Flo's Forest School

Inclusion: Needs attention

Some staff do not have the understanding or expertise needed to provide appropriate support for children who face barriers to learning. Leaders and staff use observations and assessments effectively to identify children's individual needs swiftly, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Key persons know their children well, but this knowledge is not consistently shared across the wider staff team. Inconsistencies in staff's practice, skills and knowledge negatively affect children's experiences. At times, this means some children do not overcome gaps in their development well.

Leaders work with a range of professionals and generally implement the strategies suggested. Consequently, children with SEND make steady and sustainable progress from their starting points and are increasingly able to engage in social activities and communicate at times. However, this is not consistent for all children. Parents and carers value the guidance they receive from staff. For example, they particularly appreciate the process of accessing additional support and putting plans in place in preparation for school.

Typically, leaders use additional funding appropriately to support children's interests and learning needs. For example, some children benefit from focused activities and one-to-one support. This helps to keep them safe. However, although leaders have used some of the funding to purchase resources, these are not consistently available when children attend. This limits their impact on children's next steps in development. In addition, some staff do not act quickly enough to adapt their teaching or the learning environment to meet children's individual needs. As a result, some children experience delays in receiving the support they require.

Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is implemented with sufficient precision or consistency across the staff team. Although staff gather information about children before they start, the curriculum remains too broad. Staff do not consistently follow children's interests or adapt activities well enough, particularly for younger children and those who face barriers to learning. For example, staff recognise that some children enjoy water play and using wheelbarrows. However, they do not yet provide these resources for children who struggle to engage in their play. As a result, some children wander around the large outdoor space without meaningful involvement. Consequently, they do not acquire the skills they need for the next stage in their learning.

Assessment systems are in place, and staff identify next steps in children's learning appropriately. However, staff do not consistently reflect these next steps in their interactions or the delivery of activities. Where teaching is more effective, children's communication and language are well supported. For example, during group story time, staff use puppets and props to spark children's interest and imaginations. Some staff model descriptive language effectively to support children's thinking. Children delight as they join in with the 'dramatic music'. However, this quality of support for children's next steps is inconsistent and not embedded across all activities.

The curriculum reflects and celebrates the wide range of cultures in the nursery. This encourages children to explore similarities and differences. For example, children's home languages are displayed in activities, and children proudly share their own. This helps them to understand and celebrate what makes them unique. In addition, leaders make positive use of the outdoor learning community to provide real-life experiences and promote physical development. Children enjoy activities such as swinging in hammocks and digging in sandpits.

Achievement: Needs attention

Children's progress is variable. Some children develop secure personal, social and emotional skills. They show increasing independence in routines, such as managing their own self-care and joining in group activities. However, other groups of children do not engage as well. They wander around for extended periods with little or no interaction from staff, particularly younger or quieter children and those who face barriers to learning. These children do not build on what they already know and can do. Despite this, some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities typically make sustained progress from their starting points.

Children enjoy some purposeful play and develop their imaginations and early literacy skills. For example, some children sit with staff and concentrate intently as they make marks on paper on clipboards. Others enjoy sharing books with adults and listening to stories. However, this level of engagement is not consistent for all children. As a result, while some children are appropriately prepared for the next stage of their education, others are not.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Needs attention

Leaders' and staff's approaches to supporting behaviour are inconsistent. Although leaders have created a positive environment, they do not ensure that staff consistently communicate their expectations clearly to children. For example, while some staff use prompts, such as 'wishy washy' to signal handwashing routines, others give children unclear instructions. This leads to confusion and a chaotic atmosphere. At lunchtime, children who finish early wander off, jump on furniture and disrupt others, and staff do not address this. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning struggle during transitions, as staff lack effective strategies to support them.

At times, some children take turns and cooperate during group activities, such as using tools with sticks and string. However, inconsistent teaching means staff often overlook unwanted behaviour, so children do not learn the setting's rules and boundaries.

Staff are positive role models and regularly praise children's efforts. This helps children to build warm and trusting relationships. However, weaknesses in teaching and curriculum implementation mean children do not receive consistent support to develop positive attitudes to learning. Younger and less-confident children often disengage quickly, as there are insufficient targeted activities to meet their needs. Leaders regularly review children's attendance and support families with adaptations to session times to support children to attend more often.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Some children's needs are not consistently met. Staff find it difficult to support children who struggle with their emotions and behaviour. Some children play securely and independently. For example, they happily chase one another in the garden. Staff are generally responsive but find it difficult to manage the needs of the children in the large open space. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, often approach staff for help. Although children enjoy being outdoors and have plenty of opportunities to be active, such as climbing on logs and planters, staff are not always able to engage or support them effectively. As a result, learning opportunities that build on children's interests are limited.

Leaders and staff provide an inclusive environment where children's individuality is celebrated. For example, they encourage children to use and share their home languages. Most children are content, and staff are caring. Children enjoy exploring the large outdoor area and show independence, such as confidently accessing water from the tap. However, inconsistent support for some children affects their wellbeing and means their individual needs are not met consistently. For example, although key persons know how to support children's next steps, they are often busy with activities. This means that staff working alongside some children do not know how to engage children effectively in play.

Leadership and governance: Needs attention

Since the last inspection, leaders have worked with local authority advisers and other professionals to strengthen the curriculum and develop improvement plans. However, recent staff changes have reduced the consistency and quality of teaching. This negatively affects children's experiences and outcomes. Although leaders recognise that some staff are less experienced, they do not provide enough support to help them develop their skills. Plans to address this are still in the early stages and have not yet had meaningful impact. Even so, staff report high wellbeing and are happy in their roles. They are kind, approachable and well connected in the local community.

Leaders and staff have positive partnerships with parents and carers. Parents are eager to share their views on the day of the inspection and praise the setting's 'community'. They say this has helped to bring parents together inside and outside of the setting. Parents appreciate the communication on online platforms and enjoy receiving information about what activities the children have been learning. They say that staff are kind, nurturing and always available if they need any information.

Leaders are passionate about their role and committed to the forest school ethos. However, they do not have the capacity to monitor teaching and learning effectively. Limited oversight means they do not always identify when some children struggle to engage. Leaders struggle to appropriately deploy staff across the large open spaces. This makes it difficult for them to coach and mentor staff consistently. This also reduces the ability to drive improvements in practice.