Ancaster Village Nursery & Forest School

Leaves falling through fingers, flour catching the wind and pipes used to investigate soil: outdoor exploration gives Ancaster Village Nursery & Forest School a recognisable character. These were activities children experienced in November 2022, connecting play with discoveries about how things move and work.

At its 8 November 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and found safeguarding effective. The setting has capacity for 52 children, with an accepted age range of 2 to 60 months.

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: everyday play sits alongside learning to communicate and manage practical tasks.

In November 2022, babies explored falling leaves, toddlers experimented with flour outdoors, and older children investigated soil using plastic pipes. Staff added dinosaur names and information from books to children's toy play, giving an existing interest more substance. Nursery rhymes and questions gave children opportunities to listen and respond; dough play introduced words describing texture and movement.

At the November 2022 inspection, staff training included forest school training. Children's imaginative outdoor play included turning sticks into pretend wands. Practical independence also ran through the day: younger children tried spreading butter with safety knives, while preschool children practised a method for putting on their own coats.

In November 2022, children sought comfort from staff and helped upset friends by offering toys. Self-care started with simple tasks: younger children practised feeding themselves, and older children served their own meals. These examples made independence part of ordinary routines.

Communication with families included information about children's activities and learning, alongside books taken home for shared reading in November 2022. Additional funding bought resources matched to individual children's interests, including equipment for making play dough. A conversation about a toy dinosaur's teeth also became an opportunity to discuss toothbrushing.

The nursery's address is 12a Ermine Street, Ancaster, Grantham, NG32 3PP. It opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, across the year, closing on bank holidays and for one week at Christmas. That calendar matters for families arranging cover during closures.

In November 2022, session times ran from 7.30am to 6pm, and funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

• Continuity of learning. In November 2022, information about individual children's next learning steps was sometimes incompletely shared when staff were new or absent. Some chosen activities consequently received less tailored support. Consistent handovers are a useful point to explore.
• Settling into care. The November 2022 examples included children seeking physical comfort from staff. At a visit, how would settling be organised around your child's routines and need for reassurance?

Ancaster suits families drawn to exploratory outdoor play and practical independence. Its November 2022 examples give that character substance, from investigating wind to learning to dress independently. The Good judgement provides a dated quality reference; the learning-handover concern remains an important part of that assessment.