Extracts from recent Ofsted inspection report
"Children benefit greatly from a rich and stimulating learning environment enabling them to make excellent progress in all aspects of their learning and development."
"Children are exceptionally happy and settled, which allows them to flourish and develop excellent attitudes towards learning and make rapid progress in all areas of their development. They develop exceptional skills for the future. This is due to extremely skilled and enthusiastic practitioners and the wonderfully enabling learning environment."
"Practitioners take full advantage of every opportunity as it arises to help children learn. They question, challenge and hugely encourage each child according to their individual level of development, which aids their progression immensely."
"The time spent outdoors has a significant impact on children's learning as it provides an abundance of opportunities for them to use their imagination, to be inventive and resourceful."
"Children are learning about keeping safe exceptionally well. They are developing an excellent awareness of healthy lifestyles." "[Parents] recognise positive changes to their children's mood and see an immense increase in their confidence and self-esteem."
"Children develop harmonious relationships with others, through negotiation, taking turns and cooperation. They behave well and demonstrate exceedingly good manners and consideration for each other as they play and when at the dining table."
Parents' Comments
"We are so glad we made the decision to enrol Isabella at Wildflowers where we feel she has been loved, cared for as an individual and listened to. She has blossomed into a very confident and entertaining little girl. She brings home wonderful stories from her days with you, and we would like to think that she has really enjoyed some very 'proper' childhood time before starting 'big' school, which was a very important part of selecting Wildflowers. From the very beginning I discovered and understood what it was that I found so unique about Wildflowers - it is that whatever the situation you always put the children first - you show you are at their level and they are important." - Helen Deacon and Richard Tatner
"I would like to thank you for welcoming us to Wildflowers and giving us such a valuable insight into what it is all about. It was wonderful to see May absorbed into the group and see how she interacted, crunched through leaves, explored the veggie plot, saw a tractor, counted beans and fell over a few times – all with a smile. And all in only an hour or so. Staff were great with the children and gave a perfect balance of fun and education with care and skill. For us, it is important and also quite emotional to think of May somewhere without us and to know she is happy and safe. And we definately feel that with Wildflowers." - Rachel Derby
"As a parent I love everything about Wildflowers. My twin girls Anna and Ysella have been coming for a year and in that time I have seen them develop in so many different ways. They have a great sense of wonder for the natural world around them. They have greater confidence in climbing, balancing, speaking and writing. And they now play great imaginary games together. They always come home energised and happy. I can't praise Helena and her team at Wildflowers enough for their dedication, energy, and approach. I want to shout this message from the rooftops so more parents and children can discover Wildflowers." - Lucy Collis
"Wildflowers has given Gracie the opportunity to explore a different side to her personality and to learn different things. Her confidence and independence has grown a great deal since attending Wildflowers she started. As a parent I find it interesting and refreshing that you have taken the time to actually look at Gracie as a person rather than in relation to a set of guidelines. I find it amazing that you go the extra mile to actually look at her Gracie as a person in her own right and to care about how she is developing emotionally." - Ruth Cartwright
"I feel very lucky to have found Wildflowers for my twins and think the whole experience is the most perfect beginning I could have hoped for my children at this stage." - Sophie Denby
"It's all very well loving something in theory, but to see it surpass one's expectations in practice is a luxury these days." - Anna Prudente-Poulton
"I can't think of a better place to learn about life than here. Eliot will be spending the next 14 years of his life mostly stuck in a classroom - at least we have given him one year of freedom to learn amongst nature, doing what little boys of three like to do. The children are constantly building their confidence and gathering important skills to take with them to the classroom when they start school." - Emma Sumpster
"Emily loves everything about school, which is great. I knew at the time how good Wildflowers was for her and we can see the difference it made to her. The teacher asked if she was part of a gymnastic club because she is so natural on the balance beams and confident at PE. I said it must be the forest school kindergarten upbringing. She is a happy confident girl and we are very grateful for all the input from Wildflowers." - Liz Rough
"Willow has settled so well into school and is doing brilliantly, this even though she has gone into a comparatively large school. I have no doubts that we owe a lot of this confidence to Wildflowers. Her new teachers are very impressed with how well she has taken to school and say that she is socialising widely and brilliantly with the other children. Wildflowers was definitely the best choice for Willow, and she has achieved all and more than we could have hoped for. She has loved her time at Wildflowers." - Clare Holland
"At Wildflowers I feel a great sense of authentic connection." - Bronwyn Jones
Educators' Comments
"What spoke to me most during my visit was seeing children be who children should be; free, spontaneous, life-loving explorers! They were ably nurtured by a passionate and inspirational teachers." - Sarah Barton, Lecturer in Early Years
"You have a fantastic philosophy which is so clearly reflected in your practice. The children are so lucky to be able to have such amazing experiences." - Simon Small, Early Years
"Wildflowers is a lovely setting where children can be free to be themselves. We were impressed how children were given a purpose for collaborative group work, undertaking activities which they could not have done alone. We have learnt how using the outdoors can provide a real context for learning in all areas of the EYFS. This creative approach has inspired us to incorporate imagination into our future practice." - Zoe Davies and Vikki Goldbert, university students
"Overall, my time at placement has been one of the most memorable times I’ve experienced."
"The way the adults and children are equal and so close in the kindergartens has really inspired me to want to incorporate this in my teaching style and in my pedagogy." - Becki Howlett, university student
Children's Comments
"I liked playing on a log and there were lots of logs and I liked it... The best thing I've ever done is build a house and share it." - Tess, 4 years
