The Lookout Day Nursery

Real tools, woodland play and children learning alongside different ages give The Lookout Day Nursery its character. At Churchfields in Monkton Farleigh, the garden is part of the learning space throughout the day, rather than somewhere reserved for a break. Children can move between inside and outside, while older children help younger ones within mixed-age key families. This is a setting for families who want nature and practical exploration to shape everyday care.

Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding at its 1 August 2023 inspection. That judgement belongs to that visit, but the current offer retains the outdoor emphasis: woodland activities, gardening and supervised woodwork all have a place. There is capacity for 28 children, with the current age range recorded as 11 to 60 months.

Morning, afternoon and full-day bookings serve different family routines. The practical commitment is a minimum of two sessions each week, so even a shorter attendance pattern involves regular contact with the nursery.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS sets the everyday learning foundation, covering language, early literacy, numbers, physical development and relationships through play. Here, counting natural objects, measuring baking ingredients and sharing stories connect those areas of learning with things children can touch, try and discuss. The learning philosophy places this framework alongside an outdoor approach, with children helping to shape what happens next.

Uninterrupted play lets children develop ideas with natural materials and open-ended resources, supported by practitioners. A story about family might lead to writing letters home and taking them to the postbox, connecting literacy with a practical purpose.

Mixed-age key families give younger children older companions to learn from. In August 2023, older children helped toddlers use an outdoor tap, while children reminded friends to wear goggles when using tools. Responsibility took practical forms.

Outdoor and Community Life

The Tinker Station gives woodwork a specific home. Under close guidance, children use saws, hammers and screws to make objects such as bird feeders and bug hotels. Their ideas also take larger forms outdoors, including obstacle courses and pulley constructions. The value lies in working with materials that require decisions, adjustments and care, rather than simply following a finished model.

Forest School adds woodland exploration, den-building, wildlife observation and fire-lighting experiences. The woodland also contains a forest kitchen, and children use slacklines, dig and whittle sticks. Babies participate differently, with stories beneath trees and sensory trays outdoors; outdoor learning is therefore part of the offer for the youngest children too.

Gardening follows the whole process from seed to tasting. Children plant, water and harvest herbs, fruit and vegetables, then encounter their produce in food such as mint tea or courgette muffins. A water butt supplies collected rainwater for growing herbs and vegetables. These are practical ways to connect caring for plants with the food children eat.

Walks, litter picking and local visitors connect children with their surroundings. In August 2023, children also joined village-hall coffee mornings and travelled by bus to local towns.

Relationships and Communication

Settling starts with the child's routines, preferences and comfort objects. The key person leads gradually longer sessions with management support; parents can stay alongside their child, and extra sessions follow individual needs.

Natural bonds guide the choice of key person, who becomes the family's main contact. Comforters are welcome for naps and reassurance; toys stay at home.

Famly combines photographs and learning updates with meals, sleep and nappy changes. Focus Weeks capture interests, achievements and next steps, with detailed write-ups discussed at parent evenings or stay-and-play sessions. Daily care and longer-term learning both reach parents.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the August 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and strong support for children with SEND, including work with outside agencies to obtain additional help and funding. Current arrangements include a SENDCO role, a deputy SENDco role and designated safeguarding leads. These roles describe the support structure; the dated inspection provides the assessment of how it worked.

Makaton Friendly practice means staff use signing during everyday routines to support communication. Children also have ways to express themselves through movement, art, symbols and gestures. Millie’s Mark accreditation accompanies paediatric first aid training across the team, giving families a concrete account of first aid arrangements rather than a general promise about safety.

Rest has a physical place in the day. Rooms can be adapted with soft mats, subdued lighting and music, while some children sleep in an outdoor den. Home sleep routines guide the initial approach; older children who do not nap can have quiet stories or Yoga and Mindfulness, using gentle movement, breathing and stillness. This gives rest a role even after daytime sleep has ended.

Main meals are prepared and delivered by Fat Fowl Kitchens, and breakfast, lunch, tea and snacks form part of the day. Dietary requirements can be accommodated, while shared meals give children opportunities to serve themselves and help others.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Churchfields, The Village School, Monkton Farleigh, BA15 2QD. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with care operating across 51 weeks of the year. Bank holidays are closed, as is the period from 1pm on Christmas Eve until the first working day of the new year.

The nursery sells AM sessions from 8am to 1pm, PM sessions from 1pm to 6pm and All Day sessions from 8am to 6pm. Full and half-day attendance is offered, with a minimum of two sessions weekly. Extra sessions can be requested through Famly or the team, subject to space. Fees continue during a child's illness or family holiday, so the booked pattern remains a financial commitment even when attendance changes.

Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01225 858859, by email at hello@thelookoutdaynursery.co.uk or through the contact form. Holiday Club operates at Monkton Farleigh for school-aged children aged 4–11, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in school holidays, from 9am to 5pm; an earlier breakfast session runs from 8.30am to 9am by prior arrangement.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible families can use Universal and Working Parent entitlements, including 15 and 30 funded hours. Funding is spread across 51 weeks and delivered flexibly during the day. Paid sessions can sit alongside funded hours, and Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers are accepted.

Private fees include meals, snacks, nappies and sun cream, as well as classes and activities. Babies are also supplied with wipes, creams and formula. Funded hours have a separate Sustainability Charge supporting additional provision, including meals and enrichment; access to the funded EYFS entitlement is unaffected by financial arrangements, with support or alternatives explored confidentially for families facing financial difficulty. The sessions and fees page explains the structure, and current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Being based at The Village School does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still need to use the local authority admissions process for a state-school place.

• Mixed ages and practical tools. Key families bring younger and older children together, while the Tinker Station uses real woodworking equipment. During a visit, ask how younger children's quieter play and older children's tool activities are organised alongside one another.
• Outdoor clothing is part of the commitment. Waterproofs and spare clothes are needed for play throughout the seasons. This approach suits families comfortable with muddy clothing and regular outdoor exploration.
• Funding and attendance costs. A Sustainability Charge accompanies funded hours, and private fees continue during illness and family holidays. The complete written quotation and minimum two-session booking shape the family budget alongside funded hours.
• Individual care routines. Settling follows the child, and naps can take place indoors or in the outdoor den. Discuss your child's sleep needs and any dietary or allergy requirements during the visit so that the intended daily arrangements are clear.

The Lookout suits families seeking morning or afternoon sessions as well as full days, with outdoor play and mixed-age relationships central to the experience. The Tinker Station, woodland and growing projects give that approach substance. Children have opportunities to use tools, care for plants and take responsibility in shared routines.

The Outstanding judgement from 2023 is an important reference point, while today's decision turns on the fit of the daily offer. Families need to embrace all-weather play, the two-session minimum and the charge structure for funded hours. For those who do, this is a small setting with a clear practical identity: learning through making, exploring and doing things together.