Little Minds Education Forest School Nursery

Woodland exploration gave Little Minds Education Forest School Nursery its character in July 2022: children investigated insects, made habitats and tackled projects of their own choosing. The emphasis was on doing things for themselves, with adults extending their ideas rather than directing every step.

Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding at its 13 July 2022 inspection. Based on Brunswick Terrace in Stacksteads, Bacup, it has 32 places in total; the children attending in July 2022 were aged two to four.

In July 2022, outdoor learning combined discovery with practical challenges. Children excavated dinosaur bones from sand and assembled them, turning an interest in dinosaurs into a task requiring thought and persistence. In another example, they sketched a shop, gathered wooden slats and tools, and built it together. Their ideas had tangible results.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care. Here, the July 2022 activities connected those aims with play: writing to fairies in the fairy garden gave writing a purpose, while measuring produce in the garden shop brought quantities into imaginative play.

Community experiences also featured in July 2022. Book and seedling exchanges encouraged participation beyond the nursery, and local police visited to discuss their work and safety. Stories and poems introduced children to different cultures, giving them ways to discuss difference and equality.

At the July 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and praised support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including collaboration with specialist teachers and other professionals to arrange timely help.

In July 2022, key-person relationships gave children a secure base, while staff helped them manage their emotions and behaviour. Parents and practitioners shared an understanding of children's next learning steps. Planning responded to developing interests and needs, making that communication relevant to what children did each day.

Staff also received regular supervision in July 2022, and leaders took account of staff, parent and child views when planning future changes. That linked decisions about the setting to the people using it.

The address is Brunswick Terrace, Stacksteads, Bacup, OL13 0HD.

In July 2022, opening hours were 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and family holidays. These are dated opening hours rather than a description of today's booking arrangements.

• Outdoor learning. Woodland exploration and practical construction were central in July 2022. Families attracted to nature-based play have concrete examples of how it supported learning.
• Attendance and age fit. The July 2022 children were aged two to four, with opening hours spanning the working day. At a visit, what current age range and attendance arrangements would suit your child?

For parents drawn to outdoor discovery, imaginative projects and children taking an active part in their learning, the July 2022 account offers substantial reasons for interest. The fairy garden, garden shop and child-planned construction make that educational character easy to understand. The Outstanding judgement belongs to July 2022; the strongest account of daily life here belongs to that period too.