Rainbow Corner Nursery School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are treated with kindness and respect at this friendly and nurturing nursery. They are greeted by the cheerful staff who know all children and families well. Staff take time to listen to children's news and allow children time to respond and share ideas. Children feel valued and have their needs met quickly, which makes them feel happy to learn.

Children are encouraged to work together and support each other in their learning and play. For example, they learn how to bake following a recipe in a group. They explore the ingredients, follow instructions, and take turns smelling the vanilla extract. They have a go at whisking and mixing, and learn how to measure while using words such as 'more' or 'less'. They share their own experiences of baking from home and listen to each other respectfully.

Children enjoy nursery. They play with familiar friends and happily explore the variety of sensory resources available. They busily discover oats and flour in trays alongside staff, who introduce new language, such as 'flaky' and 'powder'. Children marvel at the sounds they make using the metal pans and utensils. They benefit from a wide variety of opportunities to develop their communication and language from the positive and engaging staff, who bring songs and stories to life as they all sing animatedly together.

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

• The manager has a clear vision for the nursery. She is passionate about improving experiences for children and providing wider experiences to broaden the curriculum. For example, she gets children involved in fundraising within the local community. She focuses on developing children's communication and language skills and successfully supports staff to reflect on their practice and environments.
• The leadership team work positively together. They provide a stimulating curriculum built around core values that help staff to build on children's interests. Staff in the pre-school room implement this effectively. For example, children recall seeing a rainbow in the garden. Staff engage children in discussion, developing their knowledge and helping them to learn about how rainbows are formed, their shape and colours. However, staff interactions to extend interests in the toddler room are less effective. For instance, staff do not recognise and respond to children's interests in playing with hoops. This means that children quickly lose interest and walk away. This impacts their enjoyment and the progress they make.
• The manager supports the team effectively through regular supervision. Staff report that they value the well-being support they receive and that they enjoy working at the nursery. Staff receive an effective induction and all staff complete training regularly to improve their knowledge.
• Babies thoroughly enjoy sensory-play opportunities and remain engaged in play. The baby room leader successfully supports babies with communication and language development. For example, babies use signs to communicate 'please' and 'thank you' and smile proudly when staff praise them.
• The manager has recently invested in provision for outdoor play to support children's physical development. This is helping to support children's confidence and large-muscle development. For example, children enjoy whizzing on the bicycles and counting how many laps they have completed. They learn to manage risks, balancing on beams and wooden frames and cheering when they succeed.
• The key-person system is effective. Staff use information to support children in their learning and care needs. They play alongside children and engage with them positively. However, on occasion, not all staff are as consistent as others at encouraging children to complete tasks independently. For example, some staff wipe children's noses or roll up their sleeves for them prior to their activities. This is not fully effective in helping children to develop their self-help skills.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. They have their needs identified by staff who action support swiftly. Staff work positively with parents and multi-agency professionals to support children to make the best possible progress.
• Parent partnerships are strong. Parents report that children make progress and run into nursery happily to play. Parents appreciate the support they receive to help children further at home. They receive regular updates on children's progress and value the daily feedback they receive.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to consistently recognise opportunities to build on children's learning and further extend their interests
• teach children the knowledge they need to help them to use and apply their self-help skills independently.