Greensand Forest Adventures

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children have an enjoyable time at this adventure club. Staff greet the children, who are excited to see them when they arrive at the hall from school.

Children happily tell friends and adults about their day and quickly get changed, ready to go to the forest. Children have lovely friendships and share wonderful conversations. For example, they happily chat and giggle when getting into the minibus.

Children smile as they realise they have reached their destination. They hurry out of the minibus and run into the forest, cheering as they do so. Staff and children spend a great deal of time outside in the fresh air.

...Staff provide children with a range of resources to develop their physical skills. For example, they independently climb trees and walk across a wobbly tightrope. Children show high levels of confidence as they demonstrate a good sense of balance and adventure.

Staff encourage their efforts and give them praise. Some children access quieter activities, such as creating dinosaurs and bouncy castles from clay. They show good hand-eye coordination as they carefully create models.

This helps to develop their creative skills.Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They encourage children to be independent and solve their own problems, such as any minor disagreements.

Children demonstrate respectful friendships with staff and each other. Older children help younger children. For example, they hold their hand as they help them to cross a stream.

This helps to develop children's social skills.

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

Leaders have clear aims to provide an adventure club in which children can receive the best level of care, increase their confidence and take risks in a controlled manner. They respect children's opinions and involve them in decision-making.

Children choose activities to be involved in. For example, they concentrate well as they giggle with friends and play 'tag' in the forest. Children show good imagination when they chase each other around and hide.

Staff keep a close eye on the children to ensure they are safe at all times.Children excitedly recall how staff support them to take part in regular challenges. For instance, they talk about how they compete to become 'Viking of the week'.

Children concentrate well as they take part in wood carving. Staff teach children to use a knife safely. Children respond well and excitedly show enthusiastic staff their creations, such as a totem pole and a walking stick.

This helps to develop children's creativity skills.Staff successfully teach children about making healthy lifestyle choices. For example, they provide children with a wide range of nutritious options, shared during a sociable snack time.

Children sit around a camp fire and carefully toast their own bread and apples. Other children independently make sandwiches. They show their friends what ingredients they have chosen, comparing choices.

Children talk to friends about the need to be healthy as they enjoy drinking water and eating their snack.Children shriek with delight as they join in with an archery competition. Staff give children verbal instructions and patiently show them how to load the bow, before helping them to fire arrows.

Staff praise their efforts when children demonstrate their determination and patience. Children are proud when they win a trophy. This helps children develop their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Parents are complimentary about the club and the dedicated and friendly staff. They comment that the adventure club is 'magic'. Staff provide information and feedback about the children's day.

Parents state that their children are safe and the staff care for them well.Leaders have comprehensive risk assessments in place to ensure that all activities are appropriate for all ages of children. They make good use of individual meetings with staff to review their practice and identify any training needs.

Leaders use regular group meetings to ensure that staff keep up to date with any new information. Staff appreciate the support they receive, and they report that they love working at the adventure club.Leaders and staff have strong partnerships with the local schools that the children attend.

They recognise the importance of sharing information and working in partnership to keep children safe and to provide appropriate support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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