The Forest Pre-School at Copythorne and Embers

Inspection of The Forest Pre-School at Copythorne and Embers Copythorne Scout Hut, Romsey Road, Copythorne, Southampton SO40 2PB

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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

Children arrive happy and separate from their parents with ease. They settle into the secure assembly area, before they leave to walk to the woodland area for their forest school play. Staff introduce new vocabulary as they point out different flowers on the way. They sing songs as they walk. This helps to develop children's communication and language skills and understanding of the wildlife.

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The provision is good

Children learn well, as staff understand how to provide a broad curriculum, planned well, incorporating the forest school ethos. Children explore independently and excitedly share how they are making 'macaroni cheese' in the mud kitchen. They talk about how they are using 'lots' of ingredients to make their creation, including mud, cornflour and water. When they are unable to find grass for their 'cheese', they talk confidently about how they will make pasta instead. This demonstrates their resilience to adapt their play and work with the resources they have.

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The provision is good

Younger children take the soft, cuddly toy pigs down to meet the real pigs and hold them up so they can see each other. Children are at ease and confident in their surroundings and communicate well with staff, each other and visitors. They listen to the birds and then look in the reference books to see which birds they have heard.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and develop positive attitudes to learning. The woodland environment promotes their natural curiosity and eagerness to learn. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have a clear vision for the setting. They want children to experience true forest school provision and have trained several staff to deliver this practice. The nominated individual and the experienced supervisor support the team well. Staff report their well-being is good and they receive support in their roles. Effective systems are in place for the supervision of all staff. This has recently been further developed to include an element of coaching. Leaders work alongside the staff to support practice. In addition, staff complete regular training. This helps to keep their knowledge and skills current. n Overall, staff promote children's language development well. Staff provide a sociable environment where children practise their conversational skills. However, occasionally, staff do not challenge children's thinking. For example, sometimes, when children ask questions, staff quickly provide the answers,

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need to do better?

instead of allowing children to think for themselves. This does not encourage children to think more deeply and problem-solve.

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need to do better?

23 March 2023 n Staff check children's progress and use their assessments to plan for what children need to learn next. As a result, children enjoy a range of planned activities and experiences alongside the freedom to explore and learn for themselves. The natural environment gives children many opportunities to increase their physical development. They access a variety of different swings and skilfully climb on the tree trunks, balancing carefully and jumping down afterwards. n Staff know the children well and respond to their individual needs. A well- established key-person system helps to ensure children's safety and well-being. Staff help to settle new children into the setting sensitively and support parents well. They send photos of children during their play. This helps to reassure parents their children are happy and enjoying their time at the setting. Hygiene practices are good. Staff remind children to wash their hands before mealtimes.

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need to do better?

They encourage children to blow their noses and dispose of tissues appropriately. n Parents are very happy with the staff and how their children have progressed since starting. They comment that the setting is 'absolutely wonderful', the team are 'fantastic' and that the children 'would not have got to the stages that they are at without them'. They talk about how their children's communication skills have developed since they started. The relationship between the staff and the parents helps to support children's emotional security. n Children follow the rules. For example, they walk in line to the woodland and listen to the staff as they remind them to 'wait at the gate' and 'look out for cars'. Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning as they persevere when faced with challenges. For example, when they cannot find feathers for their birds, they improvise, using needles from the pines instead.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are confident in identifying the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. They know the action to take if worried about children in their care. Staff understand the process if they have concerns about adults working with children. All staff complete regular safeguarding training to ensure their knowledge is current. Secure recruitment and vetting arrangements are in place. This helps to ensure staff working with children are suitable for their roles. Staff have paediatric first-aid training and additional forest school first-aid training. As a result, they are confident to manage accidents.

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should:

n support staff to build on children's ability to think more deeply.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2655591 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10266182 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 24 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Calder & Hannam Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07746133515 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Forest Pre-School at Copythorne and Embers re-registered in September 2021, due to a change of location. It is situated in Copythorne, Hampshire. The pre- school first registered in 2016. It is open all year round, Monday to Friday, from 9.15am to 3.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are seven staff who work at the setting. Four have a level 3 qualification. The pre-school follows the forest school outdoor learning ethos.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the pre-school 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 We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The supervisor joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the supervisor. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in the setting.

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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

23 March 2023 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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