Nature's Way Forest Kindergarten

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive at this inspirational setting, created by dedicated staff. They can be heard exclaiming how happy and excited they are. Staff deliver a curriculum that has independence and life-skills at its core and which supports all children develop an eagerness to try things for themselves. Children learn how to check if their clothing is still dry and change it themselves when needed. They are motivated by staff's encouragement. Children hear that staff believe in them and how proud they are of their achievements. Children radiate confidence and determination throughout the day and develop the skills needed to be completely self-sufficient during routines. They work together using their previous learning to find the correct type of sticks and materials to light a fire, ready to cook the snack they have prepared. Children as young as two years old use their extensive small physical skills to make 'dragon sparks'. Children explain how and why it is so important to kneel in the safety position and always ask permission to enter the fire circle. Staff embed their behaviour expectations, which all children follow with ease, such as returning to the circle from play immediately when they hear staff say the catchphrase.

Children become engrossed in the skilfully planned play and learning experiences staff provide, including role playing 'shops' in the mud kitchen area. Staff role model how they want children to interact with others. They help children to use their manners and explain clearly to others when they have not yet finished with a resource. Staff seamlessly adapt their practice to extend individual children's skills and knowledge during one activity. Younger children imitate key language they hear from staff, such as 'mix', and some older children are helped by staff to read letters and identify what 'lard' is. Meanwhile others develop their mathematical ability to measure and weigh food.

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

• All staff have consistently high aspirations for all children and know their individual needs incredibly well. Staff work together as a close-knit team to monitor children's learning. Staff continually identify and provide support to address any potential gaps in children's development or experiences. They share this information with parents and carers promptly, including during home visits, so they can further support children's progress at home. Parents comment their children thrive and say the staff's ability to indulge and inspire children is unmatched.
• Staff support all children to make rapid progress in across all areas of development. They ensure, regardless of their starting abilities, that all children are fully ready for the next stage in their education. Staff demonstrate particular consideration when supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They carefully adapt the broad and well-planned curriculum to ensure that every child can access the same high-quality learning opportunities. Children are seen to make rapid progress in their development.
• Staff's teaching and interactions demonstrate their clear expertise in how children learn. They guide children to navigate through challenging physical obstacles in the forest, reminding them how to be mindful of their body when climbing, balancing and jumping to reach a fallen tree. Staff ask carefully constructed questions that help children solve problems and share their thoughts, such as how they could navigate to capture the imaginary dragon they are chasing. 'What a disaster, we need to put him in jail,' one child states while climbing a difficult high log. Staff commend them for inspiring their friends to climb higher too.
• Staff validate children's emotions and offer them ways to understand them and feel reassured. They explain new vocabulary that children can use to explain how they might feel at times, such as irritated, and help children to build open and secure friendships. Children all now have exceptional social skills. They show compassion, hugging others, and show a real interest in them, recalling previous learning to ask them what they have been doing and initiating vibrant conversations.
• Staff place great emphasis on children learning a strong sense of themselves and the impact they can make on the community. Children use embedded learning about keeping the world clean and demonstrate to others who have just started which items must go in the recycling bin and which go in the compost. They explain the reasons for this, which they have learned from staff.
• Staff help children to become inquisitive about others and encourage them to share what makes them unique and create an ethos of community. Children ask one another questions about their culture, background and religions, even politely asking visitors why they have different colour hair. Parents comment that staff go above and beyond to be authentically inclusive, finding out about their families and bringing learning from this into the setting. Staff invite parents in to share their different roles and talents, such as how to play the drums and how to use different art techniques.
• The setting is exceptionally well led. Leaders are passionate about supporting staff well-being and developing the highly experienced team even further, including undertaking their own professional development. They consider the impact on children's progress to determine relevant, tailored training and coaching for staff, such as providing training to learn more about how children's brain's function. Leaders work alongside staff, providing immediate feedback and support to maintain the excellent teaching observed and have created a completely reflective working environment.