Raised in Bristol at the Greenway Centre

Twice-weekly Forest School in Badock’s Wood gives Raised in Bristol at the Greenway Centre a clear outdoor identity: preschool children explore woodland through practical activities, with a footpath connecting the nursery’s surroundings to the woods. The setting has capacity for 62 children and accepts ages six months to five years.

At its June 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities were supported well. That assessment sits alongside a specific improvement point about babies’ communication and settling, which deserves attention from families choosing care for their youngest children.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning here, with children’s interests helping shape their play. Forest School adds hands-on woodland experiences for preschool children, including making dens, searching for natural materials, climbing and practising tool skills. Sessions take place twice a week. Supervised fire activities introduce fire safety and opportunities to cook over a fire, giving families a concrete picture of what the outdoor programme involves.

In June 2023, learning also developed through ordinary tasks. Children practised pouring during snack time, then explored containers through sand and water play. In the garden’s mud kitchen, bottles, herbs and water prompted conversations about quantities. These examples connect practical independence with early mathematical ideas: handling materials gives children something tangible to compare and discuss.

Books and singing were woven through the day in June 2023. Staff shared stories chosen by children and encouraged them to join songs. An interest in planets led to books, conversations and drawings, showing how a child’s enthusiasm could become the starting point for further exploration. Mathematics had its own progression, from counting during familiar activities to discussing shapes through construction and recognising numerals in preschool.

Outdoor and Community Life

A refurbished former school building provides large windows and high ceilings. The garden extends along the nursery and overlooks Greenway Playing Field, so outdoor space is a substantial part of the setting’s layout. Badock’s Wood is reached on foot along a path, with no road or vehicle journey needed for that route.

In June 2023, children used climbing equipment and practised balancing and jumping with staff encouragement. Outings included parks, woodland, shops and the local library. Choosing snack ingredients and collecting items from a charity shop for play brought everyday community experiences into their learning. For parents who value children becoming familiar with their neighbourhood, these are useful examples of the nursery’s approach at that time.

In June 2023, key persons provided a familiar point of contact for children, while staff helped children manage disagreements over shared resources. A sand timer supported turn-taking during construction play. The practical emphasis was on helping children continue playing together and find a workable solution.

At the June 2023 inspection, Ofsted asked the nursery to make support for babies’ understanding and communication more consistent, because gestures and signing were not used reliably by every member of staff and some babies became distressed. This is a precise concern about everyday interaction and settling, rather than a general criticism of the whole nursery experience.

Families received online updates in June 2023, alongside meetings to exchange information with staff. Support for children with additional needs involved individual plans, discussions with parents and advice from other professionals. Those mechanisms matter because they connect what staff observe during nursery time with families’ knowledge of their child. They describe the arrangements at that visit; families considering the setting now should use the visit discussion below to understand how support would work for their child.

The address is Unit 14, Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Bristol, BS10 5PY. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas. Free parking is provided, and local bus routes serve the area.

Government-funded childcare entitlements for working families are accepted. An enquiry form starts the process, and the admissions team then invites families to a nursery tour. For parents arranging care around work, the opening window and the woodland programme are useful starting points for assessing how this setting fits their week.

• Babies’ settling. The June 2023 improvement point concerned inconsistent communication support for babies. During a tour, ask how staff now use gestures and signing consistently, and how they adapt settling to an individual baby.
• Woodland participation. Preschool Forest School runs twice a week and includes tool skills and supervised fire activities. Ask how these sessions fit your child’s attendance and how staff introduce unfamiliar activities.
• Your care pattern. The nursery opens from 8am to 6pm on weekdays. Ask which booking pattern would fit your working week, including how funded hours and any paid hours would be arranged.

Raised in Bristol at the Greenway Centre suits families seeking weekday care with a substantial outdoor element, especially those interested in preschool woodland learning. Badock’s Wood, practical Forest School activities and the long garden give that offer substance. The June 2023 Good judgement supports consideration, while the baby communication improvement point makes consistent settling support an essential topic for families with younger children. The strongest reason to consider this nursery is the specific combination of play, outdoor exploration and neighbourhood experiences.