Treehoppers Forest Kindergarten, East Grinstead

Woodland camps, a field-side yurt and tools for making things give Treehoppers Forest Kindergarten, East Grinstead a clear identity: outdoor learning shapes the day here. Based beside East Grinstead Sports Club on Saint Hill Road, the kindergarten combines woodland exploration with sheltered space and a garden for growing food. This is a choice for families who want nature to supply the materials, space and changing seasons of early learning.

At its July 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged the kindergarten Good and found safeguarding effective, with physical development and children's enthusiasm for learning among its strengths. That assessment also carried two practical improvement points: clearer help for children to understand behaviour expectations, and more demanding conversations during group activities. Both matter alongside the appeal of the woods.

Acorn camp welcomes children from age two, with shorter days possible and provision for afternoon naps. Across the setting, younger and older children have their own camps. The organisation gives families a way to consider outdoor nursery life even when their child still needs a shorter day or daytime sleep.

Rooms and Ages

Acorn camp is the named starting point for younger children joining at two; shorter attendance and afternoon naps can be accommodated. Elsewhere, camps for younger and older children separate parts of the site, while holiday-club children have another space. These are woodland arrangements rather than a conventional sequence of indoor nursery rooms.

A large yurt stands on the adjoining field, with a log burner providing warmth. The garden adds somewhere to grow fruit and vegetables. Shelter and growing space are useful counterparts to the woodland: children can spend their day outside while also having a place for quieter play and warmth.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage provides the framework for learning through play, including language, early number skills and physical development. At Treehoppers, the Forest School approach adds woodland exploration and practical outdoor activities: children use tools with Forest School leaders, and older children help prepare treats over a campfire. Gardening, drawing, singing and sand play sit alongside that practical work.

In July 2022, children balanced along logs, climbed trees and tested jumps from stumps, taking care to give one another space. The physical challenge was specific and tangible. Learning about risk involved deciding where to stand and how to move, rather than simply being told to avoid demanding play.

During the same month, a woodwork activity involved children marking a log before cutting it with adult support. Children also asked to return to making clay fairies, and staff changed their plans to accommodate the request. These examples show how a planned practical activity and a child's own idea could both shape the day.

The group's Tiny Tekkers sessions bring weekly football-skills activities to this branch. Other visitors include Sussex Wildlife Trust, emergency services, a visiting farm and music providers. Football adds a recurring organised activity; the visitors bring people and experiences into the woodland day.

Outdoor and Community Life

The adjacent field supports races, parachute activities and games, extending play beyond the trees. Passing steam trains on the Bluebell Railway provide another feature of the setting. Children can watch them from the field, making the railway part of their immediate surroundings rather than an excursion that needs a separate journey.

In July 2022, children watched blackberries ripen and used flowers and a mallet to make prints on fabric. Music included singing and dancing with a guitar. The examples give outdoor learning a broader meaning than climbing alone: changing plants, creative work and music all had a place.

At the July 2022 inspection, Ofsted found strong relationships with parents and secure relationships between children and staff, alongside effective work with other professionals through the special educational needs coordinator to support vulnerable children's emotional needs. These are dated findings, rather than a promise about any individual child's experience.

In July 2022, key people sent families updates about activities children had enjoyed, and parents met staff each term to discuss development. Families also received ideas for learning at home and preparation for school. That combination connected the woodland day with conversations about how a child was developing, rather than limiting communication to the activities completed.

Mealtimes in July 2022 were shared social occasions, with staff eating alongside children. Handwashing and growing independence also formed part of the day. Younger children sometimes needed clearer instructions and better support to understand expectations, however, and some became frustrated when the approach did not help them change their behaviour.

Current provision can accommodate children who nap in the afternoon. For a family considering Acorn camp, sleep therefore belongs in the attendance decision alongside the length of the day. The yurt and the option of indoor space at East Grinstead Sports Club also provide alternatives when conditions make woodland play unsafe.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Woodland By East Grinstead Sports Club, Saint Hill Road, East Grinstead, RH19 4JU. The kindergarten operates across 46 weeks, Monday to Friday. Acorn camp can accommodate shorter days for children joining at two, as well as afternoon naps; that flexibility is relevant to families choosing an initial attendance pattern.

Enquiries can be made through the East Grinstead contact form. Monthly free Stay & Play sessions give interested families time with the setting and its team. These are opportunities to explore the nursery, separate from a child's booked childcare attendance.

Funding and Paid Extras

In July 2022, the kindergarten accepted funded early education for children aged two, three and four. Families comparing attendance options should distinguish that dated participation from the terms of their own proposed booking. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Outdoor days and shelter. Woodland camps, the field and the heated yurt shape the offer. At a visit, discuss how clothing, naps and use of shelter would work for your child through colder weather.
• Behaviour and group learning. In July 2022, younger children sometimes needed clearer guidance, and group conversations did not consistently extend learning. Ask how staff now help children understand expectations and develop their ideas during shared activities.
• Acorn camp attendance. Shorter days and afternoon naps can be accommodated for children joining at two. Use a Stay & Play visit to discuss the attendance pattern, food and supplies, and funding terms for that proposed booking.

Treehoppers suits families who want woodland exploration, making things with tools and changing seasons to shape their child's nursery experience. Acorn camp's shorter days and provision for afternoon naps make the offer relevant to younger children as well as those ready for a more active woodland day.

The yurt, garden and adjoining field give the outdoor model practical variety. The Good judgement from July 2022 provides a useful assessment, while the concerns about behaviour guidance and group conversations deserve attention when considering the setting today.