Small Explorers Ltd
GoodBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Croydon for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 17:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2023. Open since 2016, with 35 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Croydon
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Croydon from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
CR0 9BGWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 7 November 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Staff have developed close bonds with children and provide nurturing care. As a result, children are supported to separate confidently from their parents on arrival at the setting. Older children find their names from the board to self-register, which supports their early reading skills. They confidently tell the inspector about what they like about the setting, such as making new friends and dressing up. Younger children are keen to explore their surroundings. Staff provide a calm environment where children are supported to make choices and develop their independence.
Subsequently, children show that they are happy and secure in the setting.
The manager and the staff work hard to build strong relationships with parents and people in their community, which considerably supports children's educational experiences. Staff plan the curriculum effectively with a good variety of indoor and outdoor learning experiences, which help children to make good progress in their learning. Staff teach children to understand the natural environment, such as the process of planting and growing and life cycles. Parents are welcomed into the setting and have supported children with gardening projects. Children excitedly recall activities and are keen to identify which flowers they have planted. Staff organise the routines so that children know what to expect and support them to understand behavioural expectations.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- extend opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to hear and use their own languages to help support their communication and language skills further n improve the presentation of the premises to ensure that all areas are sufficiently clean and ensure that a comfortable temperature is maintained so that children do not become too cold.
- 7 November 2023Good
- 17 September 2018Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Small Explorers Ltd
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.