Nonsuch Park Forest School London Lodge

Inclusion: Strong standard

Practitioners continually monitor and review children's progress. For example, they complete two-year-old development checks within the first six weeks. Practitioners share any concerns promptly with parents and carers, and plan interventions swiftly. Leaders plan targeted interventions to ensure that any gaps or support needed are quickly identified. As a result, all children achieve excellent outcomes. Working in partnership with the key person and parents and carers, the two trained special educational needs coordinators review the impact of interventions to ensure a consistent joined-up approach. For example, practitioners use the same visual cards used at home to encourage children to recognise and share how they are feeling. When needed, practitioners make timely referrals to external professionals.

Leaders and practitioners are knowledgeable about how best to support children in receipt of additional funding to improve outcomes tailored to the individual's needs. For example, they incorporate social stories for children who need support with routines and expectations. Staff also access targeted training, such as emotional regulation and neurodiversity, which is reflected on in team meetings, with best practice shared across the setting. As a result, children receive highly effective, well-planned support.

Leaders are reflecting on the support they provide for children and families who speak English as an additional language. Current adaptations include consistent routines, use of visuals and focused language groups. Accessibility for parents has been prioritised, including activating the multilingual option on the parent communication app to support home-setting communication.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

The curriculum is carefully designed to meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage. The well-sequenced curriculum ensures that all areas of children's development are planned for effectively. Children's physical, personal, social and emotional development are key priorities in daily activities and planning. Practitioners swiftly identify gaps in children's learning and implement targeted support. Leaders regularly review the curriculum and teaching, making changes when needed to enhance children's learning experiences even further.

Practitioners have high ambitions for children. They know each child, their next steps and respond to children's interests. For example, when children want to play a game, and start counting ladybirds, practitioners adapt it into a counting game. This supports children's language, mark-making skills and mathematical understanding.

Interactions are strong. Practitioners' use of language targets children's learning and supports their understanding. For example, they explain to children that pulling their tummies close to the rope activates their core strength. Practitioners listen to children and value their ideas. Children get time to think and receive a wealth of praise and encouragement. When a new climbing frame was recently built, practitioners encouraged children to help with the design. Children shared ideas and agreed key features, including how many slides to include.

Parents and carers and practitioners work together. They use the same strategies at the setting and home. Parents know how to help their children and comment they feel like they are part of their children's learning.

Achievement: Strong standard

Children develop their physical and social skills extremely well in this setting. They have many opportunities to climb, dance, take turns and collaborate when playing in the forest. Children benefit from high-quality interactions. They enjoy discussions, songs, stories and rhymes in an environment that is rich in language. Children share their thoughts and explain their reasoning. They demonstrate a deep understanding of how and why things happen.

Children confidently demonstrate well-developed fine motor skills as they use utensils to cut and prepare fruit for a snack. They show a growing understanding of how to keep themselves healthy, independently washing their hands after activities, making informed meal choices, and regularly accessing drinking water throughout the day.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn to recognise and label their emotions, such as during 'emotional regulation' group activities. As a result, all children are very ready for the next stage of their educational journey and transition smoothly, including into school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders have embedded a harmonious and respectful culture. Practitioners consistently praise children's positive behaviour and promote making good choices for all age groups. As a result, children are kind and respectful to one another. They form strong bonds with practitioners. Children happily separate from their parents and carers and greet practitioners happily.

There is a strong commitment to children's attendance. Room leaders promptly alert leaders if children are absent. They swiftly send a message via the app to parents, followed by a phone call if no response is received. As a result, practitioners know why every child is not attending, who is responsible for drop-off and collection and approximate arrival times.

The setting has an ethos that strongly promotes children's active learning, physical health and interacting with nature. Children engage with the outdoors in all weathers, experiencing seasonal changes to enhance their learning. For example, younger children explore autumnal changes by matching leaves to colour charts. Older children explore and recognise differences in the hill they climb using a rope, noting it is 'slippery' and 'hard to grip'.

Practitioners put interventions and strategies in place to support individual children. For example, they support children to extend their sessions so they can join their peers at the table and eat lunch.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Strong standard

A major strength of the setting is the culture of safety and wellbeing, which is embedded and consistently reinforced through daily routines and clear expectations. Practitioners show strong communication skills and are proactive in assessing risks. They make adjustments whenever needed to keep children safe and well. For example, children understand the rules to stay safe around the fire and can explain their purpose.

Children's learning takes place predominantly off site. Practitioners regularly revisit safety rules with children using visual cues. Children receiving interventions for attention and focus have individual lanyards during these discussions. They have follow-up conversations with their key persons to ensure they understand.

Practitioners know their key children well and have formed strong attachments. This deep understanding allows them to quickly identify children's individual needs and provide care and emotional support. This helps children to regulate their emotions. Care and sleep routines are calm and unhurried. This creates a relaxed atmosphere for children.

Practitioners closely supervise mealtimes, which are designed to encourage children's independence. At breakfast, children choose from a variety of healthy cereals and serve themselves. Each morning, they also help prepare fruit for their friends by chopping and peeling it together. Meals are thoughtfully selected to ensure that they are balanced, nutritious and locally sourced. This provides children with the energy they need for an active day.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders set high expectations for all children and practitioners, demonstrated through ongoing investment in professional development and a clear drive for continuous improvement. They balance training that reflects practitioners' interests with the needs of the children and the provision. Key learning is shared across the team so that everyone remains aware of effective strategies and best practice. Training reviews are discussed at every team meeting. Local nurseries and schools have also visited to observe the setting's forest trained practitioners, who have supported them in developing their own outdoor provision.

Leaders are hands-on and reflective, supporting practitioners through professional discussions and thoughtful questions during activity planning. Practitioner's wellbeing is prioritised through regular supervision sessions, check-ins and monthly newsletters that celebrate achievements and strengthen a positive team culture. As a result, practitioners demonstrate high professional aspirations, feel well supported to progress in their roles, and benefit from a strong culture of shared practice. This is clearly reflected in staff interactions and the high quality support children receive.

Collaboration with parents and carers, the local authority and health professionals is excellent, ensuring timely support for every child. Leaders also share best practice with local schools and settings. Safeguarding procedures are robust.

Leaders foster a sense of belonging, taking pride in the positive relationships between practitioners, children and families. They plan regular events, which include a nativity performance, bonfire celebration, a 'special people day' to recognise important adults in children's lives and opportunities for grandparents to help in the garden. Parents and carers praise the life skills their children develop at the setting in preparation for school. They recognise the value of all practitioners, sharing that their children develop very close relationships with them.