Hidden Valley Bushcraft Woodland Kindergarten

Inspection of Hidden Valley Bushcraft Woodland Kindergarten Parcle 3274, Pensford Lane, Stanton Drew, Banes BS39 4JL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

p.1

The provision is outstanding

Children demonstrate that they feel extremely safe and secure in the company of staff. They are incredibly well nurtured and encouraged in everything they do and build exceptionally close relationships with the staff. Children display high levels of confidence and independence as they play. Children benefit from a rich, highly stimulating and exciting environment which ignites their curiosity, and tests their investigative and problem-solving skills. Children thoroughly enjoy exploring the world around them as they climb trees, find worms and insects and build log piles. Children have great fun in the mud kitchen as they confidently cut and peel fruit, chop herbs, find soil and bark to add to their mixture and closely observe the changing textures of their potions.

p.2

The provision is outstanding

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children respond extremely well, with exceptionally good behaviour. They are highly motivated to learn and play extremely well together. Children have an excellent understanding of right and wrong. They have a strong understanding about how to keep themselves safe when in the outdoor environment. For example, children are very clear about not touching or eating plants and that they need to wait at the gate for a member of staff to go through first as they walk to the woodland area. Children confidently talk about how and where they should walk when the fire is lit.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff provide excellent opportunities for children to develop their physical skills and good health. Staff encourage children to take risks in their physical play. For example, during their time in the woodland, children carefully climb up and slide down mud slopes. Children take great delight as they walk to the woodland site. They use maps to find the way and show great excitement as they find the large viaduct they are standing under on the map. n Highly effective staff deployment means all children are well supervised and cared for. Staff carry out extensive risk assessments, including emergency evacuation procedures. They take children's medical details and contact numbers to the wooded area and staff have extensive knowledge of first-aid procedures, specifically for accidents outdoors. n Children show exceptional care and concern for each other as they play. For example, they help each other to climb muddy slopes, do up zips on coats for

p.2

need to do better?

each other and fasten rucksacks. Children show delight as they talk to the sheep on the walk, ensuring they keep a safe distance from the fence. Children know to wait for adults before going through the gates, to keep themselves safe. n Staff are inspirational teachers and have great enthusiasm about what they do with the children. They have an exceptional knowledge of their key children. Staff meticulously assess what children can do and plan precisely for children's

p.2

need to do better?

7 January 2020 next steps in learning. They are exceptionally skilled in allowing children to follow their ideas and in extending these. For instance, when children say they are making dog food, staff provide small pots they can put their mixture in to take home. n Staff are exceptionally quick to recognise and provide extra challenge for those children who need it. When children put labels on their pots staff sound out letters as the children write their names on them. It is obvious that children thoroughly enjoy their time in the woodland area. n Staff expertly support children's language and mathematical development in the extensive outdoor learning environment. They regularly encourage children to count each other before they move to the next gate on the walk. Staff provide activities based around children's interests to help encourage counting and new words. For example, children talk confidently about dinosaurs, counting bones

p.2

need to do better?

the staff have provided, and they talk in detail about how we know dinosaurs existed. n Staff have built strong and highly effective partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals. Staff use a variety of ways to communicate with parents, including daily feedback, meetings, updating children's online journals and sharing children's next steps in learning. This helps to ensure parents are fully included and able to support their children's learning at home. n The provider supports staff extraordinarily well. Both the manager and provider carry out supervisions with each other and the staff. Regular staff meetings, discussions at the end of sessions and ongoing training all contribute to a team that works exceptionally well together, and is highly dedicated and inspiring. This results in children making exceptional progress and gaining secure foundations for future learning.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The provider is exceptionally experienced in child protection procedures and is instrumental in ensuring her staff are highly trained. Staff regularly complete safeguarding training, which helps to ensure they understand their responsibilities to help keep children safe. Staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding procedures and the signs and indicators that may alert them to any concerns about a child's welfare. They are very clear about what to do if they have any concerns about the behaviour of another adult. The provider implements robust recruitment procedures, including the regular checking of staff's suitability to work with children. Comprehensive induction processes help to ensure staff are very clear about the setting's unique environment.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY546388 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10103643 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 3 to 5 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Hidden Valley Bushcraft Ltd

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 07886522013 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Hidden Valley Bushcraft Woodland Kindergarten registered in 2017. It operates from a private enclosed woodland area near Pensford, near Bristol. Children meet staff at the church rooms in the village, before walking to the woodland area. The kindergarten provides care for children aged between three and five years and is open Tuesday to Thursday from 9am to 3pm for 50 weeks a year. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. There are three members of staff, including the provider, who work directly with the children. Of these, the manager holds early years teacher status, and the deputy and provider have childcare qualifications at level 3. Two members of staff hold forest school qualifications. The provider's husband, who is working towards a childcare qualification at level 3, occasionally works with the children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The inspector and provider had a discussion on the way to the woodland area to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. n The inspector observed children and their interactions with staff throughout the inspection. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff, parents and children at appropriate times during the inspection. The inspector took into account the views of parents from information gathered by the provider. n The inspector looked at a sample of documentation. This included evidence of staff suitability and training, and the kindergarten's policies and procedures.

p.5

Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

7 January 2020 regulates and inspects to 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6