URN EY481431 · Inspected 2026-03-11 · Published 2026-05-12 · Inspector: Louisa Taylor
Little Explorers Forest School Nursery Unique reference number (URN): EY481431 Address: Fleggburgh Primary School, Main Road, Great Yarmouth, NR29 3AG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 24/10/2014 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Lee, Gillian Maria Inspection report: 11 March 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 Children are becoming increasingly independent in their self-care needs. Children applaud themselves and say 'yes, I can do it', successfully putting on their puddle outfits. Staff are on hand to support through clear instructions and offer help if needed. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are achieving well and thriving from their individual starting points. Children with SEND benefit from an outdoor sensory area. Children can independently take themselves to this space when they wish. This area provides a natural, calming and sensory-rich environment which can support children to learn to manage times of anxiety or overwhelm. In turn this can promote their physical engagement and focus to help them when they progress to school. Children answer questions asked of them with confidence, as they are given time to formulate their response. Therefore, children make lots of progress in their speech and language development. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders have made some significant and highly successful changes since their last inspection. For example, further toilets and sinks have been installed in the nursery. This means staff are now managing daily routines very well. For example, it has reduced waiting times for children to wash hands before sitting for lunch. Mealtimes are sociable occasions and very well organised. Staff understand and adapt mealtimes extremely well, to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), or who have complex dietary needs. Staff have high ambitions to ensure all children, including those with SEND, establish and benefit from daily routines. For example, staff provide visual aids, such as pictures of handwashing sequences by sinks. This alongside their support can help young children and those with SEND, to follow and learn important hygiene practices. This raises attendance levels as children's health needs are promoted. Children are well-behaved and play cooperatively with their peers. Staff have clear expectations for children's positive behaviours. They provide meaningful praise when children walk indoors. This promotes children's understanding and willingness to frequently follow these instructions and learn to keep themselves safe. It also helps children establish trusting bonds with staff. Staff promote turn-taking games in small groups. This supports children to develop friendship making skills and begin to accept the needs of others. Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard Children thrive in this nurturing and enriching environment where staff place them, and their family's wellbeing at the centre of everything they do. A secure key-person system and bespoke settling-in routines are a strength of the setting. For example, some children who find drop-offs difficult, settle swiftly as the familiarity of being greeted upon arrival by their keyperson reassures them. When needed, staff offer them a favourite toy or activity to help comfort them. This validates children's feelings and helps them begin to manage their emotions in positive ways. Plenty of outdoor play supports healthy lifestyles and means children make significant progress in their physical development. Children develop healthy eating habits as they experience growing fruit and vegetables from seed and enjoy eating their crop. Leaders invite parents to attend healthy eating workshops. This can help foster community among parents, working together to help children establish healthy eating habits. Children develop good table manners and learn how to eat food safely. For example, children always sit while eating, demonstrating their understanding of safe rules to reduce the risk of choking. One-to-one support is provided to ensure children who need extra support at mealtimes. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), or children with specific dietary needs, get tailored support to ensure their welfare and wellbeing. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Since the last inspection, staff have completed focused training on delivering their curriculum. Robust assessment processes of children's progress are in place. Staff use these well to plan fun, daily activities that cover all areas of learning and meet the specific learning and development needs of each child. Children enjoy many positive learning experiences. Their physical development is greatly enhanced with continuous availability to outdoor learning where they are free to move, play and explore. However, at times, staff do not always make the most of opportunities that natural arise during play, to help children explore new ideas in more depth and maximise learning outcomes. Nevertheless, all children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are making progress from their starting points. All children, including those with SEND continually make lots of progress in their communication and language development. Leaders and staff collaborate closely with parents and specialists to develop personalised support for children with SEND. For example, staff use visual aids such as 'now and next' boards, which helps children effectively communicate their wants and wishes. Mathematics is taught in fun ways. Children often demonstrate their love of numbers and counting. For example, children independently line up objects before counting them in sequence. Inclusion Expected standard Bespoke and thorough settling-in systems ensure that leaders and staff gather vital information about individual children's starting points. Leaders and staff collaborate closely with parents and specialists to develop personalised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), or those who face other barriers to their learning or wellbeing. This to ensures with SEND who may benefit from one-to one support, have this support put in place before children start. Parents are part of deciding how early years pupil premium funding is spent to ensure maximum benefit to their children. Where children with SEND need assessments, this is organised to ensure educational plans are in place and any extra funding is accessed before children start school. Consequently, children are being supported ready for time beyond nursery. Staff implement daily, group reading sessions for children. Staff also understand how this plays a crucial role in fostering inclusivity and a sense of belonging. However, staff do not always use specific support strategies in place for children with SEND, such as one-to-one support, to help them fully participate and build on their social communication skills and develop a love of books. Leaders seek ongoing advice and undertake specific training from parents and external professionals to safely administer medication for children with complex medical needs. This boosts attendance and promotes children's overall wellbeing learning and development. Leadership and governance Expected standard Since the last inspection, the leaders have dedicated time and a lot of thought into enhancing and improving the nursery. Leaders have worked extremely closely with the local authority and have undertaken an abundance of training. For example, staff are provided with more in-depth supervisions to help staff reflect on what is going well and what they can do to improve. From this staff have provided individual coaching sessions. This has greatly improved and ensured all staff are implementing the curriculum effectively. However, on occasion, there are some inconsistences the quality of staff's interactions, teaching and practice. Leaders have a clear understanding of the nursery's strengths and have action plans for further enhancements to the curriculum. For example, a sustainability programme is ready to roll out. Staff report excellent wellbeing and feel their confidence has grown with these changes that have been put in place. This has had a significant impact on the learning and development outcomes for all children, including those with educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), or those who face other barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Parents are very positive in their feedback, praising the leadership and staff team, particularly those with SEND. They appreciate regular assessments and review of children's progress. 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 arrive excitedly and express their keenness to attend as they cheerfully wave goodbye to their parents at the door. The key-person system and bespoke settling-in processes are highly effective. It means staff get to know individual children very well from the start, such as their likes and dislikes. This consistently promotes children's sense of belonging and emotional well-being. For example, at times, when children find it difficult to settle at drop-off, their key persons familiar face and calming tone of voice comforts them. Staff offer them their favourite toy and a choice of activities particularly like. This reassures Inspector: and helps ease children's anxieties. Therefore, enabling them to fully participate in the abundance of playful learning opportunities made available to them. The curriculum is clear and implemented well by staff. Robust assessment processes of children's learning and development are in place. This ensures children benefit from a broad curriculum that builds on their unique, existing experiences and knowledge. Children enthusiastically explore the forest school area and the extensive inspiring outdoor spaces. Children develop their small physical skills when they pinch, roll and shape the naturally herb scented dough. Staff provide meaningful praise when children play cooperatively together and share popular resources. This ensures children understand positive behaviours expected of them. They build strength in their hands and fingers which helps them become increasingly independent in their self-care, such as dressing and buttoning clothes themselves. Extremely detailed care plans are in place for those children with complex health care needs. This improves nursery attendance for those children with health needs by providing a safe, tailored environment that builds parental trust. Specific training staff undertake, means they develop their knowledge and understanding of ways to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Consequently, all children, including those with SEND, flourish and make rapid progress from their starting points. Next steps leaders should ensure staff provide more focused support for children particularly those with SEND, to expand their enjoyment of books and further extend their social communication skills leaders should ensure staff focus on consistently supporting children to explore new ideas in more-depth to enhance and extend on what they already know and can do leaders should continue to improve the monitoring of staff teaching and practice to help them develop their knowledge and understanding of how children learn, so that all children benefit from consistently high-quality learning experiences. About this inspection The inspector spoke with parents, leaders, staff and the SENCo, 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. Louisa Taylor About this setting Unique reference number (URN): EY481431 Address: Fleggburgh Primary School Main Road Great Yarmouth NR29 3AG Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registration date: 24/10/2014 Registered person: Lee, Gillian Maria Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 16:00 Local authority: Norfolk Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 11 March 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 2 to 4 Total number of places 24 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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