Our working relationship: Creating a fantastic outdoors together

Rachel MacBeth: 'I used to be really bad at delegating, but I'm better at that now'

What does your role involve?

‘I’ve been manager of Beatle Woods for six years now and love it. The whole outdoor nursery idea came about by accident after I lost my dad in 2016. At the time, I was the manager of a pack-away nursery, and I really enjoyed working there, but it just seemed like the right time to do something different. I just happened to drive by this piece of land and thought it could make a great learning environment. I really wanted to get children outside to experience the natural world and explore through unstructured play, to support my vision of what an early years environment should look like – uninterrupted and unrushed.

‘Although every day is different, I will usually start by looking at any resources we might be using, welcoming parents and children and discussing the day ahead with Claire.

‘I used to be really bad at delegating, but I have got better at that now and I let other people do a lot more of the jobs that need attending to; there is no hierarchy here, we all muck in. We recently had a child make a disclosure and this obviously involved a lot of collaboration between me and Claire– our deputy designated safeguarding lead.’

Challenges we’ve faced…

‘Working in an outdoor pre-school has had its challenges along the way as everything is dynamic, constantly on the go and completely child-led.

‘When we first started out, I was always thinking, are parents – and Ofsted – going to like what we’re doing? And it’s been a big change for staff, coming from a much more structured environment; you have to learn to take the brakes off, to not interfere, to step back and get lost in the moment with children. It’s really about sharing experiences with children, looking at things and exploring nature together.

‘Parents do ask us how we work around the weather, but we don’t consider this a barrier to learning and play. We have a natural built shelter on site, as well as a four-metre tipi tent. And, in case of heavy rain, we can erect lightweight tarpaulins to keep the rain off. As long as children are warm and dry, they arehappy to play outdoors in all weather. We do have a kit list to make sure children arrive in appropriate clothing – fleece jacket, waterproofs, wellies, etc.’

Why it works…

‘The working relationship I have with Claire is built on really good communication, trust, and a shared vision of the experience we want to provide.

‘We spend a lot of time together, both in work and out, and of course we were working together before we came here, so have a lot of shared experience.

‘We’re on the same page when it comes to early years practice and we work through all the practical stuff together – audits, evaluations, etc. – and we do have a good time. It’s been great to share our achievements, such as getting an Outstanding in our last Ofsted report and being a Nursery World Award winner. It’s reassuring to have other professionals recognise our vision and confirm what has been achieved through our practice.

‘Ultimately, I think the key to a really good working relationship is to have a shared approach, to make sure your values are aligned, and that you follow these with real integrity. Also, being prepared to say they were right when they have the best idea.’

Claire Sergeant: 'After six years I've managed to get the right clothing and I can definitely see the benefits'

What does your role involve?

‘To be honest, I wasn’t keen about working outside all day at first. I’d been working with Rachel in a nursery prior to Beatle Woods, and we were already friends. She asked me to join. I said, “Why? We don’t like the cold, rain, or mud.” But Rachel had a real vision for the place, and I believed in her – so, I said, “I’ll come.” That first year was the year ‘the Beast from the East’ blew in. That put us off a bit, but we carried on regardless.

‘No two days are ever the same, but there’s still all the usual jobs to take care of, such as taking children to the toilet, getting drinks, observations, etc., as well as checking on staff wellbeing. If I have to put my safeguarding head on, that takes me in a completely different direction.’

What challenges have you faced?

‘There can be challenges, such as getting children used to the environment. Some children can’t wait to get stuck in and love to get muddy, while others like to take their time and explore at their own pace.

‘We have our on-site caravan which has a heater, so children can come and get warmed up if they want to, and we have an awning with lots of paper, pens and books underneath for children to shelter under.

‘It’s also been a bit of a challenge to adapt myself, but after six years I’ve managed to get the right clothing sorted and I can definitely see the benefits of the outdoor nursery for children.

‘I’ve worked in a school, and it made me feel claustrophobic and was too structured for me. Also, I feel like the artificial lighting gives me a headache.

‘We’re definitely not ill as much now that we’re working outside and we’re both used to going home with mud in our nails and across our bums. I’m very dishevelled by the time I get home.’

Why it works…

‘I work really well with Rachel; we’ve always worked well together. We’re very similar in the way we think, and actually often know what the other is thinking.

‘I know Rachel trusts me, so I don’t need to go to her about every decision and we can tell each other if we don’t agree with something. We can be completely honest with each other, and I can always phone her outside of work about anything at all.

‘My son came and worked here with us after he finished his GCSEs. He is studying to be a teacher and is training in a traditional school at the moment, but he loves it here – he didn’t want to leave.

‘Since I’ve been working at Beatle Woods I’ve completed a speech, language and communication accredited course, using this knowledge to train other staff members, which is a personal achievement for me, but seeing the enjoyment the children get from being here, seeing them create their own goals, reaching them and finding the confidence to try new things is the biggest achievement of our nursery.

‘We’ve recently started offering wraparound care, with the option of extended hours and on a casual basis. This is proving really popular with families.’