Kenwood Nature Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff ensure that children are safe and secure in this forest school environment. They regularly assess risks in the environment and teach children to keep themselves safe.

For example, before entering a clearing that is regularly used, staff ask children what hazards they need to check for. Children respond saying that they need to check for rubbish and broken branches. In addition, children learn how to keep themselves safe during free play.

They observe boundaries and stay close to staff. This supports children to stay safe while taking risks in their play.Staff teach children to be kind and considerate to each othe...r in mixed-age groups.

They teach children to share, take turns and work together. Children holds hands with younger children as they explore the woods and look for leaves. Children learn what is expected of them, including what is right and wrong.

Staff use the natural environment to teach children new knowledge and skills. For example, they sit in groups on the grass and pretend to brush their teeth, using sticks to represent toothbrushes. Staff model toothbrushing as children copy.

They pretend to rinse and turn the tap on and off. Children learn to use their imagination while learning about healthy routines.

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

The manager ensures that children benefit from a varied curriculum.

Staff use assessment well to understand children's existing skills and knowledge. They then use this information to plan what they what children to learn next. They use the natural environment and add further resources to teach children new skills.

Staff support children to develop their communication and language skills. They model new language and repeat back what children say. They use books, stories and rhymes to create a language-rich environment.

For example, children join in with familiar rhymes as they wait for their lunch. Children develop knowledge of familiar rhymes and stories.Staff teach children simple mathematical concepts.

They hide numbered pumpkins in the trees. Children search for them and say the number out loud when they find them. Staff introduce words such as big and small and point out colours in the environment.

Children make good progress in their mathematical development.Staff encourage children to solve problems. Most staff ask open-ended questions to encourage children's thinking skills.

They ask questions, such as how children might fill buckets or how they might build a ramp to get down from a high platform. However, this is not consistent across all areas. In particular, staff are not always confident to introduce questions when children are leading play.

This limits children's opportunities to solve problems in different environments and contexts. Very occasionally staff do not consistently use adult-led teaching to even further develop children's skills and knowledge.Staff have high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Children with SEND have targeted plans that set out what staff want them to learn. They support children with SEND to develop their skills, while still encouraging them to explore the vast environments. Children with SEND have full access to the same learning opportunities as their peers.

As a result, they make good progress in all areas of their learning.Parents describe how their children have developed new skills since attending the nursery. They say that their children have made rapid progress in their physical development.

They say that their children are caring and confident individuals because of the experiences they have at the nursery. In addition, parents say that staff support them to understand how their children learn.The manager observes staff's practice.

He recognises the strengths and weaknesses in staff's teaching skills. When weaknesses are identified, he provides opportunities for staff to observe each other and learn from each other's strengths. In particular, this is helping staff to further support children's language and communication development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff supervise children well, both in the nursery setting and when out at various community locations. Risk assessment processes are regularly reviewed by managers and communicated to staff.

When new risks are identified, managers take swift action to ensure that children are kept safe from harm. Staff can identify the signs that a child may be suffering from harm or abuse. They understand the procedures for reporting concerns to ensure that children receive immediate support.

Managers ensure that staff have regular training to understand safeguarding issues that affect children. This ensures that staff have a current working knowledge to keep children safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff's confidence to introduce questioning techniques when engaging in child-initiated play support staff to create further opportunities to introduce adult-led learning.