Little Rainbows Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provider has failed to identify and address significant weaknesses in practice. The curriculum is not effective. It does not support children to make good progress. Staff do not have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn. Assessments are not accurate and staff have low expectations of what all children can achieve. Teaching does not help children to build on what they know and can do. Some parts of the nursery day are mundane and activities do not meet children's needs. This does not encourage children's positive attitudes and they become restless.

Children's safety is not fully assured because staff fail to identify some hazards in the nursery. Some resources and equipment that staff provide for unsupervised play are not suitable for the ages of children taking part. Staff do not quickly remove hazards, such as spilled water, to prevent accidents.

Staff are caring, which helps children to feel secure. They have some appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. For example, they remind them to walk rather than run when indoors. They encourage children to be kind and helpful. Children play happily and make friendships. For example, they wrap dolls in blankets and pretend to take their 'babies' on outings together. They tell staff that they feel happy today during a group discussion.

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

• The provider does not have good oversight of the provision to ensure that the quality of care and education are good and meet requirements. The manager evaluates practice and makes plans for development. However, these arrangements have failed to identify and address significant weaknesses in practice that impact on outcomes for children. Staff training and development arrangements have not provided staff with the skills and knowledge necessary to fulfil their roles.
• Staff are not confident about the aims of the curriculum or how to implement it effectively. Teaching lacks focus because staff do not know what they want children to learn. Children take part in familiar experiences and activities that do not provide challenge or encourage new learning. They disengage when they become bored during some parts of the day .
• Staff lack a secure understanding of the ways children learn and make progress. They do not have the skills and knowledge necessary to assess children's abilities correctly, or to shape activities and experiences to support their learning effectively. For example, when older children ask to paint, staff provide paper for them to make hand and foot prints. While children enjoy this, it is easily manageable and quickly completed. Staff simply supervise and do not encourage children to learn more or develop their skills. Children are not supported well enough to make the progress that they are capable of.
• The daily routine does not consistently meet individual children's needs. For example, after lunch, all children are gathered together and encouraged to sleep while staff take their lunch breaks. Children spend over an hour in a small, darkened room with no ventilation. These conditions do not promote children's good health. Children who are not tired and do not need to sleep remain in the room and are encouraged to be quiet and to relax for this prolonged period.
• Measures to prevent accidents are inadequate. Although some general risk assessments are completed, staff are not always alert to hazards in the environment. For instance, young children play, unsupervised, with small parts that look like sweets and represent a choking hazard. Staff tell children to 'be careful' when they repeatedly slip and fall over on the wet floor. They do not clear up the water to prevent further slips and falls. This puts children at risk from injury.
• Despite weaknesses in the quality of education, children develop some skills due to incidental teaching. Staff chat to children during play. Children learn some new words and are confident talkers. For example, they tell their friends how they are 'squishing' and 'stretching' the dough they play with. Children build and navigate an obstacle course in the garden. This helps them to develop strength, balance and coordination.