Little Forest Folk Putney

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's emotional well-being is supported to the highest level. They flourish in this extremely nurturing and stimulating outdoor learning environment. Children show immense enjoyment and consistently show curiosity as they use their senses to explore the natural world. For example, children keenly use a magnifying glass to look for minibeasts, dig holes in mud and transport autumn leaves.

Children behave exceptionally well. They keenly follow instructions and rules, which they remember over time. For instance, children shout out during circle time to 'not pick anything that grows' and to 'stay within the rainbow flags'. This helps to keep children safe from harm.

Children are extremely keen and motivated learners, and staff have very high expectations for all children. For example, children learn how to use a 'tippy tap' to wash their hands, they remember the names of insects, and they skilfully balance on logs and planks of wood. Children initiate learning, seek challenge and show a can-do attitude. Children's resilience, confidence and independence are progressing very well.

High numbers of staff ensure that children are supervised extremely well to help maintain their safety. Children's individual needs are consistently met by the very attentive key persons. Staff are exceptionally caring. They respond very effectively to the needs of all children to further promote their sense of self and uniqueness.

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

• The highly qualified and skilled staff team uses the curriculum effectively to expertly teach children early mathematics, communication and language skills to an outstanding level. For example, children identify shapes in the environment, recognise different-sized sticks and count dots on large wooden dice. Children are confident speakers. They talk enthusiastically about minibeasts and excitedly show the inspector pictures of minibeasts they find. Children cuddle up with staff in a relaxed and tranquil woodland environment as they listen intently to stories and sing rhymes.
• Staff skilfully help to spark children's imaginary play skills superbly. For example, children wear butterfly wings, hold out their arms and run freely. They negotiate logs, branches and uneven ground to help to develop their physical skills well. Staff encourage children to scoop up and collect autumn leaves to create 'a badger's home' and make 'ice-cream cones' in a mud kitchen.
• Children concentrate for long periods as they dig holes in mud to find interesting objects. They are intrigued by different sizes and shapes of sticks. Staff are very consistent in their excellent teaching skills and how they extend children's learning.
• Children make excellent progress from when they first start to attend the nursery, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development, physical skills and early communication and language development. Children demonstrate excellent skills in using technology. For example, they remember how to use a camera to take photos of their surroundings.
• Robust risk assessments are carried out by competent staff throughout the day, to ensure that children's safety is of the highest priority. Accidents are successfully and regularly evaluated to help to ensure that any hazards to children are removed or minimised. As a result of recent evaluations, children who have started most recently wear recognisable high-visibility waistcoats. This helps staff to quickly identify those children who require even higher levels of support while they explore outdoors.
• Partnership with parents is excellent. Parents welcome information about their children's experiences every day and how they can further support learning at home. They keenly say that all staff know their children extremely well. Parents comment that their children make significant progress in their imaginary play and mathematical skills.
• Staff have excellent opportunities to follow their continuous professional development. For example, most staff achieve or work towards a forest school leader qualification. This helps all staff to raise their teaching skills to a very high level. Following recent training, staff report competency in den building and a range of practical skills, including being able to use tools and light and manage fires safely.