Little Tree Woodland School

Inspection of Little Tree Woodland School Potager Garden, High Cross, Constantine, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5RF

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children feel comfortable and secure at the setting. They arrive confidently and greet staff warmly with affectionate cuddles. Staff welcome parents to come into the setting to settle their children to an activity. Children are eager to show their parents what they have chosen to play with and happily wave their parents off when they leave.

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The provision is good

The provider, who is also the manager, and the staff plan a broad and challenging curriculum. Children are curious about the natural world as they explore and investigate the forest school. They confidently collect insects, examine them closely in their hands and talk about their features. For example, the children discuss the appearance of centipedes and how to care for the worms. Staff support and encourage children to develop their strength, balance and coordination, such as when climbing trees. They remind the children to climb carefully and to think about how high they feel safe to go, to help them to assess risks for themselves. Children develop confidence in their abilities and are keen to try new things and take part in activities. They demonstrate a positive attitude to learning and are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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need to do better?

n The provider has worked hard to make improvements. Since the last inspection, they have taken steps to keep children safe and to meet children's needs by reviewing the organisation of the daily routines. Children have the time and space to fully immerse themselves and concentrate on their chosen activities. n The provider and staff work together well and the team morale is high. The provider meets with the staff regularly to discuss their ideas, training needs and the children. For example, following recent training, staff have made plans to develop even closer partnerships with parents and extend children's learning further at home. n The provider and staff take account of the children's interests and are skilled at supporting children's learning. For example, when children find some wild fungi, the staff encourage them to use a reference book to find out more about it. The children are fascinated and tell each of the staff members what they have

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need to do better?

learned about the fungi. At times, staff do not consider how to challenge children and target their learning needs more precisely, to extend their learning further. n Staff model a broad vocabulary to teach children new words. For example, they use descriptive language, such as 'stiff', when talking about the texture of play dough and name items that children come across in their play, such as 'stethoscope' and 'centipede'. Children are confident to initiate discussions with their friends and staff. However, at times, staff do not consider ways to support

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need to do better?

19 July 2023 children to work things out for themselves and express their thoughts and ideas. n Staff know the children and promote their emotional well-being effectively. They model polite and respectful relationships with each other and the children. Children learn from the staff to use 'please' and 'thank you' at appropriate times, which helps them to develop friendships. When children hurt themselves, such as after touching stinging nettles, they calmly and self-assuredly consider if they need help from staff. n Parents speak very positively about the setting and staff team. They comment on the close relationships between their children and the staff and the progress they have seen in their children's social skills and confidence. Parents receive detailed information from staff about their children's learning and development. n Children are highly imaginative. For example, they excitedly invite staff to

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need to do better?

accompany them on a 'trip to the east' to search for the 'yeti'. The children confidently announce, 'follow me, I'll take the lead!'. Staff play along with enthusiasm to the children's delight. n Children know and understand the routines and they manage their self-care needs independently. For example, they remind adults of the need to wash their hands before eating and help each other to use the foot-pedal water pump.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider and staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe. They supervise the children well and teach them how to use the tools safely. For example, they remind children that shovels need to be kept below knee height to try to avoid injuring anyone around them. The provider and staff have a good knowledge of child protection and how to respond when they have concerns about the welfare of a child. They are clear about the setting's safeguarding policies and procedures and implement them consistently.

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should:

n strengthen staff's support for children's individual learning needs to provide additional challenge and target their next steps more precisely n support children to think about and respond to questions and to share their thoughts and ideas, to extend children's communication and language further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2501582 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 10287044 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Little Tree Woodland School CIC

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reference number

Telephone number 07842886430 Date of previous inspection 23 March 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Little Tree Woodland School registered in 2019. It is located on the site of Potager Garden in High Cross, near Constantine in Cornwall. It opens Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9.30am to 3pm, for 40 weeks of the year. There are five staff. Of these, two have qualified teacher status, one has a relevant level 3 early years qualification and three are level 3 forest school trained. The school receives early years government funding for children aged three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The provider and deputy manager completed a learning walk with the inspector to explain their aims for children and how the curriculum is organised. n Parents shared their views and feedback about the setting with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to children throughout the inspection. n The inspector held discussions with the provider and staff. n The provider and inspector carried out joint observation together of a group activity to reflect on the quality of teaching and learning. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of staff working at 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

19 July 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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