The World Outside Kindergarten

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff welcome children and their parents with smiles. Children confidently separate from their parents.

They excitedly enter the setting and are greeted by their friends. This shows that they feel safe and secure. Staff provide a wealth of accessible resources that stimulate children's curiosity and support all areas of learning.

Children benefit from a well-planned curriculum. They practise their physical skills as they climb trees, jump like frogs, and tiptoe like mice. They watch and listen to birds squawking overhead, then pretend to soar like buzzards.

Children use technology to identify and learn about t...he birds that they hear singing. Woodland walks provide opportunities for children to further explore nature. Children build dens, watch butterflies, build bug hotels, and feed hedgehogs.

Staff support children to be resilient and persevere. For example, when children ask staff to open lunch boxes, staff encourage them to try to do it themselves first. They use a saying from a familiar story to support children to keep trying when they meet challenges.

This learning is further embedded in the environment. Children watch a duckling struggle to walk up a plank. Children chant the familiar phrase 'I think I can, I think I can' and take great delight when the duckling reaches his goal.

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

Staff promote children's independence. Children toast their own bread on the camp fire, closely supervised by staff. Children confidently explain to visitors how to stay safe near the fire.

Staff encourage children to spread their own butter and honey on their toast. Children talk knowledgeably about how the bees at the setting have made the honey in their hive.Management have identified communication and language as a key focus area.

Staff attach 'chatter cards' along the entrance path. These encourage children to use their imagination and answer questions with their parents. Staff use sign language to support children's communication.

They work closely with speech and language specialists, who suggest activities and set targets for children. Staff lead animated story sessions. These develop children's listening skills and vocabulary.

Furthermore, staff encourage children who speak English as an additional language to proudly talk in their home language.Children follow the setting's rules, such as using kind hands, walking feet, quiet voices, and good choices. They are kind and respectful to staff and their friends.

Children take turns, share resources and use good manners. They listen to and follow staff instructions. However, at times, the organisation of the day is not always managed effectively.

This results in children having to stop what they are doing and line up to wait for routine tasks. This does not always maximise their learning.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress.

Staff work with other agencies to ensure that children receive the specialist help they need. Staff monitor children's progress and complete regular developmental assessments, including progress checks at two years of age. This ensures that gaps in children's learning are identified early and further support is offered.

There have been many staff changes in recent months, including a new manager. The new staff team has a wealth of experience, knowledge and training. However, this knowledge is not consistently shared with staff to improve outcomes for all children.

Parents describe the setting as a calm, special place where their children thrive. They say that the new staff team is friendly, enthusiastic and professional. Parents describe the outdoor environment as enriching, where they feel their children will develop a lifelong love of nature.

They talk about the immeasurable benefits to their children's physical, emotional and mental health from attending the setting. They identify this as being crucial in what they describe as today's fast-paced world.Leadership and management follow thorough recruitment and induction procedures.

These, along with the regular supervision of staff, ensure that all staff are, and continue to be, suitable to work with children. Clear policies and procedures are in place. Leaders, managers and staff constantly monitor and risk assess the provision to minimise risks.

Leaders employ more staff than needed to increase staff ratios. This ensures that children are always safely supervised and supported. Leaders and managers have ambitious plans to broaden children's experiences.

This includes exploring other activities in the local community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The setting is safe and secure.

Management and staff continually monitor weather conditions to ensure that it is safe for children to be in the woodland space. Staff have completed paediatric first-aid training that is specifically relevant to learning outdoors. Alternative secure indoor classrooms are available and safe to use in extreme weather conditions.

Leaders ensure that regular fire drills are completed and safe evacuation procedures are in place. All staff have a secure knowledge of the signs of abuse and procedures to follow if they have any concerns.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: provide staff with more opportunities to share their knowledge and skills with other staff to strengthen practice and improve outcomes for children review transitions between activities to maximise children's learning.

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