Adventure Playschool

Daily adventures beyond the playschool and a curriculum shaped by the seasons give Adventure Playschool a clear outdoor character. Its base is Ravenstone Pavilion in Coalville, with indoor play, outdoor space and Ravenstone Recreation area close by. Waterproofs are part of the practical kit here. Families choosing it should expect outdoor exploration to shape the day, rather than sit at the edge of it.

Ofsted rated the setting Good at its 15 November 2022 inspection, with further work required on extending learning and managing changes between daily activities. Adventure Playschool caters for children aged two to four and has capacity for 18 children in total. Morning, afternoon and all-day attendance fit within its weekday, term-time offer.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play brings together language, movement, relationships and growing independence. Adventure Playschool adds a seasonal curriculum, adapting topics around children's interests. That gives the outdoors an educational purpose as well as a place to play, with changing conditions supplying material for exploration.

The chosen Forest Schools approach centres on repeated experiences in natural surroundings over time. Its practical emphasis includes helping children judge manageable risks, such as climbing a tree, with experiences including fire-based marshmallow toasting when appropriate. This is an addition to the early years framework, rather than a substitute for it. The Forest Schools approach explains the outdoor emphasis.

A book is selected each week and explored through props such as puppets, instruments or treasure boxes. Stories therefore extend into activities children can take part in, rather than being confined to listening. Children can also choose play activities independently or join an adult, giving space for both their own ideas and guided experiences.

Groups and Ages

Children join a developmental group alongside their key person. Hedgehogs is for two-year-olds; Owls is for children aged three who will not start school in the next academic year; Foxes brings together three- and four-year-olds preparing to start school the following academic year. Adult-guided activities and shared group time are matched to developmental stage. These are groupings, rather than a reason to assume separate classrooms or fixed group sizes.

Outdoor and Community Life

Ravenstone Recreation area gives access to two equipped play areas and open space. Large changing facilities at the pavilion provide somewhere to get ready for outdoor activity. An offsite adventure is part of each day's programme, so exploration extends beyond the playschool's own outdoor space.

In November 2022, children built garden dens using pallets and cable reels, and practised balancing and climbing. Village outings involved examining muddy tracks and rain-covered webs, alongside encounters with alpacas, chickens and peacocks. Those examples show how movement, observation and conversation came together in the inspection-era day.

A key person is assigned when a child enrols, giving families a named role around which to build their relationship with the setting. In November 2022, key people comforted unsettled children, while daily yoga used teddies resting on children's stomachs to make breathing visible. Children also reflected on enjoyable parts of their day. These were concrete ways to support settling and emotional awareness at that time.

At the November 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and children with additional needs well supported, including through picture prompts for routines and cooperation with health visitors and the local authority. The practical mechanism matters: pictures helped children understand which activity was happening and what would follow, while outside agencies contributed additional support.

Independence was practised in ordinary tasks in November 2022. Children attempted their own outdoor clothing, prepared fruit and crackers, and cleaned their hands and faces after muddy play. Such small responsibilities gave them opportunities to practise doing things for themselves. Staff also used observations and assessments to plan subsequent learning experiences, although extending children's knowledge consistently remained an improvement point.

Healthy snacks are supplied through the playschool's kitchen and snack bar; children attending afternoons or all day bring their own packed lunch. Dietary needs and allergies are discussed at enrolment. Families provide nappies or pull-ups, wipes and cream where needed, as well as sunscreen for sunny weather and spare clothing.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Ravenstone Pavilion, Ravenslea, Coalville, LE67 2AT. Sessions run Monday to Friday during term time: mornings are 9am to noon, afternoons noon to 3pm, and all-day sessions 9am to 3pm. The afternoon and all-day patterns include time for the packed lunch brought from home. This is an attendance model built around the daytime school timetable, with shorter sessions as alternatives to the full day.

The enrolment application puts a child on the waiting list; completing it does not secure a place. When a place is offered and accepted, further family details and a birth certificate are required on admission. General enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone on 07309715784.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for eligible two-year-olds, for children registered for 15-hour funding and for those eligible for 30-hour funding. Parents or carers must complete the funding registration themselves. Private paid sessions are also offered; obtain a current written quotation for prices, using the funding and fees page for the funding categories.

Packed lunches are parent-provided, alongside the nappies, wipes, cream and sunscreen needed by the child. Snacks are supplied by the playschool. Uniform is optional, so branded clothing is a family choice rather than an attendance requirement.

• Outdoor preparation. Adventures continue across weather conditions, with high winds the stated exception. Families need suitable layers, waterproof clothing and spare items; waterproof trousers can be supplied for use during the day.
• Learning challenge and routines. The November 2022 improvement points concerned extending learning consistently and keeping children engaged between activities, including the move towards lunch. At a visit, ask how practitioners now adapt challenge and organise those changes.
• Lunch and personal supplies. Afternoon and all-day attendance require a packed lunch, and families supply personal consumables. Ask for a written quotation explaining how snacks and any additional charges apply to the chosen funded or paid attendance pattern.

Adventure Playschool suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as a 9am-to-3pm day, during term time, with regular outdoor exploration central to the experience. Seasonal topics, weekly book exploration and daily offsite adventures give its offer a recognisable shape. The Good judgement from November 2022 provides a dated quality reference, balanced by specific improvement priorities around challenge and routine changes. Its strongest practical fit is for families ready to support outdoor kit and packed lunches alongside that attendance pattern.