The Wildlings Nature Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happy, excited and ready to start their day. They are gentle, kind and caring towards one another. For example, children wait for their friends and help them to climb the slopes in the woods. Children have positive attitudes towards their play and learning. They are inquisitive, enjoy exploring the natural environment and remain focused for long periods of time. Children build on what they have been taught as they develop their own ideas. For example, they use their problem-solving skills as they build dens and use tools, such as a bow saw, under close supervision.

Children develop good physical abilities and confidence to try new experiences. They crawl, run around and jump over logs. Children learn how to assess their abilities and keep themselves safe as they climb trees and explore the natural environment. Children concentrate well and persist with tasks. They use their imagination as they make up stories about what they see on their walks in the meadow, such as a spider.

Children develop a good awareness of healthy lifestyles and personal hygiene. They know to clean their hands after using the toilet and before they eat. Children develop key skills and attitudes necessary for future learning and their eventual move on to school.

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

• The manager and staff have high expectations for what children can achieve. They plan a stimulating curriculum that broadens children's experiences. Staff know the children well. They monitor them closely to make sure they remember what they learn and make the best possible progress. The manager ensures that children who are entitled to additional funding receive this, and that it is used to support any gaps in their development.
• The manager regularly reflects on the service she provides, involving parents, children and staff to help her to identify where improvements can be made. For example, she has built a woodland fire area so that children can learn to cook healthy meals. Children confidently explain how to pick nettles for the soup without getting stung.
• The manager supervises staff performance effectively and provides a focused programme of training to develop staff knowledge and refresh their skills. The manager carries out regular observations of staff teaching practice. All staff receive forest school training.
• Parents comment that their children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. However, they do not receive enough precise information to help them to continue to support their children's learning at home.
• Staff create a welcoming environment within the woods and children develop strong bonds with them. Staff are kind and caring and manage children's behaviour effectively. Staff offer plenty of praise and encouragement. Children develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem.
• Staff use their good teaching skills to motivate and engage children. They plan a broad and challenging range of activities that match children's interests and learning needs. Children learn to count, recognise numbers and learn about capacity. However, at times, staff do not always support children to extend their understanding of mathematics beyond their current capabilities.
• Children develop high levels of resilience and confidence in their abilities. For example, a child perseveres as they push a wheelbarrow across fields, up slopes and through the woods.
• There is a strong focus on promoting children's language skills within the nursery. Staff capture children's interest as they read stories with good intonation and enthusiasm. They ask questions that help children to use their thinking skills. Staff encourage children to use their developing language skills to express their opinions and ideas.
• Staff use their good questioning skills to encourage children to use their thinking skills and develop their language. During story time, children learn about creatures that are nocturnal. Children link this to their own experiences. For example, a child talks about their 'noisy hamster who wakes me up'.
• Staff help children to learn within a natural environment as they explore their surroundings. Children talk about the 'mole hills' and describe the ants they find as 'the littlest creature on earth'.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide parents with more precise information about their children's learning so they can continue their child's learning at home
• fully support children to extend their understanding of mathematics beyond their current capabilities during play and routines.