Splat Day Nursery & Forest School

Private woodland, a working bee colony and cooking over fires give Splat Day Nursery & Forest School in Henlow a clear identity. Nature supplies both the setting and the material for learning: children build, investigate, prepare food and practise making decisions. The outdoor classroom is a substantial part of the offer, rather than an occasional excursion.

At its November 2025 inspection, Ofsted judged all six areas Strong standard, including curriculum and teaching, inclusion, achievement and leadership, and confirmed that safeguarding standards were met. This is a report card with separate area judgements, rather than a single overall grade. Its next step calls for leaders to sustain standards while seeking a greater impact for disadvantaged children and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

There is capacity for 35 children aged 0 to 5. Full days, morning sessions and afternoon sessions sit within a year-round model, with a minimum booking of two full days each week. That minimum is an important part of the decision, even for families attracted by the shorter sessions.

Rooms and Ages

Three named rooms organise the progression: Baby Room for 3 months to 2 years, Toddler Room for 2 to 3 years and Preschool Room for 3 to 5 years. The youngest children's learning emphasises movement, communication, sensory exploration and developing attachments, giving the early nursery day a different purpose from preparation for school.

Outdoor access extends across the age groups, including babies. Children can use outside spaces throughout the day and in different weather, following their interests. Waterproofs are provided, which helps make this a practical everyday arrangement.

In November 2025, toddlers joined older children for woodland activities, and familiar routines helped children move between rooms. Children also worked on stick shelters, experimenting with how to keep them upright while adults judged when to intervene. These examples show the substance behind the emphasis on independence: children had problems to solve, with support close by.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS Statutory Framework provides the foundation for learning, development and care, with play supporting communication, movement and children's understanding of the world. Forest School adds practical learning in woodland, including climbing, construction and cooking over fires. These experiences sit alongside the framework, extending the ways children encounter its areas of learning.

The curriculum approach connects outdoor exploration with food growing, woodwork, creativity and robotics. Children's interests shape the direction of activities. An investigation can develop from curiosity about floating objects, while open-ended materials and imaginative play give staff opportunities to extend language and mathematical thinking.

There is an important seasonal distinction in the additional sessions. Yoga, British Sign Language and Spanish run as term-time programmes; the winter Spanish programme is Marta and Osito Spanish, scheduled from November to the end of February. Families should therefore expect the balance of activities to change over the year, rather than an identical weekly timetable through the holidays.

A bespoke SPLAT curriculum remains in development, with a completed draft intended for family consultation by the end of 2026. Its planned connections include technology, practical skills, physical development and emotional wellbeing alongside nature. The useful point is the intended continuity between nursery and woodland learning, rather than the curriculum's branding.

Outdoor and Community Life

The 0.6 acres of private woodland, dedicated Forest School classroom and nursery garden provide different settings for exploration. Regular access to Henlow Bridge Lakes extends that experience beyond the nursery's immediate spaces. This is a setting for families who welcome outdoor clothing, muddy play and changing weather as part of childhood.

The Bee Project turns environmental learning into something children can observe directly. Children visited the hives during summer 2026, with annual visits intended for future preschool groups; direct participation requires parental consent. Pollination and the relationship between living things become concrete subjects rather than pictures in a book.

Mini First Aid gave preschool leavers an introduction to simple first aid skills in summer 2026. Silky and Bob, the guinea pigs, add opportunities to learn about feeding, gentle handling and responsibility. These are different sorts of practical learning, but both connect children's actions with the needs of others.

Relationships and Communication

Every child has a Key Person who acts as the family's principal contact and builds a consistent relationship with the child. Settling is organised through three sessions shortly before the start date: a parent stays for the first, then the child attends the next two independently for increasing periods. Families also have free access to the Baby & Toddler Group before nursery begins, offering another way to develop familiarity.

Famly app updates cover meals, sleep, photographs, nappies and developmental milestones. The chef adds ingredient and nutritional information, giving parents useful detail about what their child has eaten. Review meetings are encouraged three times a year, with individual appointments also possible; daily information and longer conversations serve different purposes.

Open Days take place three times annually, in April, August and December. Parent training covers subjects including online safety, nutrition and behaviour. The relationship with families therefore includes opportunities to understand care and learning beyond the daily handover.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the November 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that individual targets, careful assessment and additional support helped children with SEND make rapid progress, while the established key-worker arrangements helped babies develop secure relationships. That dated finding gives substance to the inclusion judgement rather than relying on a general promise of support.

Current arrangements include a SENDCo working with families and practitioners, alongside speech and language therapists, health visitors and the local authority inclusion officer. Support can include work towards an Education, Health and Care Plan before school. These mechanisms matter because identifying a need is only the beginning; records, specialist input and continuity into school also need attention.

Three Designated Safeguarding Leads oversee child protection arrangements, and staff receive annual safeguarding training with further updates. Baby Room, Toddler Room and Preschool Room each have a room leader, while a nursery chef and a physical and nutritional coordinator support food and wellbeing. The leadership structure gives families clear roles to understand when discussing their child's needs.

Sleep procedures include placing babies on their backs, keeping sleeping spaces clear and recording regular checks, with parents' routines considered alongside safe practice. Toothbrushing is part of the daily routine, and potty training follows the child's readiness in partnership with home.

Meals are prepared on site by the chef, using seasonal produce and locally sourced meat. The allergy policy uses individual care plans developed and reviewed with parents; families affected by allergies should confirm current arrangements for their child.

Transition work emphasises independence, confidence and emotional skills. In November 2025, staff also helped families organise documentation so that support could continue into school. This is practical preparation for the next stage of education.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Bridge End Road, Henlow, SG16 6DD, at Henlow Bridge Lakes. Opening hours are 6.50am to 7.10pm, Monday to Friday. Full Day runs from 8am to 6pm, Morning Session from 8am to 12.30pm, and Afternoon Session from 1.30pm to 6pm.

Early Bird and Twinklers extend attendance around the main day. A minimum of two full days per week applies, so the morning and afternoon options need to be understood within that booking requirement. Places are offered across the year rather than term-time only.

The usual operating year is 51 weeks, with bank holiday and Christmas closures. For Christmas 2026, the closure runs from Wednesday 23 December to Sunday 3 January. Families whose work continues over Christmas need to plan around that break.

Getting There

There are eight parent parking bays, intended for collection and drop-off rather than long stays. Arlesey West train station is a 5-minute walk away, and the nursery is off the A507 towards the A1, with opening hours aligned to trains towards London and Peterborough.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare and privately paid hours are offered. The funding tables include 15 Hours for Eligible Families, 30 Hours for Working Families and 30 Hours for Eligible Families; funding is stretched across the operating year and allocated to afternoon sessions. SPLAT does not actively offer funded-only places, although management may consider bespoke arrangements in exceptional circumstances.

All funded bookings carry a non-negotiable Parents’ Contribution. Families remain responsible for renewing eligibility codes each term, with full-rate charges applied if they fail to do so. A funded booking therefore needs to be considered as a complete attendance and charging arrangement, rather than assumed to cover the whole nursery day.

Meals, snacks and regular activities are included in private fees. Payments are monthly and in advance, with fees averaged over 51 weeks into 12 equal payments; fees continue during holidays and illness. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, and the fees and funding page explains the charging structure.

A holding fee is credited to the first invoice provided cancellations or changes do not create a negative balance. An annual family registration charge also applies. These terms deserve attention alongside the ongoing childcare cost.

• Minimum attendance. Booking requires two full days each week, despite the morning and afternoon session options. At a visit, discuss how those shorter sessions can form part of your family's booking.
• Extended hours and contract terms. Early Bird and Twinklers timings differ between the session schedules; cancellation notice also differs between the general terms and admissions arrangements. Obtain the agreed session times and notice period in writing before signing.
• Funding contributions. A Parents’ Contribution applies to all funded places, and funding is stretched and assigned to afternoons. Request an itemised quotation covering private hours, food, consumables and any additional activities.
• Outdoor expectations. Woodland activities include climbing, construction and fire-based cooking, with direct bee participation subject to parental consent. Use the visit to discuss how activities are adapted for your child's age and needs, including allergy arrangements where relevant.

SPLAT suits families who want nature and practical learning to shape their child's nursery experience, supported by regular communication and a clear structure for settling. Its November 2025 report card gives strong inspection support to that proposition, while the continuing priority is to deepen the impact for children facing barriers to learning.

The attendance offer encompasses full days and morning or afternoon sessions, with extensions around the main day. The deciding constraints are the two-full-day minimum, year-round booking and funded-place contribution. Families comfortable with those terms gain a nursery experience built around woodland, everyday practical skills and relationships with adults who follow children's interests.