Crystal Palace Rainbow Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children benefit from a warm welcome on arrival at the setting and receive individual support to separate from their parent or carer. This enables all children to settle happily and quickly and to start their play and learning. Children are happy and secure and show that they have fun in the nursery. Staff help children to progress in their learning. For example, they plan experiences where children can explore real vegetables and herbs in the outside kitchen. Children wash and cut up vegetables using knives with adult supervision. They are excited when they slice through the vegetables to reveal what is inside. Children demonstrate a positive approach and determination to try new experiences. Staff are on hand to facilitate children's learning as they play. They provide children with space to explore their ideas and time to think when they ask them questions

Staff encourage children to develop their independence and sense of responsibility. For example, children of all ages learn to put away their own shoes, pour their own drinks and prepare fruit for snack time. Children receive praise for their efforts and achievements. This motivates them to persevere.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Daily routines are positive and promote independence. At breakfast, toddlers use spoons to serve themselves cereal. They successfully use small jugs to pour their milk. Hygiene is promoted throughout the setting. Children are reminded to wipe their noses and wash their hands. Older children access the toilets independently.
• Leaders are passionate about their roles. They strive to support their dedicated staff team. Staff participate in supervision sessions and their practice is regularly observed. The manager encourages staff to reflect on their practice and offers ongoing support, guidance and training opportunities to help further develop their knowledge and skills. The manager is always striving to make further improvements. For example, she is planning to strengthen processes for how information is shared between staff, to improve further the smooth running of the nursery.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Parents spoken to on the day of inspection express how happy they are with the nursery. They say that staff are extremely supportive of the whole family. Parents are kept well informed through an online journal and daily discussions. They are aware of the plans for children's future learning. This helps them to continue with their child's learning at home.
• Staff plan learning opportunities that capture children's imagination. They clearly consider important skills and the knowledge children need when planning activities. For example, children learn about time and create a giant clock to look at together. They are excited as they make links between the numbers on the clock and their daily routine. However, on occasion, during large-group activities, staff do not always ensure that all children have opportunities to contribute fully, to further extend their learning.
• Children demonstrate positive behaviour. Staff use good manners and role model positive behaviour throughout their interactions for children to copy. Where children have needed further support with behaviour, leaders and staff have implemented plans. These have been effective in supporting children to develop positive behaviour.
• The curriculum for mathematics is strong. Young children are offered opportunities and encouraged to count objects throughout their play. Staff model mathematical language as children play with sand and water. They explore concepts such as 'more' and 'less', and 'bigger' and 'smaller'. Pre-school children solve simple mathematical equations. During snack time, they calculate how many pieces of banana they will each get if they cut the bananas into equal pieces.
• Staff place a good emphasis on helping children to gain good communication and language skills. Staff engage children in frequent conversations and discussions. They ask appropriate questions and give children time to think and respond. Staff support children who are bilingual. They work closely with parents and find out key words from children's home languages, then use these to support children.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide focused activities that give fair time to all children in large-group activities, to ensure that they make progress in their learning.