Statement for Parents

Funded Childcare at The World Outside

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At The World Outside, we are passionate about the benefits of outdoor learning and are proud to be the only fully outdoor early years setting in the Wyre Forest.

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Our ethos is built on fostering confidence, resilience, and a deep connection with nature, giving children the unique opportunity to learn and thrive in an environment rich with real-world experiences.

As a fully outdoor setting, safety must be our highest priority.

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Unlike traditional nurseries, we operate within a woodland environment, which requires significant additional safety measures to ensure the well-being of all children.

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These essential measures include:

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• Extra staffing to maintain safe supervision in woodland areas – we operate at higher staff-to-child ratio than indoor settings to ensure safe exploration and learning

• Annual tree safety inspections and maintenance to reduce risks from falling branches and natural hazards.

• Specialist training for staff, including Forest School qualifications and outdoor first aid.

• Specialist equipment and safety measures, Personal protective equipment for staff and children and well-maintained tools for outdoor learning, time for staff to carry our risk assessments.

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Funding & Parental Contributions

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We offer government-funded childcare places, stretching funded hours across 51 weeks per year to provide flexibility for families.

 

However, the funding rate set by the local authority does not cover the essential safety measures required to operate our woodland setting.

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To maintain the safety, quality, and ethos of our provision, we ask for voluntary contributions from parents.

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These contributions enable us to:

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• Keep your child safe in the woodland environment by funding essential risk management.

• Ensure the woodland and trees remain safe for children to enter and explore.

• Provide the staffing levels necessary for outdoor learning and supervision.

• Offer the full Forest School experience, including woodland walks, campfire cooking, nature-based activities, and animal care.

• Care for our nursery guinea pigs, allowing children to develop responsibility and a connection with animals.​

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The Fully Funded Offer: What It Includes

We are committed to ensuring that all children can access their government-funded hours, and our provision will continue to meet EYFS and Ofsted requirements.

However, due to the unique nature of our woodland setting, our ability to provide full outdoor experiences depends on additional funding for specialist staffing, safety measures, and training as detailed above.

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Without these contributions, we are only able to offer a basic provision, which means your child’s experience will be:

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• A safe and engaging EYFS-aligned experience that meets all early year’s requirements.

• Access to an outdoor play area, at set times during the day, as we do not have the facilities for free-flow outdoor play.

• Limited outdoor learning experiences, as activities must be adjusted to fit minimum staffing levels.

• No access to our woodland areas, as we cannot safely maintain and staff them under the basic funding rate.

• No access to our nursery guinea pigs, as their care and interaction sessions are part of our enhanced provision.

• No participation in specialist Forest School activities such as tool work, fire lighting, and extended exploration of nature.

• Their nursery experience will be safe and meet all early years requirements but will be limited in scope compared to our woodland-based provision.

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If your child would benefit from the full outdoor learning experience, but financial concerns are a barrier, please speak to us confidentially—we may be able to explore support options together.

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Is The World Outside Right for Your Child?

Our nursery is a specialist outdoor learning setting, and outdoor access is at the heart of everything we do. If you are looking for a high-quality, nature-based early years’ experience, we strongly encourage you to consider how your contributions help make this possible.

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For more details on our Funding Policy, optional extras, and how to apply, please see our Funding Policy or contact us directly.