Strong Roots Forest School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children flourish in this wonderful, totally outdoors forest school setting. Children separate easily from their parents or carers. They rush in to explore the vast range of experiences on offer in the wondrous environment. Children have a deep sense of ownership of the setting. They are proud to show visitors around and talk about why 'Strong Roots' is important to them. Children know this is a place where they belong and gleefully talk about what activities they like best. Children clearly feel safe and happy and build secure attachments to all staff members. The behaviour of all children is excellent.

Children are considerably kind and courteous to their friends, staff members and visitors. They understand the need for rules, especially around activities involving fire. Staff help children to understand risk and to learn how to work out for themselves what is safe. For example, when children are walking over fallen branches, staff suggest they look at the thickness of them. Children quickly work out that some branches are too thin and will break under their weight. Children are extremely resilient. Trips and mishaps occur as children challenge themselves. Undeterred, they get up, dust themselves off and keep trying until they succeed.

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

• The provider and staff design and implement a simple, high-quality curriculum, which continually builds on what children already know and can do. They focus on small, measurable targets for children to achieve. Staff tailor their teaching style to support the unique learning preferences for every child. The curriculum promotes the development of character, independence and resilience through activities and experiences. All children make excellent progress in their learning and development.
• Staff give the highest priority to developing children's communication and language skills. They provide a constant commentary and use every opportunity to build on children's language. When children play hiding games they learn new words, such as 'camouflage'. Children are inquisitive and ask lots of questions. Groups times, such as snack and lunch, are highly sociable occasions. Warm, friendly, fun conversations flow freely between all children and the attentive staff team.
• Early literacy skills are fully embedded and weave seamlessly throughout the setting. Children relish listening to stories with staff in the cosy, dedicated reading space. They concentrate on the story and listen intently. Children choose books and enthusiastically share them with visitors. They make up their own stories from looking at the pictures. Children use expression and feeling as they read. Children remember what they have learned from books. For example. when they find a worm, they take great delight in linking it to a familiar story.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive excellent support. Staff work closely with other professionals and parents to ensure that all children fully access the curriculum and make the very best progress. Effective strategies are put in place to close gaps in children's learning and development. Staff learn about children's cultures and home languages to support children who speak English as an additional language. These children quickly learn to understand spoken English and begin to use words and sentences for themselves.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents have the utmost praise for the setting and staff. They say they are very well informed about their children's progress and next steps in learning. Parents say that children are thriving as they are nurtured by dedicated staff. They say they can think of no other place they would want their children to spend their earliest years in education.
• The provider strives to deliver the highest quality care and education. She and her staff consistently reflect and evaluate their practice. Staff receive regular communication and supervision meetings. They have access to regular, high-quality training to further strengthen and extend their already impressive teaching skills. Staff report that they feel highly valued and supported in their role by the provider and other colleagues.