Brambles Cholderton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are warmly greeted at the gate as they wave goodbye to their parents, ready to explore this unique outdoor learning environment.

Children go with their key person to their outdoor area. The younger children have stories read to them in the yurt with a log fire, keeping the space cosy and warm. The older children sit around the campfire circle, listening to the fire safety rules, where they watch the fire being lit.

Staff welcome the children, using signing to support their communication and understanding. Children carefully count how many of them are sitting around the circle, introducing numbers in a meaningf...ul way.The setting provides a spacious environment for the children to be physically active.

They have lots of opportunities to run, swing in hammocks and build using large resources. Staff support children to lead their own learning and follow their interests. They respond to children's ideas and support them to build their learning.

For example, children help to make the play dough and then make pretend 'daffodil cupcakes'. This also develops children's fine motor skills.Children behave well.

Staff use clear, gentle communication to help children take turns. For example, children readily line up to wash their hands before lunch.

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

The manager carefully plans the curriculum to incorporate all areas of learning.

She works well with staff to monitor children's development. All staff carry out observations of children's learning. Each term, they have a focus week to monitor and review children's learning experiences.

The key person uses this to track children's development and plan what the children need to learn next.Children have access to a very good learning environment providing a wide range of experiences. Staff carefully plan how they can implement their ethos of an eco-friendly environment.

For example, children plant, grow and harvest their own produce.Staff encourage children to talk about what they are doing and seeing. Children spontaneously go on bug hunts, using magnifying glasses and pots to examine what they find.

Staff foster a two-way flow of conversation between children. They use careful questioning to promote further learning, for example saying, 'Shall we go and look under here?' Children are also learning mathematical language while exploring the natural world to describe the insects they find, such as 'big', 'little' and 'lots'. As children explore, they use their muscles to dig and move tree stumps to find more bugs.

Staff support older children to learn and understand about their feelings. They know how to guide children with managing their emotions, for instance by using breathing exercises. Children have access to the 'bucket full of happiness'.

This includes resources for children and staff to use together to learn about their emotions. However, at times, staff do not always respond to children's changing emotions during free-flow play, such as when they are playing in the mud kitchen. This means children are less engaged and lose focus, which does not support their learning as well as possible.

Children gain a good understanding of healthy eating and promote independence skills. Staff include the children when making their snacks. Children learn to chop fruit and vegetables safely.

For example, they take part in making corn fritters and then watch the cooking on the campfire.The staff and manager support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They seek advice from local authority advisers to ensure children make good progress.

The manager is passionate about her role and places a strong emphasis on staff's well-being. All staff have regular supervision and training. The manager and qualified staff support apprentices well.

This means apprentices develop good teaching skills. For example, they confidently read stories aloud to children.The manager and staff build positive partnerships with parents.

They communicate daily and share information. Parents receive regular updates about their child's development and photos of what the children are learning. Parents comment on how they work as a team to overcome challenges.

This strong partnership supports children's progress.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager has a strong recruitment process which ensures the suitability of staff working at the setting with the children.

All staff have good safeguarding knowledge. They undertake regular training, such as on the 'Prevent' duty. This means they know what to do and how to report a concern about a child's welfare.

There is a strong emphasis on children's safety. Staff assess risk to the environment to keep children safe while they play.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: support and recognise all children's needs to engage in activities successfully.