Wing Wildlings Nursery

A working organic farm, woodland and a lake give Wing Wildlings Nursery an unusually concrete outdoor identity. At Wing Hall and Wing Hall Farm in Rutland, animal care sits alongside digging, planting and play indoors. This is a nursery where the surroundings shape what children do, rather than simply providing somewhere to run about.

Children are accepted from 9 months to 4 years, with 23 places in total. Mini Explorers Room serves the younger children; Maxi Adventurers Room takes those aged 2 to 4. Both rooms have secure courtyards, and farm sessions are offered to children over 2.

At its November 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding arrangements effective. The strongest practical attraction is the combination of farm experiences and smaller outdoor spaces close to the rooms. Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions sit alongside year-round and term-only attendance, giving families several ways to use the setting.

Rooms and Ages

Mini Explorers Room, for children from 9 months to 2 years, has a secure courtyard behind it, giving younger children an outdoor space beside their room. Maxi Adventurers Room, for ages 2 to 4, also has a rear courtyard, with farm and woodland experiences extending the older children’s day beyond the nursery buildings.

Inside the renovated buildings at Wing Hall, roleplay and construction areas sit alongside spaces for messy play and quieter corners. Child-sized toilets and sinks make everyday self-care accessible. These are useful counterparts to the larger outdoor setting: children have somewhere to build, pretend, wash their hands and settle into less active play.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children’s learning, development and care, bringing play, communication and practical skills into the nursery day. Forest School adds a child-led outdoor approach: children can explore their interests, try things out and take an active part in their learning, with adults supporting that exploration.

In November 2024, children could finish play dough creations before a group activity, preserving time for absorbed play. They also persisted with scissors while cutting tape and used newly learned vocabulary in puppet play.

Books and discussion also featured that November 2024 day. Outdoors, filling containers and comparing quantities developed mathematical understanding; scooping, digging and pouring exercised coordination.

Outdoor and Community Life

Wing Hall Farm gives animal experiences a real working context. Children can feed animals and learn about their food and habitats, with sheep, goats and chickens among the animals on the farm. For children aged 2 and over, the nursery aims for a farm visit during at least one session each day, subject to the weather. That is an aim with a condition, rather than an unconditional daily promise.

The woodland provision includes pond dipping at the lake, den building and a fire area for stories, cooking and learning about fire safety. A bad-weather shelter provides cover and space for quieter activity. Tree stumps and mud play offer opportunities to test balance and coordination, while the shelter gives children another way to take part when they need a break.

Closer to the rooms, children have courtyard sand pits and mud kitchens, a kitchen garden for foraging, the front lawn and a smaller woodland area.

During Lambing Season at the Farm in March 2025, children visited barns to meet newborn lambs and learn about their care, connecting nursery learning with seasonal farm life.

Relationships and Communication

Famly is the communication app used for photographs, messages and updates about meals and nappy changes. Parents can send messages through it, and a child’s key worker adds regular developmental assessments. That brings everyday care information and learning updates into the same channel, making it easier to follow both sides of a child’s day.

In November 2024, staff exchanged care information with families, responded to children’s requests and encouraged sharing and turn-taking. Daily routines accommodated children’s interests.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The November 2024 improvement points deserve equal attention. Some group activities did not sufficiently accommodate differences in children’s needs and abilities, and some children disengaged as a result. Adults were also inconsistent at times in helping children handle emotions, leaving behavioural expectations less clear. These concerns affect ordinary moments such as joining circle time or resolving frustration, rather than being abstract management points.

During November 2024, snack and meal routines included conversation and supported practice in cutting fruit and vegetables. Children could develop independence through a familiar daily task. For naps, families supply a cot sheet and blanket; comforters can also come from home. These personal items are part of the practical preparation for younger children’s day.

Sessions and Attendance

At 9 Wing Hall, Wing Hall Drive, Wing, Oakham, LE15 8RQ, attendance can be term-only or year-round. The nursery operates for 50 weeks each year.

Morning sessions run from 8am to 1pm, afternoons from 1pm to 6pm, and a full day from 8am to 6pm. Children must attend at least two sessions each week, spread across different days. A family choosing shorter sessions therefore still needs a pattern involving more than one day.

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, with a 5.30pm finish during holidays; Maxi Adventurers Room also offers starts from 7.45am. The holiday finish needs to be considered alongside the afternoon and full-day patterns when planning collection. Initial enquiries can be made through the joining form, by telephone or by email.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for eligible children aged 9 months and over, and term-time funding can be spread through the year for children attending year-round. Private paid care is also offered. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation, which should be considered alongside the attendance calendar and any meals chosen.

Snacks and Forest School sessions are included in all fees, with farm sessions offered to children over 2; breakfast, lunch and tea cost extra, and meals are prepared on site, with lunch following a three-week menu cycle. Families choosing to bring lunch must supply a hot meal in a thermos because food cannot be reheated.

Parents provide nappies, wipes, cream, sun cream and, where applicable, formula and bottles. Outdoor preparation also includes waterproof clothing, wellies and spare clothes. Uniform is optional, so the practical requirement is suitable clothing for the weather rather than a nursery-branded outfit.

Monthly advance invoices are payable within seven days. Charges continue during absences, and holiday breaks are not permitted, so families must budget for time away.

• The youngest children’s day. Farm sessions are for children over 2, while Mini Explorers Room begins at 9 months and has its own courtyard. On a visit, ask how settling is organised for a baby and how courtyard time fits around their individual routine.
• Outdoor participation. The lake, fire area and farm animals are substantial parts of the older children’s experience, and waterproofs and spare clothes are everyday preparation. Use a visit to discuss how these activities are supervised and how children can choose quieter alternatives.
• Collection and commitment. Holiday opening ends at 5.30pm, early starts apply to Maxi Adventurers Room, and the minimum pattern spans two different days each week. Match those details to work and collection arrangements, including the terms charging for absences.
• Group activities and emotions. In November 2024, some children gained less from group activities, and support with emotions was inconsistent. Ask how activities now accommodate differing needs and how staff maintain a shared response when children become upset.

Wing Wildlings Nursery suits families who want farm and woodland experiences to shape their child’s early years, with morning or afternoon sessions as well as full days, and a choice between term-only and year-round attendance. The courtyards and indoor play spaces give that outdoor emphasis a practical base.

Both rooms have secure courtyards; farm sessions are offered to children over 2. The November 2024 concerns about group participation and emotional support provide focused questions for a visit. For families comfortable with outdoor clothing, animal experiences and the attendance terms, there is a clear reason to consider this nursery.