Great Wood Farm Early Years Centre

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children of all ages demonstrate that they feel safe, secure and enjoy attending the nursery. They have close relationships with the staff who care for them. Upon arrival, children confidently leave their parents at their room door and wave goodbye. Babies and toddlers receive cuddles and reassurance as needed throughout the day.

Staff know children well, they use their knowledge of the children's interests and learning needs to plan activities that children are eager to engage in. Children are developing a keen interest in the natural world. They enjoy taking part in daily forest school sessions and walks around the farm and woodlands. Staff use these adventures to support children to learn about different animals and insects. When pre-school children find insects, staff encourage them to use a reference chart to correctly identify and name the insect. Staff extend children's learning and promote children's use of mathematics. They support children to keep a tally of how many of each type of insect they find.

Staff promote children's communication and language well. They ask children questions to gain information about their prior knowledge and understanding. Upon discovering a bee, the staff support and encourage children's curiosity. Children tell the staff that they think the bee is making pollen. Staff provide children with factual books so they can learn about where bees collect pollen from and how they use the pollen.

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

• The manager has designed a well-sequenced curriculum that reflects the uniqueness of the farm and woodland environment where the nursery is located. Staff support children to enjoy nature and the countryside, be happy and healthy, be creative and solve problems and celebrate individuality. Staff regularly observe children to make sure that they are making progress in all areas of their learning and development.
• Staff have regular supervision and receive feedback on their practice. The management team are responsive to the needs of staff and ensure that their well-being is supported. Staff comment that they feel lucky to work at such a unique and special nursery.
• Staff promptly recognise the signs that some children may need additional help and support with their learning or development. They work closely with parents and other professionals to provide targeted support that helps individual children make progress. The manager ensures that additional funding, such as early years pupil premium, is effectively used to benefit the children who receive it.
• Staff meet children's health needs well. Children spend lots of time outdoors in fresh air being physically active. They rest and sleep according to their individual routine. Staff closely supervise sleeping children to ensure that they remain safe. Staff provide children with freshly cooked, healthy and nutritional meals that meet children's individual dietary requirements.
• Parents say that their children enjoy attending the nursery. They are very well informed about the time their child spends at the nursery and how their child is developing. Children comment that they enjoy playing with their friends, going for walks in the woods, taking part in messy play and creative activities and bottle feeding the lambs.
• During forest school sessions, staff encourage the children to remember the rules that are in place to help keep them safe. Pre-school children are aware that they must not enter the area where the campfire is unless invited to do so with an adult. However, staff are not always consistent with their expectations for behaviour. For example, when toddlers are asked to put toys away, they carry on playing. The staff put the toys away for them.
• Children join in enthusiastically as staff sing nursery rhymes with them. They demonstrate that they know the words and actions to familiar songs. However, occasionally during the implementation of group activities staff do not always ensure that what they have planned is suitable for all children. Some children find it difficult to remain focused and engaged.
• Staff provide opportunities for children of all ages to develop their creative skills. Babies explore the texture of mud with their hands and paint brushes. Toddlers help staff make play dough, they use their fingers to draw patterns in the excess flour on the table. Pre-school children use paint and brushes to create pictures of frogs. As the children paint and draw, they practise the control that they will eventually need for early writing.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children's understanding of behaviour expectations and ensure that these expectations are consistently applied
• review the implementation of group activities, to help all children remain engaged and focused.