Filthy Squirrels Woodland Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children show immense levels of excitement as they arrive. Highly enthusiastic and nurturing staff welcome them. Children flourish as they embrace the enriching and ambitious curriculum that has their emotional development at its heart. Expert staff know children extremely well. They have high expectations for every child.

Children's ideas and voices are valued. Staff deliver a vast range of learning opportunities led by children's imaginations. For example, children's current fascination in bees leads to a hunt for hidden bowls of pretend nectar in the forest. Children display exceptional behaviour and cooperation as they work together at this task. They are highly enthused and resilient as they persist at the physical challenge of operating syringes to draw up liquid. When they succeed, they beam with pride and teach others how to manipulate the syringes. Children transport the liquid to measuring containers. Here, they independently measure it, developing their mathematical skills. Children demonstrate their extraordinary vocabulary as they use language such as 'I am a nectar detector and pollinator,' as part of their imaginary play. They make rapid progress in all areas of their development in this exceptional setting, and they are making the best possible start in their education.

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

• Children learn to be imaginative with creative staff as their role models. Children announce, 'This is special pollen; it turns you into a bee!' The forest echoes with laughter and happiness as staff play along, pretending to be bees.
• The manager maintains an inspiring setting for all. Staff remark on their high levels of morale. The manager values her staff and is attentive to their well-being. She carries out regular supervision sessions and writes staff letters to thank and applaud their ideas and hard work. This massively impacts on the positive atmosphere in the setting for children.
• A sense of belonging among families, children and staff is a priority here. Children are welcoming and inclusive. For example, when preparing for lunch, they count out plates, ensuring that everyone has one. Staff use a range of approaches to foster children's appreciation of themselves as unique and special. Children's photos appear in signs around the setting. Children relish pointing these out and sharing them with others.
• Children are confident communicators and have a thirst to learn. Staff stimulate children's curiosity. Together, they observe how a worm moves. Staff encourage children's thinking through questions, such as 'What do worms help do?' Children confidently answer, demonstrating the knowledge they have retained. Staff use the term 'whopper' to describe the size of the worm. Children check their own understanding of vocabulary as they ask for its definition. Staff praise children's inquisitiveness. As a result, children learn to use questioning as a tool for their learning.
• Parents report that the setting feels like an 'extended family'. They describe the extraordinary opportunities the staff provide that include them in their children's learning. For example, staff organise home activity packs, parent social meetings, training sessions and family events such as woodwork workshops. Parents share how they delight in receiving information about their children's learning and development in the form of letters addressed to their children. They share that they feel these are written with genuine kindness and love from staff.
• Staff are passionate and committed to continuously advancing their practice. They constantly reflect and take every opportunity possible to evolve. They complete a range of training and use it to better their provision. For example, training in signing has led to the introduction of Makaton and visual aids that all children can use to aid communication and understanding. Training in yoga and how the brain works has helped staff to support children to learn about mindfulness and how to regulate their emotions.