Muddy Munchkins Forest Nursery

Inspection of Muddy Munchkins Forest Nursery Dudsbury Girl Guides Camp, 174 Christchurch Road, West Parley, Ferndown, Dorset BH22 8SS

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Staff create a welcoming and stimulating environment. They have established links with another early years setting to offer weekly forest-school sessions. Staff ensure they share all relevant information with their linked early years setting. This helps them to meet children's different needs right from the start. All children are happy, secure and show great enthusiasm and positive attitudes towards their learning.

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The provision is good

Children form good friendships and enjoy one another's company, often creating role play activities together. For instance, they relish playing with the dinosaurs and wooden pallets. Children pretend that some dinosaurs find it difficult to jump up and join their friends on the top of the pallets. They think critically and add planks of wood as ramps to encourage the dinosaurs to walk up. Children show kindness and respect to one another as they listen to each other's ideas.

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff have adapted routines, in view of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, to ensure the good health of children attending. Staff take the children to wash their hands on arrival and clean resources regularly to minimise the risk of cross-infection. During national lockdowns, staff kept in touch with parents and provided learning packs to support children's learning at home.

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need to do better?

n Staff have high expectations for all children and plan a stimulating curriculum that broadens children's experiences. They know the individual children well and assess their development closely. Staff take their lead from children's play and spend a good amount of time joining in and guiding their learning. They are passionate about developing children's understanding of the natural world. For example, staff observe children while they carry out insect hunts and lift logs, and suggest using magnifying glasses to look closely at the small creatures they find. However, staff's interactions occasionally lack the challenge to fully support and extend each child's learning. n Children take risks and learn how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they talk confidently about how they cannot go beyond the boundary flags without an adult. Staff skilfully teach children about key safety rules and talk about which

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need to do better?

plants, such as stinging nettles, to avoid when going for a walk. n Staff model language effectively. They talk calmly, repeat sentences and use picture cards to encourage children's communication skills. However, there are less opportunities for children who are learning to speak English as an additional language to hear and practise speaking in both languages, to further build on their communication skills. n The manager makes good use of the additional funding received for children to improve their outcomes. She has used recent funding to ensure that these

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need to do better?

5 October 2021 children have suitable clothing for learning outdoors. This enables children to fully explore their natural surroundings and get as dirty as they like. n Staff promote daily routines to support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles. For example, children know the importance of washing their hands regularly to reduce the spread of germs. They eat healthy snacks and lunches, and enjoy physical exercise. Staff provide parents with useful information about healthy eating and the benefits of being outdoors in the fresh air. n Parents comment on the 'hard working team'. They describe the positive impact of the curriculum on their children's learning and development. For instance, children share experiences from the setting, such as learning how tree roots help trees to drink water. Parents value the daily updates about their child's day and ideas on how to support their children's learning effectively.

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need to do better?

n Leaders evaluate the strengths and areas for improvement in the setting regularly. This helps them to make continual improvements. They support all staff to improve their practice using a targeted cycle of supervision and training. Staff make good use of their professional development. For example, after recent research on well-being, they have introduced textiles and clothes pegs for children to create their own cosy spaces in the large 'base camp'. Children work together to hang up the large pieces of material on a den and discuss their ideas with one another.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff understand and are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities to protect children in their care from harm. They can recognise the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff complete training and their knowledge of child protection is updated and refreshed regularly. The manager conducts safer recruitment procedures and checks that staff remain suitable in their roles. Staff are well deployed and know how to identify and minimise risks, such as checking to ensure that the outdoor area is safe before children arrive.

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should:

n provide more opportunities for children who are learning to speak English as an additional language to hear and practise speaking in both languages, to further build on their communication skills n strengthen the consistency of staff's interactions with children to fully support and extend each child's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY562917 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 10194451 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

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 125 Name of registered person Sunbeams Day Care Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01202 737100 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Muddy Munchkins Forest Nursery registered in 2018. It operates from Dudsbury Girl Guides Camp, situated in Ferndown, Dorset. The setting is open all year round. It provides sessions on Monday to Friday, from 9:30am to 2:30pm, during term time. A holiday club is provided for children during the school holidays, Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 4pm. The setting provides funded education for three- and four-year-olds. There are 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate childcare qualifications from level 2 to level 6. The manager is a qualified forest-school teacher.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n Leaders completed a learning walk of the environment with the inspector, and discussed how the staff plan to teach children. n The inspector observed and evaluated interactions between staff and children throughout the inspection outdoors. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the owner to evaluate the quality of teaching. n Leaders and the inspector held a meeting together. The inspector looked at a sample of documents, including evidence of staff's suitability. n The inspector took account of the views of parents gathered from written feedback provided.

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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.

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Inspection activities

5 October 2021 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.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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