to help their small-muscle control.
They also provide indoor soft-play steps and cubes, to develop balance and stability for the
youngest children.
Staff focus sharply on communication by talking to children and introducing new words
throughout the day. For example, staff discuss the food children eat and talk about healthy
choices, while children talk about eating vitamins and fruit to avoid getting 'poorly'. Staff
explicitly weave mathematics into everyday routines. For instance, staff count along with
children, who point to items, to practise counting during play.
Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders identify children's needs quickly, through baseline assessments within the first six
weeks. They maintain high expectations for all children. This includes children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who need extra care or support. Staff
establish targeted plans and adjustments to reduce specific barriers to learning. For
example, staff use visual 'now and next' prompts and give 5-minute countdown warnings to
help children understand activity changes.
Leaders monitor progress systematically, through termly assessments and completion of the
statutory 2-year progress checks. Staff break down targets into achievable, small-step
developmental goals for children when needed. Leaders follow a structured cycle of

assessing, planning, doing and reviewing children's individual targets, to ensure support
stays secure. For example, when staff notice children are not forming some sounds
accurately during play, they plan activities to address this, such as specific word games.
This intervention is reviewed to check that it has been effective. Staff work collaboratively
with parents to share ideas, and complete extensive online and face-to-face training to
develop their knowledge of inclusion. For example, all staff complete training to learn how to
engage with babies during sensory play and how to keep them safe while sleeping.
Leaders engage proactively with other relevant professionals. They make effective use of
the advice and guidance they receive from specialists. For example, they use the goals of
speech and language therapists as children's individual targets. Funding is tracked and used
meaningfully. For instance, leaders successfully use extra funding to buy resources that
support children with specific challenges.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Overall, leaders maintain effective oversight, accurately identifying strengths and most areas
for development. In general, the leadership team acts appropriately to drive improvement,
using action plans to provide individual staff the support they need. Leaders offer a
comprehensive set of online and face-to-face courses, to equip all staff to carry out their
roles successfully. However, this has not fully addressed some slight inconsistencies in the
quality of teaching.
Leaders manage staff wellbeing and workload thoughtfully. They are very approachable and
staff feel well supported. They use regular supervisions, monthly staff meetings, and peer-
on-peer room observations to deliver constructive feedback without creating unnecessary
burdens. To manage staff deployment safely, leaders maintain robust risk assessments.
They have established clear contingency plans to ensure required ratios are consistently
maintained in the event of staff illness or other unexpected absences.
Leaders engage effectively with parents and external professionals to support children's
care and education. They maintain a detailed two-way flow of communication using an
online nursery application. This includes sharing accident logs, learning updates and routine
profiles with families. Leaders collaborate closely with local authority advisers and relevant
specialists to seek guidance, to support individual children and to increase staff skills and
knowledge. This helps to ensure that all children access an ambitious and inclusive
curriculum.

What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children experience a warm, calm and nurturing environment where they feel safe and
secure. Most children separate confidently from parents at drop-off and settle quickly,
supported by secure bonds with familiar staff. For children who experience initial separation
anxiety, staff use targeted support effectively to provide emotional comfort and establish a
clear sense of belonging. For example, home-linked social stories and family photo books
are used successfully to settle these children at the start of the day. Children move around
their environment with confidence, independently accessing resources and finding preferred
toys.
Children show positive behaviour and a clear awareness of nursery rules. For example, they
ask an adult for permission when they need to leave the room. Children manage their self-
care and hygiene routines well, including washing their hands before eating. During
mealtimes, children show high levels of independence. For example, they wait patiently for a
space to open at the table and clear away their dirty bowls and cups when finished. Children
stay active by taking regular walks to explore the local town. All children enjoy using a
dedicated indoor room for physical play, equipped with a low climbing frame, a slide and
stepping stones.
Children concentrate well as they take part in a wide range of activities tailored to their age
and stage of development. Babies explore sensory resources and materials with curiosity.
Older children expand their early literacy and mathematical skills. For example, children
make marks on paper to represent shopping lists for a supermarket trip, sound out letters
and count animals in picture books. Children with special educational needs and/or
disabilities, and those facing other barriers to their learning, achieve secure progress from
their starting points. They benefit from targeted communication strategies, such as the use
of sign language and repetitive word games, and use designated calming corners
independently, to regulate their feelings.
Next steps
Leaders should strengthen the monitoring of staff practice, to address minor
inconsistencies and support confidence.
Leaders should review and improve the less-effective organisational aspects of daily
routines.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and carers, and engaged with children
during the inspection.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered

Inspector:
Rich LeRoy
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2856215
Address:
Rusbridge House
Rusbridge Lane
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 2XX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 31/07/2025
Registered person: Kiddie Capers Childcare Ltd
Register(s): EYR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00
Local authority: East Sussex
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 25 August 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
1 to 4
person must ensure that the provision complies with the statutory framework for children's
learning, development, and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

Total number of places
70
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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