Little Rainbows

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children enjoy coming into this welcoming nursery. Nurturing leaders and staff take time to talk with children and their families as they arrive. This helps children settle and supports good relationships with parents. Staff consider the routine carefully as children start their day. For example, they engage them in fun movement activities, which encourage physical movement before they settle down to play. Staff help children develop their independence very well. For example, at snack time children competently pour their own drinks from jugs into their chosen cup. They help themselves to the juicy, fresh pineapple chunks, using tongs to expertly transfer the pieces from the serving dish to their plate. They spread butter on crackers with skill before taking a bite. Staff use this time well to extend children's knowledge. For example, they use coloured photographs of pineapples growing in fields to prompt discussions about how and where pineapples grow.

Staff support children's development across the areas of learning. They understand and recognise the value of play, and make sure that children can access interesting and motivating opportunities. They support and encourage children to think as they play. For example, they ask, 'Where does the water go to? Where does it disappear to?', as the water trickles away down the plug hole in water play. Children are inquisitive as they look underneath to try and figure out where the water goes.

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

• Dedicated leaders are passionate about their provision for children. They have a clear vision and clear curriculum, which is focused on building skills over time. Staff understand this and implement the curriculum intentions well.
• Staff know children very well and use their knowledge of child development efficiently as they assess children's progress. They carefully consider children's interests and what it is that they enjoy doing, to help them plan next steps. As a result, interactions are focused, with most staff taking every opportunity to encourage ongoing progress.
• The support provided by leaders and staff for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is exceptional. They provide sensitive, nurturing, personalised, and highly effective support. They are relentlessly proactive as they liaise closely with parents and seek advice and help from other professionals. Leaders work tirelessly to organise the space and adapt routines to include all children in their nursery. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with staff and parents to provide additional support for children who need extra help.
• Parents comment that they feel fully supported by leaders and staff. They appreciate very much that the manager is proactive in accessing additional help and support for themselves and their children. They know about their child's development because staff talk to them every day. An online communication tool is used effectively to keep them updated with their child's progress.
• Staff support children's understanding of their community and the wider world around them very well. They consider children's current opportunities and knowledge as they plan activities to broaden experiences. They embed children's traditions, backgrounds and festivals into daily activities. For example, families are invited to bring in traditional food from home, so that everyone can taste a wide variety of food from a range of cultures.
• Children develop a love of reading because they access books frequently. They choose stories from the many story baskets and displays of books. They come together in small groups to listen to stories told by staff.
• Staff have very high expectations for each child. They expertly provide clear, simple, and consistent boundaries for all children. These are sensitively reinforced and embedded through activities. As a result, children's behaviour is very good. They are extremely thoughtful and considerate to their friends as they share and take turns. Children persist in tasks for long periods, for example, as they squash and squeeze the dough into just the right shape for their caterpillar.
• Some of the teaching is of high quality, with some staff challenging children as they engage with them in play. For example, staff use a broad range of new mathematical words, such as measure and centimetre, as they use rulers to help children measure the length of the dough caterpillars. They elaborate and broaden children's language as they describe the 'short spikes' used for legs. However, not all staff are skilful enough yet at extending children's learning even further and offering more challenge in interactions.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• build on the good teaching already in place, so that all staff consistently challenge children further to make even more progress in all areas of learning.