TimberNook London at Wimbledon Common

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements All children are welcome to attend this outdoor setting. The friendly and experienced staff team creates a safe, welcoming environment. This helps new children to settle quickly.

Children have great fun taking part in a broad variety of activities and opportunities. For example, they build dens, play in the mud pit and explore with sticks. Children of all ages are extremely independent within the setting.

They are proactive in initiating their own ideas, which are encouraged by staff. For example, children work together and use their impressive imaginations to create a 'hotel', using natural resources. They drape material ...around trees, create signs for the hotel and wonderful meals for their guest to eat.

Children develop meaningful relationships with their friends and staff. Their behaviour is good. Staff encourage children to be respectful of each other and their environment.

They support children to resolve disagreements and come to mutual agreements. Older children take safe risks and develop confidence in their physical skills, as they leap and jump over the small, dry stream. Younger children enjoy collecting logs and stick to create bridges for them to travel over the stream.

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

Children have daily opportunities to listen to stories. They practise their communication skills as they listen, engage in meaningful discussions and answer questions. Staff extend children's vocabulary by introducing them to new words and explaining their meaning, such as 'waver'.

The provider uses her expert knowledge of outdoor natural play to inspire children to thrive and learn. For instance, children have unlimited opportunities to investigate and to explore the world around them while playing outdoors. This supports children to be extremely focused and engrossed in their play.

The provider and staff understand how to support children to develop healthy lifestyles. For example, children are encouraged to recognise that they are thirsty and access their water bottles. Children take part in effective hygiene routines.

The provider organises handwashing stations effectively around their area of the woodlands. Younger children independently turn the taps on to wash their hands after muddy play.Staff provide children with many opportunities to be creative and use their imaginations.

They have access to a variety of media to support their expressive arts and design skills. For instance, they use clay, wooden discs and colourful painted stones and shells to create amazing works of art. Younger children transform into their favourite superhero character as they use balls of wool to create webs around the trees.

Parents are highly complimentary about the provision and the range of activities that their children take part in. They especially enjoy the daily emails that they receive, which contain photos and a breakdown of their children's day. Parents make positive comments about the setting.

They say that their children have 'the best time, love getting dirty and enjoy being out and about doing stuff they normally wouldn't do' and that they have 'such a magical time'.The provider closely monitors activities and the environment to identify strengths and areas that can be improved. She supports her staff to fulfil their roles effectively through a thorough induction.

The organisation's training programme has a range of available courses to ensure that staff continuously update their knowledge of the setting's philosophy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider and staff have attended training to help them to recognise any children who may be at risk of harm.

They are aware of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about children in their care. The provider has robust procedures in place to ensure the suitability of all staff. Children are aware of how to keep themselves safe.

For example, they learn how to discourage attention from dogs who may be walking by with their owners. The provider and staff are observant. They complete continuous risk assessments and headcounts to ensure the safety and welfare of children.

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