The Woodland Rose Day Nursery

A small on-site woodland gives The Woodland Rose Day Nursery its defining character: outdoor learning has a dedicated setting, rather than relying solely on a garden. Forest School, an approach built around learning in woodland or other natural surroundings, extends to younger children through Baby Forest, with experiences adapted to their stage of development.

The nursery has capacity for 20 children and accepts children from 3 months to 5 years. The October 2021 judgement was Good, with safeguarding assessed as effective. That dated judgement sits alongside a current offer centred on woodland experiences, outdoor clothing and an online learning journal.

Families can choose all-day, morning or afternoon attendance. The practical differences between those patterns, and the separately charged extras, deserve attention alongside the outdoor emphasis.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the standards for children's learning, development and care here: in everyday terms, play and practical experiences contribute to their development. Forest School adds planned woodland learning whose themes respond to children's interests. The curriculum information explains how this outdoor approach sits alongside the framework, rather than replacing it.

Longer Forest School sessions are mainly intended for preschool children. Baby Forest gives babies and toddlers age-appropriate periods in the woodland, so the outdoor offer is not reserved for the oldest children. Forest School Values introduce manageable boundaries and basic safety. For parents, that means the programme involves learning how to use the space as well as exploring it.

In October 2021, children used nails and hammers with tree stumps, reconsidering their approach when a nail bent. Babies shifted from water painting towards filling and pouring, with access to a tap to pursue that interest. These examples show what practical learning looked like at that visit: children could try something, encounter a difficulty and return to it.

Creative play also featured in October 2021. Older children invented dinosaur stories and used superhero play while mixing dough; babies sang with their key person. A shared dance activity gave children opportunities to practise movement. The day included imaginative, musical and physical experiences alongside woodland work.

Outdoor Life

Waterproof all-in-one suits are provided for outdoor play. That is a useful practical detail for families choosing a nursery with a substantial outdoor emphasis, although Forest School sessions can be cancelled during thunderstorms or strong winds.

In October 2021, babies watched the tree canopy from hammocks and explored fallen leaves. Older children examined worms and spiders, while a gate marked the boundary into the forest area. These were tangible ways to encounter nature and practise recognising when adult help was needed, rather than treating outdoor learning as an abstract idea.

Relationships and Communication

EY Log is the online journal used to share observations of children's development. Families can use an app or access it online, and observations become visible once uploaded and published. This gives parents a way to follow learning between conversations with staff.

In October 2021, the settling process was adjusted to individual families, and learning backpacks carried activities home. Staff gathered information about children's home experiences to shape nursery activities, including a bus journey. The practical connection was between what children knew outside nursery and what they explored during their sessions.

At the October 2021 inspection, Ofsted found that staff worked with other professionals and settings to support children's needs and made prompt referrals for developmental concerns, but identified uneven inclusion of quieter children and interactions that sometimes supplied answers too quickly. Those findings matter together: support mechanisms were evident, while participation and the space to develop independent ideas needed further attention.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The staff structure includes special educational needs co-ordinator responsibilities, an early language lead role and a child protection designated officer role. These identify responsibilities for additional needs, language and safeguarding arrangements; they do not replace the dated inspection judgement on how practice worked.

In October 2021, babies practised handwashing after nappy changes, while older children poured drinks and cleared their plates. Everyday routines therefore provided opportunities to practise self-care and independence at that time.

Lunches are cooked on site, with a four-week menu cycle available to parents, and children help prepare food where possible. Dietary requirements are catered for on request, so families managing allergies should discuss the current arrangements before agreeing their child's meals.

Sessions and Attendance

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. All-day, morning and afternoon sessions are offered for children aged 3 months to 5 years, giving families a choice between a whole day and part-day attendance.

The nursery closes for bank holidays, a full week at the end of August, and the Christmas and New Year break. Christmas closure dates are intended to align with local schools. Parents are not charged for these set closures, an important distinction when planning childcare across the year.

Getting There

The address is Unit 2, Three Wells, Old Great North Road, Sawtry Huntingdon, PE28 5XN. The setting is on the B1043 outside Sawtry, with access to the A1M through junction 15 and to the A14 towards Huntingdon and Cambridge.

Enquiries can be made by telephone, email or the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered across the accepted ages, including the universal 15 hours and the extended to 30 hours. Eligibility evidence may be required, and start-date conditions or restrictions can apply; flexible funding options are offered, with invoices raised termly in line with funding weeks.

Private childcare is also offered. Breakfast, snacks, lunch and tea are charged separately, as are nappies, wipes and other consumables. Forest School carries a separate weekly charge for children over two during term time. These categories need to be considered alongside the attendance charge, rather than assuming the funded entitlement or day rate covers everything.

The sessions and funding information sets out the charge structure. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Participation and independent thinking. The October 2021 findings raised quieter children's involvement and adults giving answers before children developed their own ideas. A visit should explore how staff now draw quieter children into play and allow time for a response.
• Outdoor expectations. Waterproof suits support outdoor play, but high winds and thunderstorms can interrupt Forest School. Discuss the woodland routines for your child's age, especially how Baby Forest fits into a younger child's day.
• The total childcare cost. Food, nappies, wipes, consumables and the term-time Forest School charge for children over two sit separately from attendance charges. Request a written quotation for the combination of sessions and funded hours you intend to use.
• Closure planning. Bank holidays, the late-August week and the Christmas and New Year break require alternative arrangements. The closure dates are uncharged, but still affect working families' childcare plans.

The Woodland Rose suits families who want woodland learning within a setting capped at 20 children, whether they need all-day attendance or morning and afternoon sessions. Baby Forest and EY Log give the offer practical substance: younger children have planned woodland experiences, and parents can follow development through an online journal.

The October 2021 Good judgement provides a dated quality benchmark. Its concerns about quieter children's participation and opportunities to develop independent ideas remain useful points for assessing present practice. Outdoor learning is the clearest reason to consider this nursery; separate charges and planned closures are the main practical considerations.