Clare's Little Bears - Forest Pre School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children quickly engage in their play as they explore the enticing forest school environment. They happily investigate the woods, with support from the kind and caring staff. Children seek staff out for comfort, enjoying stories and cuddles. They demonstrate a positive attitude as they excitedly engage in forest school activities. For example, they happily sing songs together as they make bananas from sticks and yellow string. Children interact and engage well with others. They learn to wait patiently for their turn as they practise jumping off tree stumps and climbing ropes.

Children benefit from a language-rich environment. They have ample opportunity to engage regularly in conversation with adults and their peers. Together they make comparisons about animals that live in the woods and the rainforest. Children learn new vocabulary, such as 'toucan' and 'anaconda', and talk about the habitats they live in. This helps children gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the world. Children learn to listen to one another and wait for their turn to talk. For example, during circle times, children pass the 'talking feather' to each other and learn when it is their turn to talk or listen. This helps children to feel valued and heard.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• The managers lead a motivated staff team. They use an effective programme of supervision to ensure staff's ongoing suitability for their role. Staff undertake essential training towards their roles and responsibilities. Apprentices say that they feel well supported. Additional funding is used well and allows children to attend the pre-school more often.
• Children's behaviour is good. Staff are excellent role models. They teach children the pre-school rules and explain why they are important. For example, children learn to not walk through the 'fire circle' or eat berries they may find around the woods. Staff reinforce children's learning through games and activities, using resources to support their understanding. Children are confident to remind each other of how many are allowed on the climbing ropes at a time.
• The curriculum has a clear focus on children's personal and emotional development. Staff support children to separate from their parents through effective settling-in periods. They work closely with parents to ensure they have a good understanding of children's home lives and how best to support them. While staff provide children with a broad curriculum of opportunities, they do not focus effectively on children's individual development journey consistently. This means some children are not always challenged to their fullest potential.
• Children learn to be healthy as they wash their hands for snack times. While children learn routines well, staff do not always recognise when children could do more for themselves independently. For example, children do not pour their own drinks or cut up their own fruit.
• Children access books throughout the day. They spend time under cosy canopies looking at books independently. Staff tell stories throughout the day as they sit for food times. Children are taught early mathematical concepts. Younger children count as they jump up and down in puddles, while older children use sticks and stones to weigh and measure. Children learn to make marks, using natural materials found in the woods. They use mud paints and charcoal gathered from the extinguished fire pit to draw with. Children use chalks to decorate the environment with pictures of animals and insects they see in the woods in which they play.
• Parents are extremely positive about the pre-school and staff. They say that their children are very happy to attend the pre-school. They appreciate the regular photos of their children's day through the online communication methods. Parents say that they are pleased that staff help children open their minds to the world beyond technology. They talk about how their children overcome fears of insects and learn to care for nature and wildlife. Each child's key person reports to parents about children's developmental progress and make suggestions as to how this can be continued at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the planning and delivery of activities to focus precisely on individual children's learning and development and offer them even more challenge
• make the most of opportunities during routines and activities to enable children to develop their independence further.