Childcare at Eastbourne school inspected by Ofsted

The inspection of Fireflies Childcare at the The Cavendish School in Eldon Road took place on July 10 and the report was published on August 18.

The inspector confirmed that the quality and standards of early years provision were met.

Fireflies Childcare has been registered since 2021 and opens Monday to Friday, during term time, and offers care before school from 7.30am to 8.40am, and after-school care from 3pm to 6pm. A team of six staff members works with the children, four of whom are qualified to degree level.

They added: “Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this welcoming, homely club. Staff form positive relationships with the children and help them to settle in easily. Children

quickly unwind in the friendly and relaxed club environment after their busy day at school.

"They choose from a selection of well-planned activities and confidently follow their own interests.”

Staff were also praised in the report for their help in providing ‘enjoyable activities for the children.’

They added: “Leaders work hard to constantly review the provision and make continuous improvements. The provider works tirelessly to support her staff and develop their skills and practice.

"Staff benefit from a wealth of training that gives them the knowledge they need to deliver a high-quality service. The manager leads a dedicated team that knows the children well and provides a range of enjoyable activities.

"Children enjoy a range of activities, both inside and outside. They benefit from the school's extensive facilities and talk to staff about what they would like to

do.

"At present, children are completing activities based on the theme of animals. On the day of inspection, children became engrossed in making model flamingos out of paper cups.

"They had to think carefully about how to form the legs to make the model stand up unsupported. Staff encouraged children well to use their problem-solving skills and a range of different tools and resources to successfully achieve this.”

The report also states that ‘children's safety is given the highest priority. Stringent procedures are in place to ensure that all staff fully understand their role in keeping children safe and reporting any concerns about their welfare promptly.’