Wild Days Lodge Forest Pre-school

A former gatehouse, a large natural garden and children learning through outdoor exploration give Wild Days Lodge Forest Pre-school a clear identity. The Lodge dates to around 1880 and sits in Mapperley Hospital Conservation Area, Nottingham. Its grounds provide the setting for Forest School: regular, practical experiences outdoors, shaped by children's interests rather than a fixed sequence of adult-led activities.

At its 2 February 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The most memorable observations involved children investigating hollow tree stumps, preparing a hillside for play and trying to make a spark for a supervised fire. These are concrete examples of the outdoor emphasis, with language, physical activity and learning about safety woven into the same experience.

There is capacity for 26 children aged 24 to 60 months. Full-time and term-time attendance are among the options, with the nursery open for 51 weeks each year. The practical attraction is the combination of an outdoor-led preschool experience and different attendance arrangements; the important qualification is that the inspection also called for more consistent staff interaction and opportunities for children to manage tasks themselves.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the requirements for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, play should support children's communication, physical development and growing ability to manage relationships and everyday tasks. Forest School sits alongside that framework here, adding regular exploration of the natural environment and opportunities to investigate, create and take supported risks.

Children's interests influence the direction of a Forest School session. Staff can introduce planned activities, but leave room for children to choose what to explore. A shared gathering with food and drink gives the group time to exchange experiences. That balance matters: outdoor time has a social element as well as space for individual discovery.

The nursery's aims include collaborative den-building, making bridges, working with pallets and constructing hammocks. Other activities use clay, wood, sand and mud, while magnifying glasses, binoculars and bug viewers support close observation. These are different ways into learning: a construction task invites cooperation and problem-solving, while examining a small creature gives children something specific to discuss.

In February 2024, toddlers scooped loose wood material into baskets and propelled bicycles and tractors with their feet. Preschool children checked a slope before rolling down it, helping remove stones and branches. The physical setting therefore became part of the activity itself, with children involved in making their play area safer rather than simply following a warning.

That month's tree-stump investigation also shows how outdoor exploration can generate conversation. Children asked why the wood felt light, and staff explained how insects had tunnelled inside and left it hollow. During a fire-making activity, children waited for a turn with a flint and received help when needed. These observations give parents a useful picture of what supported exploration looked like at the inspection date.

Outdoor and Community Life

The large natural garden is the central physical feature. Forest School takes place within the grounds, using the changing seasons and children's curiosity to shape activities. This is an outdoor-led setting, so suitable clothing is part of participating comfortably, rather than something reserved for an occasional outing.

Daily reflection around a campfire is another stated aim: children and staff gather to discuss their experiences while sharing refreshments. Giving children time to revisit an activity can help them explain what they tried, hear another child's account and contribute ideas for what happens next. The emphasis is on experience followed by conversation.

Relationships had a practical dimension in February 2024. Staff exchanged toilet-training approaches with families, helping connect care at home with routines in the nursery. They also reminded children about manners, sharing and helping one another. When toddlers threw wood material towards other children's faces, staff intervened and explained the possible harm, linking a behaviour rule to its effect on someone else.

Books and music were part of that month's observed day too. Preschool children discussed pictures and characters' feelings during a story, while toddlers joined familiar songs using bells and tambourines. These quieter group activities provide a useful counterpoint to the physical demands of outdoor exploration, with opportunities to listen, speak and participate together.

In February 2024, children received meals, healthy snacks and drinking water, and staff reinforced handwashing around eating and personal care. Staff worked with parents on allergies and dietary needs, using an established process to pass that information between colleagues.

Independence is both an ambition and a point requiring attention. Some children fetched their own water bottles, cleaned their faces and helped put resources away in February 2024. However, adults sometimes stepped in to perform manageable tasks, such as opening yoghurt containers or clearing used crockery. The issue was consistency: children needed more chances to complete everyday jobs themselves.

School preparation follows the same practical emphasis. The nursery's school-readiness approach prioritises making friends, managing separation from parents, personal care and curiosity. Its activities give children opportunities to practise cooperation and perseverance. For families, that makes readiness broader than early writing or recognising numbers: the stated priority includes being able to participate in a group and manage ordinary daily demands.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is The Lodge, 544 The Wells Road, Nottingham, NG3 3AB. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. The nursery operates for 51 weeks annually, with closures on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas.

Attendance options include full-time, part-time and term-time arrangements. Funding can follow a term-time pattern or be stretched across the year. The opening window and the attendance choice are separate considerations: families need a pattern that fits their working week, as well as a funding arrangement that matches how often their child attends.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form or by telephone. An enquiry about a child's attendance should include their age and the weekdays required, giving the nursery a concrete starting point for discussing the family's needs.

Funding and Paid Extras

The nursery offers 15/30-hour funded arrangements and funding for two-year-olds who meet the qualifying criteria. For three- and four-year-olds, funding starts in the term after the third birthday, with its distribution across the week subject to the session arrangements. These are funding options, rather than a guarantee that a particular child qualifies for a particular booking.

Families can choose year-round or term-time attendance and whether to stretch funding over the year. Private sessions and full days are also offered, and childcare vouchers are accepted for these bookings. Payments are monthly, due on the third day of the month; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The funding and fees page explains the attendance and funding choices.

Getting There

There is no parking within the site; nearby street parking includes both restricted and unrestricted spaces on The Wells Road and Boynton Drive. NCT services 41 and 42 serve stops on The Wells Road, making the bus a concrete alternative for families whose routes fit those services.

• Adult interaction and independence. The February 2024 priorities were more purposeful staff involvement in children's play and more consistent chances to complete tasks themselves. During a visit, ask how staff support an activity while leaving children time to attempt it independently.
• Clothing for outdoor days. The clothing guide recommends waterproof outerwear and layers, with wellies, long trousers and light sleeves even in summer. Muddy clothing is expected, so the daily preparation needs to suit your family's routine.
• Finding the Lodge. The nursery address uses NG3 3AB, while the contact address gives NG3 3FW. Confirm the postcode for a visit and plan collection around the absence of parking within the grounds.
• The complete booking cost. Term-time attendance and stretched funding serve different routines. Request a written quotation for your chosen pattern, including the treatment of meals and non-food consumables; families managing allergies should also confirm current food-handling practice.

Wild Days Lodge suits families seeking regular outdoor exploration with either full-time attendance or a term-time pattern. Its natural garden, child-directed Forest School sessions and practical school-readiness priorities give it a recognisable character. Children can investigate, build and talk about what they discover, with outdoor clothing and travel arrangements forming part of the family's everyday commitment.

The Good judgement from February 2024 provides a useful quality reference, but the two improvement priorities deserve equal attention. Outdoor resources are only part of the experience: children also need adults who extend their thinking and allow them to finish manageable tasks. For parents drawn to this approach, that balance between support and independence is the central point to assess.