Effective use of the outdoor environment to promote high quality well-being and learning
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Information about the setting
Little Friends Nursery is a privately run childcare setting, early years education provider and non-maintained flying start setting. It is situated in Ffynnon Taf Primary School, Taff’s Well, Cardiff, and provides high-quality childcare and education that supports children’s development in a safe and stimulating environment. It supports the children to learn through play and maintains a close partnership with parents and carers.
The setting’s vision is to work alongside families to develop and support each individual child to reach their full potential. It offers a range of engaging experiences and stimulating resources to support their play and learning.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
The COVID-19 pandemic identified everyone’s need to spend more time outdoors. Practitioners opened the new setting in November 2020, which was in the middle of the pandemic. With a purpose-built building, inside was safe and secure. This provided the motivation to focus attention on creating a wonderful, natural and curiosity driven garden for the children to enjoy.
Practitioners noticed that a lot of the garden area inherited (old school playground) was hard flooring, lots of concrete and old wooden frames of sandpits etc. They took to work with a jackhammer and created natural flower beds surrounding the yard. They then had safety flooring installed to allow children to run freely without grazes!
After spending the majority of their time outside, it allowed practitioners to identify a need for a good quality sheltered area that the children could use as a base during outdoor play. They decided that by investing in an outdoor classroom it would allow children who are less fond of the rain and wind to be sheltered appropriately whilst also reaping the benefits of natural play and fresh air.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
The garden area continues to develop over time. Practitioners have developed a large allotment as an extension to the flower beds, and grow their own fruit and vegetables, as well as a range of trees, flowers, herbs, spices and a forestry area. The children learn to prepare and cook different foods, explore taste and learn about all the health benefits of natural ingredients.
Practitioners have a large construction area boasting bark and sand, which also includes resources such as mechanical diggers, ladders, beams, baskets, huts, and tool stations for the children to experience.
Practitioners provide lots of access to bikes, scooters and cars for the children to explore freely as well as a climbing frame, balance beams, and cosy area.
The outdoor classroom has since evolved into being much more of an expressive space rather than simply a shelter. Using the children’s interests and ideas, practitioners have developed a space where children can be creative with nature, using mud, clay, plants and flowers to create art or enjoy simple explorative play. Practitioners continue to develop and adapt this area in line with the children’s interests. At present they are developing a musical area, incorporating music manuscript as the children learn to recognise notes whilst creating their own instruments and sounds from nature.
What impact has this work had on provision and children’s standards?
The practice has noticeably improved via all inspection reports, with the SSTEW, Quality Assurance and CIW inspections all receiving excellent feedback in all areas. Staff are motivated to enhance the provision through implementing the new curriculum with passion and care.
The setting offers children a wonderfully curious area where they can take appropriate risks in endless ways, supported and encouraged by staff. With staff support, the children use a wide range of equipment, building confidence as they play on the wonderful ‘stage’ in the outdoor classroom.
Practitioners offer uninterrupted outdoor play to suit children’s own needs and requirements. They relish the opportunities for children to be outdoors and enjoy the freshness and wonders of nature throughout their time at the setting.
How have you shared your good practice?
The setting has welcomed visits by practitioners from other settings to see how it has developed the environment and outdoor areas in particular. Practitioners work closely with the Early Years adviser to facilitate these good practice visits.