Croft Corner Forest School Nursery

Inspection of Croft Corner Forest School Nursery Holy Trinity Parish Centre, 61 Dobcroft Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S7 2LQ

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children are motivated to learn. Due to the skilled staff team, children are encouraged to keep on trying when they encounter difficulties in their play. They are also successfully supported to find their own solutions to their problems. For example, when making musical instruments, skilful questioning by staff encourages children to find ways of covering their instruments. Supporting children's personal and social skills is a key curriculum intention. Effective role modelling by staff helps children to learn to behave well and to develop positive attitudes to learning. Children remain focused in their play for extended periods of time. When playing with play dough, children chat about what they are making. They respond to their peers' explanations, interacting and building on their own ideas.

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The provision is good

Exceptionally skilled pre-school staff encourage children to identify a range of emotions. As the staff member holds up each emotion card, children identify which emotion is displayed. The staff member asks them why they think this, exploring their thoughts, feelings and understanding of emotions. For example, when children explain that the person feels left out, the staff member explains that they may feel lonely. Children continue to reflect on this and confirm the person feels lonely, as they have no friends. The staff member moves on to explore how the children are feeling. She allows them time to answer and explain why they feel this way. The activity successfully challenges children, supporting their listening and communication skills as well as their personal and emotional development.

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need to do better?

n Children enjoy looking at books independently and with staff. Two-year-olds request staff read their favourite stories using words and signs. Staff support their speaking skills as they encourage children to discuss what they can see in the book. Pre-school staff hold conversations with children. They ask relevant questions, supporting two-way conversations. Staff also introduce new words into older children's growing vocabulary. n Staff working with the youngest children continually talk to them about what they are doing. However, they do not consistently listen to and build on what toddlers are saying. They also sometimes explain the meaning of the word to the toddler, which is not developmentally appropriate for these young children. n Forest school sessions provide pre-school children with opportunities to learn about the world around us. They explore their natural environment and learn to take calculated risks under the close supervision of staff.

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need to do better?

n The forest school ethos is carried on during outdoor play at the nursery. At the start of term, staff support pre-school children to learn how to safely use hammers. They provide children with bottle tops and lollipop sticks to hammer into large pieces of wood. As children's skills, control, and coordination progress,

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need to do better?

16 August 2022 they begin using smaller nails and pieces of wood. Pre-school children show imagination as they carefully hammer the nails and fit elastic bands to them. They explain how they are making electric guitars. n The outdoor environment is carefully planned for two-year-olds and babies. Two-year-olds learn how to carefully navigate the slope and climb up and down stairs. Toddlers are encouraged to develop their balance and coordination as they learn to negotiate the different textured flooring on different levels. n Staff work closely with parents and carers to ensure children's individual needs are met from the outset. Staff continue to review and monitor children's progress, responding to their interests as they build on each child's prior knowledge and skills. Staff also plan activities based on cultural and yearly events to broaden children's experiences and knowledge. n Children's awareness of safety and being healthy is supported through some

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need to do better?

planned activities. They learn about road safety and how to be assertive and to respect the word 'no'. However, the manager has yet to consider how to explore children's awareness of online safety. n Parents are extremely happy with the care and learning provided at the nursery. They especially like the freedom where their children benefit from indoor and outdoor play and forest school sessions. They explain how their children have been supported to learn some letter sounds and they feel this prepares them well for starting school. n Children with possible special educational needs and/or disabilities are quickly identified. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure all children, including those with more complex needs, are included, valued, and supported. Staff help children to learn about their similarities and differences. This helps children to respect each other as unique individuals.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are effectively deployed, which ensures children are supervised well. Children respond to staff's instructions and requests when playing with challenging equipment, such as hammers. The manager and staff have a good knowledge of a wide range of potential indicators of abuse. They understand the procedures to follow if a concern is identified about a child. Continual risk assessment by staff ensures all areas inside, outside or at the forest school site, remain safe and secure. Visual barriers are created during forest school sessions, which children learn to respect. Children are supported to learn how to respect their own bodies and to say no if they do not like something. This helps to keep children safe from harm.

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should:

16 August 2022 n support staff who work with children under two years to more consistently build on what children say to support their growing vocabulary n consider how to support children's awareness of how to stay safe when using the internet and digital technology.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2583390 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 10249110 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 71 Number of children on roll 80 Name of registered person Forest School Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01142356030 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Croft Corner Forest School Nursery registered in 2020. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery implements the forest school ethos for children aged three and above as part of their weekly teaching strategy.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Children and staff spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a planned activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and reviewed written feedback from a range of parents and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.

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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

16 August 2022 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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