Colourbox@Redwoods

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The forest school provides children with awe and wonder in every aspect of the environment. Children are enamoured with their surroundings and arrive excited, ready to explore and investigate. Children and their parents are warmly welcomed by staff. For example, when children arrive with items of interest, such as a leaf, they eagerly show them to staff, who immediately take an interest and begin a conversation. This provides a seamless transition for children. The children are nurtured by the dedicated staff team and have a real sense of belonging. The staff have thoughtfully designed the area to allow children to make independent choices about where they want to play.

Staff have extremely high expectations and create a curriculum that challenges children to the highest level. Their curriculum is based on forest school and the Montessori approach with staff trained in both. The children respond very well and are highly motivated to engage with the resources and the surrounding environment. They are curious and ask lots of questions, eager to seek a response to extend their knowledge. Children love to experiment in the mud kitchen and carefully select the plants they want to add. They use their physical skills to transfer the 'tea' from a cup to a jar and show great control as they pour to fill it right to the top but not spill it.

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

• Staff interactions are of consistently high quality. Staff take pride in knowing all the children and their interests. They impart their enthusiasm for learning to the children, who are equally excited to investigate. Staff are repetitive in their approach to help children consolidate and embed learning.
• Children's growing vocabulary is a key area of focus for staff. They use correct terminology. For example, when talking about butterflies they name the species rather than referring to them by the collective name. Children enjoy familiar stories. Staff make these highly engaging as they ask the children to act out certain parts, for example running on the spot as the character in the book does.
• Staff teach children how to recognise animal and reptile prints by counting the digits and looking carefully at a selection of prints to identify them, for example, a squirrel and a snake. Children can tell staff that a snake slithers so has no digits, which demonstrates their deep understanding.
• Children have excellent mathematical skills, as mathematics is expertly threaded through everyday activities. Problem-solving is a key aspect. Staff are expertly skilled at asking the right questions to enable children to find their own solution, so they think critically for themselves. Children regularly count in their play. Staff encourage them to add and subtract when children join or leave the group.
• Staff set up activities that allow children to exert themselves physically. For example, with staff, children use a bow saw to cut a piece of wood successfully. Staff test children's knowledge and understanding of the safety precautions and ask pertinent questions to ensure that every child is fully aware of the risks. Children can tell an adult that the blade is sharp and which parts of the saw to hold to use it safely, which shows an exceptional understanding of how to keep safe.
• Lunch is a time to enhance children's social experience and replicate a family meal. Food is positioned in the centre of the table. All children use utensils with ease, serving their food onto their plate. Staff promote healthy lifestyles. The food is nutritious and cooked daily, and all children drink water. Partnerships with parents are excellent. Staff provide parents with information about their child's day as well as reports detailing their child's development.
• The provider has very secure systems in place to support staff's well-being. Staff have regular supervision sessions, allowing them to reflect on their needs. Training is quickly identified to allow staff to continue to develop their in-depth knowledge. The provider has an excellent awareness of the strengths and areas for development in this provision. They set ambitious goals for ongoing improvements, which include potential expansion of the site.