Rangers Kindergarten Natural Play And Learning

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy an extremely rich curriculum and benefit from the expertise of outstanding teachers. They eagerly explore in the exciting environment. Children have endless learning opportunities, such as the access to outdoor areas throughout the day at the nursery and at the local nature reserve. Children delight in exploring natural resources, planting, cooking, building dens, singing and reading by the campfire. They have first-class learning opportunities to explore the wealth of resources, equipment and fully benefit from exceptional interactions with staff. For example, children observe that on windy days the leaves on trees move faster than usual. They learn how they can feel the wind with their hands and other senses.

Children and staff make kites of different shapes to check which types of kites will fly higher with the wind. Staff are impressive teachers and challenge children's learning extremely well. Children are settled, playful and extremely happy. Children and staff treat the nursery as their second home and show a strong sense of belonging at the setting. Children show outstanding progress across all areas of learning.

Children are especially confident in talking, expressing ideas and listening to others. Children behave exceptionally well. Staff are excellent role models and plan inspiring educational programmes for all children, including those in receipt of additional funding and support. They show expert knowledge of children's progress and, as a result, children flourish.

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

• The management team has a sharp focus on the continuous development of practice. They plan meticulous support for staff, including regular supervision meetings, team meetings, monitoring of teaching and care routines. Staff highly praise the training opportunities they have and the impact of this is clearly seen during observations of staff's inspirational practice with children. Staff and managers share and promote the clear ethos and vision for the nursery. They attend workshops such as sewing and knitting together to bond as a team. Staff provide the highest quality of education for the children.
• Children benefit from staff's outstanding focus on promoting their skills. For example, staff and children create a museum to display items that they find and collect while exploring play areas. Children proudly explain their items to other children and staff. Children take part in projects such as the digging of a pond at the nature reserve. They lead their own risk assessments each day. For example, children learn about safety while enjoying activities by the campfire as they carve wood to make sticks to roast different fruit on the fire. Children learn to safely take risks and listen to instructions with absolute attention. They show an exceptional understanding of language.
• All staff know the children extremely well. They demonstrate great partnerships with parents to provide children with the best care possible. Parents help staff to plan children's settling-in sessions, menus and daily routines. They are invited to attend different sessions to familiarise themselves with staff and their child's new experiences. Staff nurture children and dedicate time to comforting them. For example, during sleep routines, children enjoy comforting cuddles, calm songs and stories. Staff create a loving environment for children and parents to feel as part of a family. Children naturally bring aspects of their home life to their play. For example, they create a building project which they confidently draw on paper. They use large boxes to build 'tower blocks' around a table, which they explain is the roof top garden for the blocks they build. They link their project to the estate where they live in central London. This shows children's exceptional confidence in their skills.
• Staff are highly skilled in supporting children's personal, social and emotional development. This has been a strong focus since children's return to nursery after the COVID-19 lockdown. Staff speak calmly and clearly to children, so they learn to socialise, ask for help and understand their boundaries. Children respect each other's turns, they share with friends and enjoy playing together. For example, they help staff to create a home corner that shows the change in season. They decorate the area with vegetables, fruit and the colours of autumn, this includes dressing the dolls appropriately for the weather. Staff extend children's learning further by making pesto sauce with them for their lunch, using seasonal greens, herbs and spices. Children plant, harvest, prepare and eat the vegetables, fruit and herbs they grow at the nursery.