Rainbow Day Care Hoyland

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children demonstrate that they are happy and feel safe and settled in this very welcoming, inclusive setting. They arrive happily and are keen to join their friends in their play. Children show a real interest in the challenging experiences staff provide. They spend a long time engaged in their chosen activities. Older children talk confidently to staff and describe what they are doing. They demonstrate good small physical skills as they use scissors to snip the pipe cleaners. They use skills they have learned, such as flipping pancakes, which they recreate in the mud kitchen.

Friendships develop and children work together on chosen tasks. They confidently choose and select toys for themselves and engage in conversation with staff and their friends while they play. Older children engage in role play together. They use their good language skills while they pretend to be waiters and ask for orders. They develop storylines with their friends, such as taking their turn to make foods for lunch or a picnic. Children enjoy exploring the musical instruments. They create sounds and explore rhythms as they bang the drums with their hands and other objects. Older children enjoy drawing and practise writing. Children thoroughly enjoy outdoor play. They relish the opportunity to expend their energy, for example when playing games, including 'Flora's Lava'.

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

• The manager is ambitious and reflects on the setting with the staff team. She identifies where improvements can be made and has plans in place to further develop the rooms and outdoor area. For example, the manager has developed a vegetable garden where children can grow their own vegetables. Future developments include providing space where children's emotional needs are supported and they can have quiet times during the busy day.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have tailored support to help them to make good progress. The manager and staff identify where children require additional support through their assessments. They work with parents and other professionals to ensure a suitable curriculum is put in place. Staff are proactive and ensure children are well supported when they move on to the next stage in their learning.
• The manager and staff have a generally good understanding of what they want children to learn across all areas of the curriculum. Overall, there is a strong emphasis on communication and language development. Staff help children to increase their vocabulary and are encouraged to use signing to support the development of their spoken language. However, staff in the baby room do not consistently engage children in interactions and have fewer opportunities to build on their communication skills.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Leaders and staff work closely with parents and they value their opinions and views. Parents speak very positively about staff and the experiences of their children. They feel included in their children's learning journey. Parents say that they feel informed about how their children are progressing at the setting. They talk about how staff support them by giving advice when needed.
• Staff provide good support for children to become increasingly independent. For example, they encourage children to try to put on their coats and wellington boots ready to go outside. Children learn first hand about the natural world. For example, they plant seeds in the setting's vegetable patch and watch them grow. This helps children to learn about nature and the importance of caring for the world around them.
• Staff are valued and appreciated by leaders and managers. Ongoing support and training help them to further develop their knowledge. The manager is 'hands on' and is a good role model for staff, offering them help and guidance. She completes observations of staff and has meetings to discuss how they can improve their practice.
• Helping children to meet their own self-care needs is a priority. Babies are aware of the routines and engage with staff at nappy changing time. Older children wash their hands independently in preparation for lunch.
• Children have plenty of opportunities to be active and have access to fresh air daily. Older children practise their climbing and balancing skills, as they walk along the edge of the crates and different-sized tyres. Staff remind them about being careful and point out the potential risks. Children show pride in their accomplishments when they have walked from one side to the other.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen staff knowledge of how to consistently support young children's communication and language skills.