Kids Go Wild Forest School Limited

Inspection of Kids Go Wild Forest School Limited Dane Bank Green Space, Windsor Road, Dane Bank, Denton M34 2HR

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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 become deeply involved in purposeful, self-initiated play in this exciting open-air environment. The well-qualified, experienced staff observe and listen to children. Their skilful interventions help all children to develop their own ideas. Pre- school children decide to make a shelter for some tiny slugs. They find a space in the 'bug hotel', then want to add more protection for the slugs. Staff work with them to try out pieces of wood, to see which ones fit the space to children's satisfaction. The exercise demonstrates children's ability to form a plan and complete a project. They learn to adapt their ideas to the resources that they find.

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The provision is good

Children show that they feel safe and happy at the forest school. New children rapidly gain confidence. They eagerly tell staff about the adventures that they are having. Staff make the site safety rules a priority. Children know that they must never walk inside the fire circle, even when the fire is not burning. However, children learn that fire can be managed safely and is useful. They fix apples onto long sticks and roast them. In winter, children find out the benefits of fire for keeping them warm and for cooking the food that they make.

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need to do better?

n The provider's vision is for children to gain hands-on experience, tailored to their individual needs and interests, in a natural setting. Older children describe how being outdoors relaxes them and benefits their mental, social and physical health. Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning and development. n Leaders make observations of staff's teaching and provide regular feedback and coaching. Staff say that they feel supported to develop their skills and are really happy in their roles. They bring rich and varied professional experience to the forest school. However, the team is relatively new and there are occasions when the detail of how they apply principles to practice is inconsistent. This means that, sometimes, children are not precisely sure what is expected of them. n Children make particularly good progress in their language development. Much

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need to do better?

of the lively conversation is rooted in first-hand experience. Children learn that water makes a slide fast and fun, while a slide with dried mud on it is much slower. Children extend their vocabulary in meaningful contexts. Staff teach children the meaning of words, such as 'respectful' when they seek and find small creatures. Children look at the worms, then gently replace the log that covered them. n Staff understand how children learn. This helps them to support children's own lines of enquiry. Children want to make leads for soft-toy pets. This requires them to tie knots and cut string. Staff encourage children to help each other. This promotes children's kind behaviour and self-esteem. Children at an early

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need to do better?

28 May 2024 stage of using scissors show a sense of achievement when the string suddenly divides. They want to repeat their success and keep practising. n Staff plan adult-led activities that children enjoy. However, sometimes, the learning intentions for activities are not shared clearly enough with children. This does not help children to recognise and celebrate precisely what they know and can do as a result of participating. n Strong partnerships help to make the forest school truly child-centred. When new children with SEND communicate non verbally, leaders seek advice and training from specialist practitioners in partner settings. This leads to staff building the use of signs, symbols and objects of reference into children's daily routines. It helps to accelerate every child's progress towards confident communication and early literacy. n Leaders routinely communicate information about children's individual needs

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need to do better?

with staff. This includes details of children's allergies to particular substances and means that children are catered for safely. Parents and carers feel well informed about the provision, its ethos and their children's progress. They say that looking at digital photos on the app helps them to initiate purposeful conversations with children about events at forest school. Parents are deeply appreciative of the acceptance and support that staff extend to every child and family.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n make even better use of supervision and coaching so that staff demonstrate highly consistent practice across the team n sharpen planning so that adult-led activities promote children's deepest engagement in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2711472 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 10349842 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 20 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Kids Go Wild Forest School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07827794891 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Kids Go Wild Forest School Limited registered in 2022. The provision is based in Tameside and operates outdoors following the principles underpinning forest school provision. The forest school employs five members of childcare staff. Four members of staff hold qualified teacher status and one holds a qualification at level 3. The forest school opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The forest school is eligible to provide funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 provider, the forest school manager and the inspector completed a learning walk of the site. They discussed the team's approach to planning the curriculum. n The provider and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity. n The inspector observed play and learning activities. She spoke with children and staff. n Parents spoke with the inspector. Children and parents provided written feedback. The inspector took account of their views. n Examples of relevant documentation were sampled and reviewed by the inspector. She checked evidence of the suitability of staff working in the forest school.

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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

28 May 2024 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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