Wild Arts

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children appear to feel safe and are well cared for at this outdoor learning setting. They run to greet staff with a cuddle and talk about their activities at home. Children arrive happy and excitedly talk to visitors about the projects they have been designing. For example, they discuss how they have been learning about pollution and confidently talk about how to look after planet earth.

Staff provide children with clear information about boundaries and how to keep safe in the outdoor environment. For example, they remind children why it is important to travel together as a group when they visit the forest. Staff also have discussions with children about the importance of respecting everyone's personal space. Children develop a good understanding of what is expected of them.

Leaders create a curriculum that is broad. It is developed to explore the different areas of learning in a well-organised outdoor setting. Leaders provide teaching that prepares children for the next step in their education. For example, staff teach children about different letters in their name. Together, they use their fingers to trace different letters in the sand. Children practise skills that support their early literacy skills.

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

• Children build strong communication skills. Staff regularly use group learning opportunities to build on children's ability to talk confidently with their peers. For example, they sit together in a circle and talk about how they care for their pets at home. They also discuss their friends and relatives. Children are supported to learn about their unique character as they engage in group conversations.
• Staff provide plenty of materials for children to explore their expressive art and design skills. They carefully link this into all areas of children's learning. For example, they talk to children about the properties of a wooden cube and decide to turn it into a dice. Children discuss whether to add dots or numbers to each side as they colour with paint pens. Staff extend children's learning by furthering their knowledge of linking numbers to objects. Children are inspired as they gain an understanding of early mathematics.
• Staff recognise the importance of introducing books and stories into their teaching. However, at times, staff do not recognise the impact of the distractions while staff are reading, such as other conversations and activities. This means that children who are engaged in the story struggle to listen attentively and lose interest. As a result, children's love of reading is not consistently extended.
• Staff teach children about different materials. For example, children talk about the difference between bamboo, cardboard and plastic. Children have meaningful discussions about recycling and the importance of caring for the earth and environment. They demonstrate their understanding by explaining how to use the compost bin and how items can be reused. Children learn about the world they live in.
• Leaders have developed effective partnerships with parents. They share information regularly and parents explain that they feel well informed about children's learning. However, where children attend other early years settings, channels of communication are not yet robust. For example, leaders do not share and gather information about children's progress and development. This means that, at times, children do not consistently benefit from a shared approach to their learning.
• Staff talk to children about looking after themselves. For example, children have discussions about brushing their teeth. Staff promote children's understanding as they talk about drinking water and the importance of exercise. Children also discuss why they need to wear sun cream and explain what they need to stay safe on a hot day. Children receive information that promotes their understanding of personal health.
• Leaders have a clear oversight of their provision. They engage in regular professional development to increase their skills. For example, they have completed forest school training to further enhance the quality of education provided outdoors. Through training such as this, teaching standards are raised for children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on children's attention during story time to further increase their love of reading
• develop partnerships with other early years settings that children attend to promote a shared approach to children's learning.