Rainbow Day Nursery

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders and staff take the time to work with, and get to know, children and their families very well from the start. They are patient and kind. Staff praise and celebrate children's achievements with enthusiasm. The prioritisation of inclusivity and children's emotional security means that key persons form deep bonds with children very quickly.

Leaders and staff are skilled and experienced at recognising when children may benefit from extra help. They take swift action to work with parents and carers to obtain the relevant external support for these children. Leaders and staff work very closely with other professionals to ensure that plans, routines and strategies are tailored to meet children's individual needs. Staff are very knowledgeable about the children who require additional support. They have high expectations for their development. Staff ensure that children receive plenty of help, encouragement and opportunities to meet their targets. They simultaneously provide children with time and space to play and explore independently when appropriate.

Staff use a variety of strategies to communicate with children, including those with delayed speech. For example, they teach children to use signing and refer to visual displays. Children quickly become familiar with these communication strategies and subsequently use signing at home. Staff also develop children's awareness of other languages, such as teaching them familiar nursery rhymes in French. Leaders and staff consider each child's interests and development when planning how to use additional funding. They monitor the impact it has on the children's progress, to ensure that it is highly impactful.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad and interesting curriculum that supports children's learning across all the areas of the early years foundation stage. Staff plan relevant experiences that engage children and develop their skills and knowledge. However, at times, the quality of teaching is not fully consistent across the whole nursery. For example, sometimes, staff working with the two-year-old and pre-school children do not extend children's learning during their play. This means that, on occasion, these children do not receive the support needed to extend their learning further. That said, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to learning benefit from high-quality support. For example, staff use specialist equipment to ensure that children with SEND can consistently engage in activities and routine tasks alongside their peers.

Typically, staff support children to build the skills they need for their next stage in learning. Staff plan and provide attractive and stimulating play areas for children. This encourages children to explore and make independent choices in their play. Staff support children's communication and language well overall. In the baby room, staff narrate what children are doing and what they point to, using simple language, and babies repeat single words. Babies watch and listen, copy the sounds and words and respond in their own ways, such as babbling and smiling. At times, such as during mealtimes and children's play, staff working with the two-year-old and pre-school children do not support their speech as effectively. For example, when children sit quietly and listen and watch with interest while playing alongside other children, staff do not encourage them to join in with discussions. Two-year-old children enjoy making marks using crayons and name the colours they use. Staff support the pre-school children to count and become familiar with mathematical concepts, such as words to describe different sizes.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children develop the knowledge and skills needed for later learning, including starting school. They are curious and eager to take part and have a go. Babies develop a love of books from a young age. They select a book for staff to read to them individually. Babies then focus for a sustained period while looking at the pictures, lifting the flaps and turning the pages. Two-year-old children play very well together during their imaginative games. For example, they help staff to arrange the chairs to form a 'train' and then after their journey, they go on a pretend adventure at the beach. Pre-school children show enthusiasm when staff support them to bash play dough using a mallet, to release the scents from the fresh herbs. At times, some children do not have opportunities to extend their learning. During these occasions, children continue to practise their existing skills, but do not receive the support to develop this further.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff prioritise the curriculum for children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff form very secure attachments with children from the beginning. They model kind, friendly and respectful behaviour. Staff also establish clear routines and consistent boundaries that support children effectively to understand what is expected of them. This all helps children to learn how to form friendships and treat others. For example, staff greet each other warmly when they arrive at work. Children copy this positive interaction, welcoming staff enthusiastically with words and hugs when they enter a playroom.

Staff teach pre-school children how to recognise their feelings and emotions. They support children to understand that some children need more emotional support than others. Consequently, children behave well and play harmoniously together and alongside each other. For instance, for several minutes, babies sit facing each other each other in a basket, communicating joyfully with smiles, eye contact, shakes of their head and babbling. Children are kind, patient and caring. They learn to try to manage their feelings and behaviour for themselves before asking staff for help.

Children develop positive attitudes to learning. From a young age, they learn the daily routine and staff's expectations, and are keen to join in with activities. For example, babies listen and watch with interest for several minutes when staff sing nursery rhymes. Two-year-old and pre-school children engage deeply in their play for long periods of time.

Leaders monitor children's attendance and follow up any concerns. They encourage parents and carers to bring their children regularly and on time. This is supported through close professional relationships between families and staff. This positively impacts on children's future outcomes.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard with staff to focus on ensuring that children feel safe and secure. They do this through the implementation of flexible settling-in arrangements and the close relationships that staff form with children. Children settle quickly when they transition to a different room. Staff follow children's individual care routines sensitively. For example, they are close by and support children to fall asleep in a calm environment.

Leaders and staff promote healthy lifestyles for children, including through their work with children's families. For example, they support parents and carers with information about oral hygiene and nutrition. Parents feel that this is useful and appreciated. Children benefit from plenty of physical play in the fresh air. For example, pre-school children encourage each other to balance along and climb an obstacle course in the garden, before jumping off at the end. Leaders and staff provide healthy and balanced food for children. Generally, snack and mealtimes are a sociable occasion. Staff sit with the children while they eat and supervise them appropriately. However, during these times, they do not consistently give children their full attention to support and participate in conversations with and between children. This does not consistently extend children's language development.

Children enjoy attending the nursery and spending time with their friends. Staff are calm and patient when encouraging children to practise managing self-care tasks independently. For example, staff narrate each step of the process to pre-school children of how to put on a waterproof all-in-one suit, until they succeed. Their friends helpfully remind them not to forget to put their shoes on after, before they go outside to play.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a professional and reflective approach. Their ambition and careful monitoring of the nursery have led to the provision of high-quality care and education for all children. Leaders have a clear understanding of how their actions are making a difference for children and their families. Leaders provide staff with regular supervision meetings and training, and support for staff's wellbeing. For example, they respond promptly to any emerging workload pressures. Staff enjoy their work and feel well supported by leaders. However, although leaders recognise occasional weaknesses in some staff's practice, they have not yet provided targeted support to develop the consistency of the quality of teaching. Therefore, some children do not receive highly effective support to extend their learning further.

Leaders focus on supporting children and families who experience disadvantage, including carefully planning how to use additional funding to improve outcomes for children. For example, leaders use funding to support children to regulate their emotions and to provide additional staffing when children require extra help. Consequently, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other barriers to their learning make particularly rapid progress in their learning and development. Parents and carers comment that they receive ongoing information about their children's experiences at the nursery and that their children are thriving.