Foresteers Outdoor Preschool

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, curious and very well behaved. Staff provide a stimulating and challenging environment to support children to achieve well. They are ambitious for every child to achieve the best in their learning. Staff plan imaginatively to help children build on their skills and knowledge to prepare them for their future learning and starting school. For instance, children develop their coordination and muscle control when they join in with the actions of rhymes, saw wood or weave plants and fabrics. This supports children with the skills that they later need for pencil control and early writing. Staff help children to develop their independence, alongside recognising the importance of working together and supporting each other. Children feel safe and well cared for. Staff help children to take good care of themselves. For example, children understand the importance of washing their hands carefully. They learn to keep themselves safe in the woodland area they play and learn in. For example, they help to keep this area clean and free from damage. Children mix happily and easily with adults and their peers. Staff build strong bonds with the parents which contributes to children's assurance and sense of well-being.

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

• Staff know their key children well. They use carefully considered induction procedures to help children settle smoothly into the pre-school's routines. Staff gather detailed information from parents to ensure that they know children's individual interests and needs, to plan for their future learning. Throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, staff have maintained close contact with families. They have provided a range of activities to engage and support children. This contributes to children's well-being and development.
• Staff support the development of children's communication skills well overall. They create many opportunities for children to talk together about their interests and activities. For instance, children sing songs and share news as they enjoy snacks prepared over a safe fire outdoors. Children listen to well-told stories and answer questions. Staff speak in clear, calm and expressive ways. However, they do not consistently take the opportunity to extend children's vocabulary whenever they can. For example, during games when children hide on, in and under trees, staff miss chances to use and reinforce such positional language.
• The manager leads her team with a clear vision and strong commitment. She is supported by her well-qualified staff. The manager and senior staff are positive role models to other members of staff and parents. They are passionate and caring in creating an environment for children to learn and develop in. Staff constantly aim to improve opportunities for the children in their care. They have well-defined roles and access to good levels of training and guidance to help fulfil their roles. Staff regularly reflect on their practice and gather the views of children and parents to plan effectively for the pre-school's further development.
• Parents fully recommend the pre-school. They comment on the regular and detailed communication that they receive about their children's progress. Parents find the guidance that staff provide to support their children's learning at home very useful. They particularly appreciate how happy and eager to learn their children are, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Parents welcome the regular activities that staff provide for children to follow at home. They found these activities especially useful when some children could not attend due to COVID-19 restrictions.
• Staff plan thoroughly for children's learning across all areas of development. They closely observe children's achievements in order to build on them. Staff make sure that all children's learning is consistently developed and regularly reinforced. For example, they support children to build their investigative and scientific skills. Children plant herbs, observe plants grow and use them in their cooking. Staff help children build their mathematical skills. For instance, they encourage children to count the butterflies in the grounds or explore quantities in their mud kitchen recipes. However, children do not always have easy access to books, and in particular relating to the different activities, to further enhance their understanding and enjoyment.
• Children make strong progress in their physical development and learn to follow a healthy lifestyle. They are physically challenged, for example, when they climb trees, create their own swings and crawl through tunnels. Children enjoy being outdoors in all weathers. Staff provide guidance and support to parents to provide varied and healthy meals for children, and to encourage children to try different foods in moderation.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• help staff to identify and take every opportunity to develop and enrich children's vocabulary
• ensure children have ready access at all times to a range of books and other reading material.