Loxley Nursery Forest School

Woodland fires, bread cooked outdoors and an allotment children help to plant give Loxley Nursery Forest School a clear identity. Its Forest School approach centres on exploration in natural surroundings, with den-building, community walks and opportunities to investigate the changing seasons. Outdoor learning carries the character here.

Based on the Loxley Primary School site in Sheffield, the nursery accepts children from 24 to 60 months. At its November 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated it Good and found safeguarding effective, with children making good developmental progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The balance for parents is between an outdoor day with plenty of practical participation and the precision of individual learning plans. The latter was the main improvement point in November 2023. Current opening hours are 08:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play, conversation and practical experiences help children develop their skills. Forest School adds a concrete setting for that learning. Children use woodland for small fires, make shelters from natural materials and explore with tarps and hammocks.

Natural resources also shape indoor play. Sorting and classifying objects gives children opportunities to notice differences and practise descriptive language. Rather than separating outdoor experience from what happens inside, the nursery brings natural materials into its play spaces. Children can continue investigating and imagining indoors.

In November 2023, children helped arrange the materials for a woodland fire and listened to explanations about how it would burn. Safety rules formed part of the activity, including a kneeling position intended to prevent children tipping forwards. That example shows the practical learning involved: children participated in a real task while learning how to manage its risks.

Stories and early writing had a place alongside woodland exploration in November 2023. Staff shared books during the day; clipboards gave children opportunities to make marks in different play spaces, and songs encouraged participation at group times. A lending library enabled children to take books home, extending shared reading beyond nursery hours.

Outdoor and Community Life

A small building, its own outdoor area and free-flow access between indoor and outdoor play support a day that moves between different environments. The surrounding area is used daily. Local farm visits bring children into contact with pigs and chickens, while the allotment gives them a part in growing produce.

Further exploration includes larger woods, open fields and a garden centre. These are practical extensions of the nursery's nature-led approach: children encounter living things and different spaces rather than relying solely on resources indoors.

In November 2023, community outings also included shops, the post office and care homes, where children sang with residents. Everyday destinations gave children opportunities to learn about people and activities beyond their own nursery group.

A SENDco and deputy SENDco are part of the team structure, alongside a manager and deputy manager. These are identifiable support roles for families whose children need additional help. The manager and deputy manager hold Level 3 qualifications and are working towards Level 5.

At the November 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that staff generally adapted learning well to children's needs, but called for more precise planning because information about individual children's existing skills was not consistently used. This is a useful distinction for parents: the concern was about making the next learning steps more exact, rather than simply providing more activities.

In November 2023, children could use a calm box and a cosy space when they needed quieter time. Staff helped them recognise feelings, offered reassurance and supported friendships. This gave emotional support a practical form within the nursery day.

Communication in November 2023 included daily updates, newsletters, parents' evenings and a private social media group. Managers also maintained links with the schools children moved on to and worked with a local authority adviser and other professionals. Those arrangements supported continuity between nursery, home and the next stage of education.

Food offers another opportunity for independence: children help themselves to breakfast with staff support and contribute to preparing snacks. Lunch can be a parent-provided cold packed meal or a separately charged two-course hot meal from an independent nursery caterer using a seasonal menu; allergy and dietary requirements are addressed through the nursery's food arrangements.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Loxley Primary School, Rodney Hill, Loxley, Sheffield S6 6SG. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 16:00, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and two weeks at Christmas. Families need to account for those closures when arranging their childcare calendar.

Enrolment begins with a downloadable registration form. The nursery also has a contact form and accepts enquiries by telephone or email, giving parents a direct route into the registration process.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded early learning is offered. For children attending only through funded early learning, a daily supplement is invoiced for the Forest School package, cooking activities and snacks. The supplement therefore belongs in the childcare budget alongside any separately purchased hot lunch.

Lunch arrangements give families a choice between supplying a cold packed lunch and paying for a hot meal. Funded-only attendance carries the snack and activity supplement described above. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Being based on the Loxley Primary School site does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process. Nursery attendance and the school-place decision are separate considerations.

• Outdoor participation. Daily use of the surrounding area, woodland fires and den-building are central to the offer. Discuss how your child would take part and what clothing the nursery expects families to provide.
• Individual learning steps. More precise planning was the improvement priority in November 2023. A visit is an opportunity to ask how staff now use observations of your child's existing skills to decide what comes next.
• Funded attendance and food. Funded-only attendance attracts a daily supplement, and hot lunches are charged separately. Families managing allergies should confirm current food practice alongside the written charge structure.

Loxley suits families who want nature and practical participation to shape their child's nursery day. The woodland, allotment and farm visits give that choice substance, while indoor natural resources keep the same thread running through play.

The November 2023 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, with individual planning the point to examine closely. The school-site location also deserves a clear-eyed decision: choose the nursery for its early-years experience, while treating Reception admissions as a separate application.