Cotswold Bunnies in the Cowshed

Fields, a stream and an allotment give Cotswold Bunnies in the Cowshed its character. Outdoor play reaches beyond a single garden: three outdoor spaces include a Forest School Area, while walks in the fields and play in the stream form part of daily life. This is a setting for families who want the natural world to feature in their child's nursery day.

At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted graded the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), made good progress. There were also two clear improvement priorities: attention to quieter children and the organisation of younger children's play spaces.

The nursery has capacity for 39 children, with a current age range from birth to five years. Its named rooms organise care into baby, toddler and preschool stages, with approximate boundaries between the younger groups.

Rooms and Ages

Baby Bunnies covers approximately nine to 20 months, Big Bunnies approximately 20 months to three years, and Preschool three years onwards. Those approximate boundaries matter: the room structure provides a guide to the stages of care rather than a promise that every child moves rooms on a particular birthday.

In November 2023, younger children joined action songs and attempted the words, toddlers counted ingredients while baking, and preschool children explored nearby woodland. These were different ways into learning: repetition and gesture for younger children, practical counting for toddlers, and encounters with nature for older children.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage sets the requirements for children's learning, development and care, bringing learning into play and everyday routines. Here, the Cotswold Bunnies Way is the name for a blend that includes the Curiosity Approach, aspects of Steiner and In The Moment Planning. It sits alongside the statutory framework rather than replacing it.

In November 2023, staff used what parents told them and what they observed during play to plan children's learning. Cooking brought together measuring, handling tools, stirring and taking turns. A woodland exploration also connected with a story and subsequent potion-making in a water tray, giving children opportunities to revisit ideas through different activities.

Outdoor and Community Life

The allotment and Forest School Area sit within the nursery's three outdoor spaces. From age three, children can join Forest School sessions with staff trained in that approach, adding organised outdoor learning to the field walks and stream play.

In November 2023, outdoor activities included wheeled toys, water play and sand. Staff adjusted resources and activities so children with SEND could participate. Outdoor provision therefore involved both exploration and practical attention to participation, rather than simply time spent outside.

Relationships had a practical role in November 2023: key persons helped children settle, while information from parents informed learning plans. Parents had opportunities to discuss their children with key persons and received ideas for continuing learning at home. Staff also worked with families and other professionals to support children across home and nursery.

Communication was woven into ordinary activities. In November 2023, staff used gestures and signs alongside spoken words with younger children, leaving time for a response. Children practised sharing through sand timers and reminders about taking turns. Independence developed through small tasks such as using cutlery, putting on coats and attempting shoe fastenings.

The November 2023 inspection identified occasions when staff concentrated on confident speakers and overlooked quieter children waiting to participate, alongside clutter in younger-age rooms that restricted exploration and movement. For parents of a reserved child or a baby beginning to move independently, those are concrete issues to explore during a visit.

In November 2023, nine staff worked with the children, including two with qualified teacher status. That is a dated staffing picture, separate from the nursery's present capacity and room age bands.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, with care across the year. The address is The Old Cowshed, Upton Grove, Tetbury Upton, GL8 8LR.

New enquiries use email or the enquiry form, with families specifying the Cowshed setting. This matters because Cotswold Bunnies also has another nursery: correspondence should identify the branch being considered.

Funding and Paid Extras

In November 2023, the nursery received funding for early education for children aged two, three and four. Families should treat that as the funding position at that date. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Quieter children. In November 2023, some children waiting to join activities were overlooked while staff attended to more confident speakers. During a visit, ask how practitioners draw a reserved child into shared activities.
• Space for early movement. Younger-age rooms sometimes had too many resources out in November 2023. Look at how today's layout gives babies and toddlers room to move and investigate.
• Starting age and costs. Baby Bunnies has an approximate starting age of nine months, within a wider age range from birth to five. Before arranging a start, ask how care would work for your child's age and request written terms covering funded hours, meals and consumables.

Cotswold Bunnies in the Cowshed suits families who value field walks, stream play and outdoor learning, with Forest School sessions adding another option from age three. Its November 2023 Good judgement is balanced by specific questions about quieter children's participation and younger children's space. The natural setting gives it a clear identity; the everyday organisation of care deserves equal attention.