The Organic Forest Kindergarten

Saplings Forest School Pewsey Road, Rushall, Wiltshire SN9 6JY

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Inspection date 7 May 2019 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n Children's behaviour is very good. They show care and concern for their friends. For example, when children say they do not have binoculars to take to the woods, their friends say, 'Don't worry we can share'. n The manager and staff check children's progress carefully and quickly identify any gaps in learning. They put in place strategies to help focus on where children need additional support. They work closely with other professionals when needed to close the gaps and help children catch up. Children make good progress from their starting points. n Children learn and are confident in their knowledge of how to take managed risks and to stay safe. For example, they know to test the branches when climbing the trees to find out how strong they are. They know to stop when staff call 'cooee' as children explain they must not go too far from them to stay safe. n The manager seeks the views of staff and parents to identify the pre-school's strengths

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This provision is good

and priorities for improvement. For example, following feedback from parents, she has introduced 'celebration afternoons' so that parents can visit more regularly and see what their children do in the forest and what they are learning about. n Children are independent learners who are curious about and interested in their environment and the resources on offer. For example, they explore the woods, find birds' nests and talk about what kinds of birds may be living there. They ask questions about the different plants and compare them to the ones in the base camp. n At times, younger children are not fully engaged in large-group activities, to challenge their learning even further. n Staff have not explored different ways to engage all parents in supporting some aspects of their children's development at home.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n organise large-group activities to engage the younger children's interests and extend their learning further n explore different ways to engage all parents in supporting their children's development at home.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector accompanied the staff and children from the car park to the camp base and on a walk to the woodlands. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector observed the staff's interactions with the children and the impact on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager and discussed how she evaluated the quality of teaching. n The inspector sampled a range of documents, including suitability checks, training and qualification certificates, children's records and policies. n The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager meets regularly with staff and together they reflect on their practice. They identify professional development opportunities that improve teaching and outcomes for children. For example, following training, staff have implemented small-group activities that have improved children's communication and language skills, particularly those who are not reaching expected levels of development. Safeguarding is effective. The manager has robust recruitment procedures in place. She has attended extensive health and fire safety training, and carries out regular risk assessments to ensure the forest school practices are safe for the children. Staff are knowledgeable about child protection issues and the manager regularly checks their knowledge, such as by discussing safeguarding scenarios with them. This promotes children's safety and welfare. Overall, partnerships with parents are good. Parents report they are well informed about their children's

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

progress and that their children have developed good levels of confidence since attending the pre-school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan a wide range of interesting activities for the children and the environment is planned well to spark their interests and curiosity. Staff are skilled at supporting children's learning and often encourage children to talk about what they have learnt. For example, when discussing the weather, staff ask children if they can remember the name of the clouds. Older children confidently recall that the fluffy clouds today are 'cumulus' and that rain clouds are 'nimbus'. Staff are skilful in supporting young children's communication and language. For example, they repeat clearly what the children say, and this increases children's confidence to speak more as they know they are understood. Staff promote children's love of stories and encourage children to predict what may happen next. They listen to and value the children's ideas.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff know the children extremely well and meet their individual needs effectively. Children show they have formed close relationships with the staff and the other children. Children play with their friends and work together cooperatively, such as when mixing paints and creating their artwork. Children have plenty of opportunities to be physically active. They confidently balance as they walk along the planks on the obstacle course and use the swing independently. They develop their upper body strength when using the pulleys to lift pots of stones and when they climb trees. Children learn about healthy routines, such as eating nutritious snacks and washing their hands at the various 'stations'. They develop independence as they put on their coats, carry their bags and help themselves to drinks.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children gain a range of knowledge and skills that prepare them well for their next stage in learning, including school. They are curious, confident and enjoy exploring the natural environment. For example, children add natural materials to their artwork and explore the patterns and textures they make. Older children concentrate well and are keen to learn. They develop good literacy skills, such as knowing the sounds that letters make and recognising simple words.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY544892 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10094862 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 10 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Saplings Forest School Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07393943165

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reference number

Saplings Forest pre-school registered in 2017 and operates from Black Knoll Wood, Rushall, Pewsey, Wiltshire. It is operated by Saplings Forest School Ltd. The pre-school opens each weekday from 8.30am to 1.30pm all year round, except on Tuesdays when the pre-school is open from 8.30am to 3.30pm. Four members of staff work with the children. Two have relevant qualifications at level 3 and one has a relevant childcare qualification at level 2. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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procedures set out in the guidance Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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