URN 2844685 · Inspected 2026-08-04 · Published 2026-10-14 · Inspector: Tania King
Small Explorers Limited Unique reference number (URN): 2844685 Address: 107 Broadcoombe, South Croydon, CR2 8HR Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 26/05/2025 Registers: EYR Registered person: Small Explorers Limited Inspection report: 4 August 2026 Exceptional Strong standard Expected standard Needs attention Urgent improvement Expected standard Safeguarding standards not met Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that adequately protects children from harm. Safer recruitment procedures and arrangements to ensure staff's suitability to work with children are not secure. Leaders have not followed mandatory vetting and suitability checking procedures, including Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Leaders do not take appropriate action when information about an adult's suitability is made available to them. This lack of robustness and oversight by leaders impacts on the safeguarding culture of the setting and compromises the safety and welfare of children. 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. Achievement Expected standard Children generally achieve well from their starting points across all areas of learning. They are increasingly independent and confident. Children dress themselves and complete hygiene tasks well. They proudly choose their favourite songs during group times. Children are confident communicators. They share their needs and wants well with staff. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and any barriers to learning, who equally are growing in their social and communication skills. Children develop secure knowledge and skills to support them in the next stages of their learning, including school. They share and take turns with ease and learn to manage their feelings well. Children show high levels of engagement and concentration in activities. They are inquisitive as they point and count what they can see in the environment. They recall knowledge appropriately and share similar stories to their peers during discussions. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders create a welcoming, calm environment which contributes to children's positive behaviour. Typically, they ensure that routines and expectations for children are understood well. Children delight in completing routine tasks and transition between them with ease. For example, they help to set up tables and tidy up before going outside. Children learn to manage their own safety and understand rules that keep them safe. For example, they line up and wait by the steps. Leaders create safe spaces for children to relax and regulate their feelings. Children have developed firm friendships with peers and show growing confidence in social situations. Children behave well and follow simple instructions. Staff use gentle reminders to maintain high expectations, including using manners at appropriate times. Relationships with staff are respectful and warm. They communicate with children at their level and provide consistent praise and encouragement. Children typically respond well to this approach, which further encourages their resilience. Leaders collaborate with parents to ensure that punctuality and attendance is monitored effectively. They have stringent procedures to follow up absences, which supports children's wellbeing. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that supports children to recall what they have previously learned and build their knowledge over time. Staff know children well and typically use their developing interests to test their understanding. However, this approach is not fully consistent in extending children's knowledge. Overall, leaders and staff assess children's progress and development well. Staff typically support children's developing language skills well, for example, through the use of thought-provoking questions. They also explain their own thinking to children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities experience a curriculum that incorporates their individual targets and strategies into activities. For example, staff adapt teaching in the moment by inviting children with social communication delays into small group activities. They plan focused-language group sessions to support children with any speech delays. Staff effectively support children to develop a love of books. Children tell stories using role- play props. They show confidence to lead their play and invite others to join them. Leaders ensure the curriculum for mathematics is taught well and staff incorporate maths ideas into play and routine tasks. For example, they count during cooking activities and compare size as they roll and manipulate play dough. Children benefit from the focus placed on promoting their physical development. They develop their hand–eye coordination as they draw and use knives safely. Outside, staff provide children with a range of equipment which they use with increasing control and coordination. For example, children take age-appropriate risks and develop spatial awareness as they use balance bikes and climbing apparatus. Inclusion Expected standard Typically, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and any other barriers to learning, benefit from an inclusive environment. Leaders make reasonable adjustments and tailor support to ensure that children access the full curriculum and progress well. Leaders promote staff training regularly. This helps them to support children with SEND efficiently. For example, they offer targeted language sessions while waiting for professional support. Children who speak English as an additional language are equally supported well and staff recognise and support their home languages in the setting. Parents share positive feedback of their children's experiences and of the thoughtful adaptations that staff make to better include some children. Leaders have a secure understanding of how to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds. They regularly review how additional funding is spent, to remain responsive to children's changing Urgent improvement circumstances. Leaders engage well with local authority professionals and use their knowledge to ensure that all children receive early targeted support. Children's welfare and wellbeing Urgent improvement There are weaknesses in the arrangements to ensure the suitability of staff who have unsupervised access to children. Leaders have not taken appropriate action to mitigate risk and harm to children and, therefore, children's safety and wellbeing is not assured. Leaders and staff have established positive bonds with children. Children reach out to them for cuddles if they need reassurance. Staff and children enjoy sharing stories together. Leaders create a welcoming environment where children are supported to recognise and manage their emotions. Staff encourage children to complete personal hygiene tasks. Children show pride as they independently use the toilet and wash their hands. They are supported to rest, and sleep practices are managed effectively by staff. Children are taught about the benefits of the healthy foods they eat through discussion and activities. They regularly help to prepare lunch during group activities and staff encourage children to try new fruit and vegetables. Children are physically active everyday and have free-flow access to the outdoor space. Staff closely monitor children's risky play. This supports children's confidence in using balance bikes and climbing steps to use slides. Leadership and governance Urgent improvement Leaders do not have effective oversight of the setting and the lines of accountability are unclear. They do not ensure that staff have appropriate vetting and monitoring checks in place to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. This means that staff whose suitability has not been determined have unsupervised access to children and this has been persistently unnoticed. This does not promote children's welfare and safety. Leaders do not have a clear understanding of their statutory duties. When information about staff's suitability becomes available, they do not take appropriate action to mitigate risk or harm to children. This impacts the setting's overall safeguarding culture. Leaders have established positive relationships within the local community and work closely with parents. They take on board their suggestions to make continuous improvements at the setting. Leaders ensure that staff receive appropriate training and promote further professional development, such as obtaining recognised qualifications. Leaders consider staff wellbeing and have effective strategies to promote this. Staff also report they feel well supported. What it's like to be a child at this setting Breaches to the early years requirements impact on children's wellbeing and safety. Systems to help keep children safe are not robust. For example, appropriate checks are not completed to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. This means that staff whose suitability has not been determined have unsupervised access to children. This compromises children's welfare and wellbeing. Children arrive happy and eager to join activities. They have established warm, trusting relationships with staff and are excited to play with their friends. Children enjoy free-flow access to the garden where they confidently practise using balance bikes and dig in the sand. Staff use nurturing interactions to support children to extend their knowledge as they play. They comment on what is happening to encourage children's language development and check their understanding. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other barriers to their learning, are supported well. They benefit from an inclusive environment where staff implement strategies to support progress from their starting points. Staff are positive role models to children and encourage respectful relationships. This encourages children to use good manners. Children show kind behaviour towards each other and manage their feelings well. Children are independent learners. They enjoy preparing their lunch during cooking activities. They like to attempt tasks themselves, using a range of tools and equipment. This promotes their growing problem-solving skills. Children's creativity is encouraged. For example, they sing and dance with confidence and narrate as they role play. Children build on their knowledge and experience often. For example, they name herbs in sensory play dough and pretend play in the bakery. Next steps To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure that all staff have the required checks in place to confirm they are suitable to work with children 31/08/2026 keep an accurate record of required information about completed vetting processes and details of who at the 31/08/2026 Inspector: Tania King About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 2844685 Address: 107 Broadcoombe South Croydon CR2 8HR Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 26/05/2025 Registered person: Small Explorers Limited Register(s): EYR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Croydon Action Completion Date setting obtained the relevant information implement more robust systems for safe recruitment and monitoring the ongoing suitability of staff 31/08/2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders 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 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. Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 4 August 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 1 to 3 Total number of places 15 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. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. 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