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Forest Friends Childcare

Ofsted: Outstanding
(Nov 2023)
·
3.0(2 Google reviews) ·Marsh House Sports And Community Centre, Marsh House Avenue, Billingham, TS23 3HB · Stockton-on-Tees
Number of places
60 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Nov 2023
Local authority
Stockton-on-Tees

About this day nursery

Forest Friends Day Nursery is dedicated to creating a nurturing, secure, and friendly space where children's happiness and well-being are the top priorities. The day nursery has a team of committed Early Years Professionals focused on delivering exceptional childcare and education for children aged 3 months to 5 years.

They strive to create a stimulating environment that encourages the development of happy, healthy, and educated children. The nursery also provides nutritious, freshly prepared home-cooked meals to promote healthy eating habits and works collaboratively with parents throughout each child's developmental journey.

They are committed to fostering equality and celebrating diversity, empowering children to build strong relationships and develop caring friendships. Independence is encouraged at all ages, helping children to build confidence and self-reliance in preparation for their transition to school.

The nursery divides children into age-specific groups: Hedgehogs for non-mobile babies (3-12 months), Squirrels for mobile babies (12-24 months), Foxes for toddlers (24-36 months) who are based across two rooms to engage with the ‘7 Areas of Learning’, and Owls for children aged 3+ years, focusing on school readiness.

What it's like

Children flourish and thrive in an inspiring and enabling learning environment provided by well-qualified and highly knowledgeable staff, who implement an ambitious curriculum successfully. Their behaviour is exemplary, showing high levels of self-control, care, and compassion, due to staff acting as wonderful role models. Staff effectively support children's physical development by organising indoor and outdoor spaces with a wide range of engaging toys and experiences.

Focus on well-being and happinessHome-cooked mealsAge-specific roomsHighly qualified staff

Pricing & funding

Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

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Key facts

Opening hours

Monday to Friday, 7.30am until 6pm

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Staff

15

Registered with Ofsted

2018

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Forest Friends Childcare

Last inspected 2 November 2023 · Jan Harvey

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding

What it's like to attend

Children flourish and thrive in an inspiring and enabling learning environment provided by well-qualified and highly knowledgeable staff, who implement an ambitious curriculum successfully. Their behaviour is exemplary, showing high levels of self-control, care, and compassion, due to staff acting as wonderful role models. Staff effectively support children's physical development by organising indoor and outdoor spaces with a wide range of engaging toys and experiences.

Inspector highlights

  • Staff are extremely skilled and enthusiastic, expertly guiding children's learning with skilful questioning to support thinking and problem-solving.
  • Staff demonstrate a deep understanding of how to build on children's growing independence and social skills, including supporting language development with high-quality interactions and sign language.
  • The provider and staff work closely with parents and professionals to meet each child's needs, ensuring excellent inclusion and tailored educational programmes.
  • The key-person system supports strong relationships, providing great levels of care and a nurturing environment for children's emotional well-being.
  • Children and their families are at the heart of this exemplary nursery, with staff providing substantial support to parents, particularly in challenging times.
Inspection #10313114 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

Parents are highly appreciative of the substantial support they receive. They say that staff are amazing and share details of enjoyable learning activities that they can do at home with their children, to help to continue their children's rapid progress.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

The provider and management team accurately evaluate the nursery to help to identify specific aspects they would like to enhance. For example, they have added an allotment and a separate sensory room to improve outcomes for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Outdoor space

Staff carefully organise the indoor and outdoor spaces, so children are free to access a very wide and exciting range of toys and experiences. The inspector observed the quality of education across all age-groups during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning.

Google Reviews of Forest Friends Childcare

3.0
(2 Google reviews)
Toni Curry
a year ago

In my honest and truthful opinion I DO NOT RECOMMEND Forest Friends Childcare in Billingham and nor will I be repeatedly bullied and harassed by the owner via emails to take my reviews down and repeatedly threaten to sue me for giving a true and honest reflection of accounts. I am not being deflamatory. My reviews are an honest and a truthful reflection of accounts I have personally witnessed myself. Been there, tried it, deeply regretted ever putting my kids in there in my honest opinion! Sadly recently I personally witnessed my daughter being verbally and physically assaulted by a member of staff there as we were about to leave. Suprise suprise, all staff witnesses were in my eyes, and in my own option, given the harassment I am currently receiving from the owner right now, obviously far too scared of retribution to actually speak out and tell the truth, and therefore, sadly, regrettably, stood by this abusing womans account of events so no further action was taken against her. Police, LADO safeguarding, the nursery and the sen team all in my own honesty option let my daughter down and us as a family. We have had loads of problems there from basic hygiene needs not being met, our children having to witness verbal alterations by members of staff in the room, to now a verbal and physical assault. I wouldn't even put a dog in there to be looked after in my own honest option under the continual harassing circumstances let alone any child of mine. Disgusting setting whos priorities are to only stick together, cover up an assault for fear of retribution rather than actually safeguard my children in my own honest opinion. I really wished I had of checked old Ofsted reports and looked for there reviews first before I ever placed my children there :( Now please leave us all alone as a family to heal from this horrific ordeal as we are moving on, and no longer want to be associated with or corresponded with any further by this setting.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Forest Friends Childcare. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: July 2021

  • November 2023Outstanding
  • July 2021Outstanding

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