Over The Rainbow Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Leaders set high expectations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and staff work very closely with outside agencies to implement robust support plans for these children to help ensure that the curriculum meets their needs. All children, including those with SEND, make good progress from their starting points of entry.

Staff work well with parents to help identify and meet children's individual needs. As a result, children feel safe and secure, and they settle well in the nursery. Staff build warm and trusting relationships with children. They create a calm environment where children feel happy and content. Babies and toddlers seek out familiar adults for cuddles of reassurance when they become unsettled, and staff respond to them promptly.

Leaders put a strong focus on helping children to develop good communication and language skills, as well as becoming emotionally secure. They are quick to identify children who are at risk of falling behind and implement effective strategies to help them catch up with their peers. For example, children with speech and language delay get the opportunity to engage in specific listening and attention activities to help improve their understanding and speaking skills. Older children and toddlers learn to practise different breathing techniques to help them remain calm when feeling anxious or overwhelmed. Staff remind children of the behaviour expectations and encourage them to share and take turns. This helps children to understand what is expected of them and contributes positively to their attitude to learning.

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

• Leaders of the nursery ensure that the needs of children and their families are at the heart of the curriculum. They provide a broad and inclusive curriculum to help improve outcomes for all children. All children, including those with additional learning needs, gain essential skills for their next stage of learning, including starting school.
• Some staff demonstrate a strong understanding of how children learn and are highly efficient at extending children's knowledge. They lead group activities well and provide opportunities for children to think and speculate ideas. For example, staff encourage pre-school children to work out how they can make dough less sticky. Staff read stories to children and ask relevant questions to help children remember what they have learned. Staff supporting children younger and those with language difficulties use sign language as well as single words to help them understand what is being said and develop their emerging vocabulary. Children who speak English as an additional language are making steady progress in their communication and language development.
• Partnership with parents is effective. Leaders and staff use an online system and face-to-face communication well to keep parents informed about children's care and learning. In addition, they seek and act on the views of parents to help identify areas to improve and drive improvements. Parents are kept up to date with staff changes and other welfare matters through emails and newsletters. Parents report that their children have made good progress since joining the nursery.
• Leaders of the nursery carry out regular room observations and one-to-one staff supervision to help identify strengths and gaps in staff's practice. However, there are some newer staff who are not yet as competent as the rest of the staff team, and their teaching and interactions are not yet as positive as others. Having said that, leaders have implemented clear targeted plans to support individual staff to help ensure consistently high-quality care and education across the setting.
• Staff encourage children to care for each other and develop good friendships. Throughout the day, they encourage children to play with and alongside their friends. They use mealtimes to foster social relations and independence skills. For example, staff encourage older children to serve their meals and manage their coats independently. Staff support children to become independent in toileting, working closely with parents. They encourage children to wash their hands regularly and teach them how to do this well. This has a positive impact on children's health and well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to provide targeted support for individual staff to help them understand the curriculum aims and implement these effectively to help children make even better progress in their learning and development.