Growing Wild Community

Inclusion: Expected standard

Generally, staff know each child and their needs well. They use effective settling-in procedures to establish effective communication with parents and carers. Information is shared between home and the setting to ensure children's changing needs are met. This communication helps staff understand how to support each child and helps them overcome any barriers to learning. Staff demonstrate an understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and follow any guidance provided by other agencies. They understand how to manage any concerns they have with children's learning and development and seek specialist support where necessary.

Staff have appropriately high expectations for all children. Staff treat each child as an individual and consider the approach and strategies that will be most effective. Typically, the adjustments staff make reduce any barriers to learning children may have. Staff review these adjustments regularly to ensure they meet children's changing needs. This ensures all children are capable of achieving. Leaders have developed a curriculum that meets the needs of disadvantaged children. They demonstrate an understanding of how to use any additional funding effectively to help children access the curriculum and make progress.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that gives children a secure foundation in the prime areas of learning, which leaders have identified as a priority for the context of this setting. For example, staff talk to children and ask them thought-provoking questions throughout the day to promote speech and language development. They promote children's self-esteem as they praise the rocket models they make. Children speak with confidence as they explain that the rockets can fly to the moon as it is closest to earth, but not the sun as it is too hot. Children gain strength, agility and control and are very active throughout the day. This secure base in the prime areas of learning prepares children for future success.

Leaders do not place sufficient focus on the knowledge and skills they want children to acquire in the specific areas of learning, in particular mathematics and literacy. This means that children do not receive the targeted support they need to excel in these areas.

Staff typically adjust their teaching according to the different rates at which children learn. They implement a range of strategies to minimise barriers to learning for children at different ages and stages of development. For example, they give children the close, patient support they need to work with others while promoting the independence of other children.

Achievement: Expected standard

Typically, children gain the essential knowledge and skills they need for future success and the next stage of their learning. They demonstrate high levels of resilience and perseverance as they tackle new challenges. They are curious about the world around them and show enthusiasm in their learning. Children are eager to try new things and feel confident to explore with the support of staff.

Children achieve well from their different starting points, including disadvantaged children and those with other barriers to learning. They learn to concentrate and focus for extended amounts of time on tasks. Children respond positively to encouragement to listen carefully or to think of possible solutions to problems as they arise in their learning and play. They increasingly follow their own interests in learning, extending their thinking in new directions.

Children need further support to secure depth in their learning in mathematics and literacy and enable them to make the best progress possible in these areas.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Staff support children to develop high levels of self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities. They celebrate children's achievements and praise their effort, focus, and perseverance in tasks. Staff show genuine interest in the things children find fascinating. They enable children to find out more and explore further through their supportive interactions. This promotes children's consistently positive attitudes to learning.

Staff nurture highly positive relationships with children and know each child well. These secure, trusting attachments help children feel safe and confident to tackle new challenges, such as social situations. When children find it difficult to share, staff establish the reason for this and work with them to find a resolution. For example, when children desperately want to save a puddle they make to show a parent, staff help them to take a picture instead and then share the water with friends in the mud kitchen.

Staff help parents understand the importance of attendance to support children's learning and form positive habits for the future. Staff support parents to overcome any barriers to regular attendance, and children are eager to arrive in the morning and begin their day.

Staff model the positive behaviour they expect from children. They show children the language they can use to ask for a turn or how to communicate their feelings if they are finding something difficult. All children, including those with barriers to learning, develop the skills they need to manage difficult social situations. As a result, children of different ages, stages of development and abilities are able to learn together.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff prioritise children's emotional and physical wellbeing. They recognise that children need to be physically active in their play and balance this with times of rest in the fresh air. Staff teach children about the importance of nutrition. Children enjoy fruit and rice cakes as they learn how different food groups help their bodies remain healthy. Typically, staff help children to understand their emotions and support them to use different vocabulary to describe their feelings. Staff cultivate attachments with their key children, which helps children feel secure. Staff create a welcoming environment where all children feel a sense of belonging, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds or with other barriers to learning. Staff teach children to understand the feelings of others.

Staff help children to take appropriate risks in the outdoor environment. They teach children how to make their own risk assessments, which help to keep themselves and others safe. Children grow in confidence as they balance on suspended wires, make dens and build see-saws using planks. Staff ensure that children's hygiene and care needs are met. Children grow in independence through established routines. They wash their hands before and after eating, wipe their own faces and store their own belongings after lunch.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and unique vision for the type of care and education they want to provide. Their ethos of providing opportunities for freedom in play, learning and self-expression in their woodland setting is generally achieved. They meet the needs of a wide age group and adapt their approach to each child's individual needs. Leaders typically identify areas of strength and some areas for development. For example, they make plans to enhance the curriculum to teach children about people different from themselves. However, leaders do not have a detailed understanding of the quality of their practice and its impact upon the children in their care. This prevents them from establishing a consistent focus on securing excellence for all children through a broad and ambitious curriculum in all 7 areas of learning.

Typically, staff undertake relevant training that supports them to deliver the curriculum and support the children in their care. They use this training effectively to enhance learning opportunities for children. For example, staff use recent forest school training to promote children's understanding of natural features in the woods.

Leaders engage with parents in a thoughtful manner. They regularly share children's progress and discuss how to overcome any issues together. For example, staff talk to parents about appropriate behaviour expectations, both in and out of the setting. Staff ensure transitions are managed effectively to ensure children feel confident as they move onto their next stage of learning.