School focus: Whittington Moor school that strives to make pupils’ experience ‘magical’ welcomes new forest school

Whittington Moor Nursery and Infant Academy, part of the Cavendish Learning Trust, is a small school with only 89 pupils on the roll – but one that makes every pupil feel magical.

The school, which is currently rated ‘good’ across all Ofsted categories, has been an officially accredited Forest School since 2021, meaning that time using the outdoor provision is included in the school’s curriculum.

The nursery has now welcomed a new Forest School area, accessible for wheelchair users, with the pathway running throughout made of a special cushioned rubber to offer protection from any slips and falls.

The green area at the back of the school building is sheltered by trees and includes a sandpit, a swing, a slide and climbing frame to promote physical activity.

But the Forest School not only helps pupils to get active, it also promotes creativity and learning. There is a designated storytelling area, complete with a wooden throne and cute seating, a mud kitchen, a water wall, a den making space and a wildlife observation area - for children to seek out local visitors to the area.

Lauren Kay, headteacher at Whittington Moor Nursery and Infant Academy said: “We are absolutely delighted with our new outdoor area. It’s been an ambitious project, funded by the Cavendish Learning Trust, and we’re thrilled with the results.

"Each class – from our nursery school pupils right through to infants – will have the opportunity to enjoy the Forest School. It’s a calm oasis in our busy school and we’re finding that being outdoors helps the children to regulate their feelings and emotions. The world we live in is fast-paced, exciting and challenging and our young people need different skills to thrive than previous generations.

“Members of staff, too, have been enjoying getting outdoors and breathing in the fresh air. Being outdoors has so many health benefits and we’re lucky to have the provision.”

Children are provided with all-in-one suits to keep their uniforms clean, and the school also ensures that pupils have suitable footwear.

Miss Kay added: “There are so many advantages to having an on-site Forest School and we have exciting plans for our outdoor area. As well as having a Forest School, we have also painted traditional games such as hopscotch on the playground floor over the summer, and our ‘road’ that children can enjoy riding their bikes on is always popular.”

Forest School allows pupils to learn in unique ways, but tiny Whittington Moor Nursery and Infant Academy has much more to offer for its students. In the school building, apart from four classrooms, there is also a home-from-home nurture room – formerly an unused classroom – where the Nurture sessions take place. Complete with an upcycled dining table, where children are encouraged to share positive news, house plants and informal seating, the purpose of the nurture room – called The Saplings – is to support the development of the Social and Emotional aspects of the curriculum.

Parents and members of the local community are also invited to use the facilities, and the school prides itself on supporting families in the Chesterfield area.

The school also runs a unique ‘20 things to do before eight programme’ – to ensure that pupils experience a wide variety of activities. These include working on an allotment, going to the theatre, visiting the seaside and building a den. Pupils can also enjoy a weekly hot chocolate event with the headteacher.

Miss Kay said: “We pride ourselves on the fact that we know all of our children – and their families – and we enrol toddlers from the age of two upwards at our school.

“We have close links with our community, especially the church next door. We’ll be visiting them several times over the next few months as we celebrate Harvest Festival, Christmas and Easter. We want to ensure that the school experience for our children is a magical time, and I think we’re doing a pretty good job of that.”

Ofsted inspectors agreed – as they rated the school as ‘good’ across all categories last year – praising staff for high expectations towards pupils, who speak very highly of the nursery. One pupil even told an inspector that this is ‘the best school ever’.

In the report inspectors said: “Pupils enjoy attending this school. This is reflected in their positive attendance rates. Relationships between pupils and adults are positive. Pupils are well cared for and nurtured. Staff expect pupils to work hard and to follow the school’s rules. They do. Behaviour is good in classes and around school.

"Pupils are proud of the roles they play in the life of the school. They make a positive contribution through the school council. The school council has helped to plan a new outdoor space and has brought about improvements in recycling.”

The curriculum is well organised and the staff has been complimented for helping children develop their communication and language skills. Pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) are supported well, with leaders making regular checks to ensure that the support in place.

Inspectors added: “Leaders have created a caring and ambitious staff team, who are proud to work at the school. Vision to create an environment where pupils are nurtured so that they can thrive and blossom, is shared by all.”