Rainbow Day Nursery and Pre-School

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are warmly welcomed into this nurturing nursery. Staff form strong attachments to their key children and get to know them well. Staff are good role models and guide and support children's play. They plan experiences following children's interests and know what their next steps in learning are.

Staff support children's communication skills well. They engage in conversation and use vocabulary to extend children's knowledge and understanding of new concepts. The children are interested in dinosaurs, and staff nurture their curiosity and teach them the dinosaur names, what a herbivore eats and how many teeth they have.

Staff are engaging storytellers and children are developing a love of reading. Children choose favourite stories and enjoy books in all areas of the environment to support their play and understanding. Children listen intently to stories read by parents about their cultures and can retell favourite stories they know well. As children recall the story of the 'Colour Monster', they remember what emotion is represented and create their own explosive colour 'potions'.

Children are kind and respectful towards each other. They are aware of the boundaries in the nursery. Staff explain positive behaviour consistently and reference the golden rules throughout the day. Children are developing strategies to wait for their turn and use the timer to help them.

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

• Children have wonderful imaginations and positive attitudes towards their learning. They freely explore the environment and choose what they would like to do. They work cooperatively to build castles and towers, selecting their own bricks and sharing their ideas and plans. Children concentrate for long periods creating birthday cakes in the sand, patting, scooping, filling and emptying.
• Staff foster children's independence and encourage them to do things for themselves. Children wash their hands and the resources they need at the low sinks, get their own coats for outdoor play and serve themselves lunch.
• Children feel valued and show pride in their achievements. They clap and praise others when they succeed. They are becoming increasingly confident and particularly enjoy weekly music sessions with the 'music man'. They are motivated and full of energy. Children have the confidence to go up when they hear their name and perform their dance moves. They are learning vocabulary about music and listening to the sounds and music from different cultures.
• Children follow instructions well and listen to adults. The environment is calm, and most children are busy and engaged in play. However, staff do not always adapt the learning and routine effectively for the youngest children, and they become distracted from learning and unable to follow the routine at some points.
• Staff plan an ambitious curriculum. Using their spacious and exciting outdoor space, children can collect eggs from the chickens and enjoy stories around a real fire pit. There are many physical opportunities available. However, staff do not always plan or teach new physical skills effectively or give children enough opportunity to practise a range of skills.
• Staff encourage children to have a healthy lifestyle. They try a variety of fruits and vegetables at snack time and enjoy growing and picking these in their own garden. They benefit from cooking experiences and hot, nutritious lunches.
• Parents are so happy to have found this nurturing nursery and are particularly fond of the outdoor space and caring staff. They are pleased with the regular communication and feedback and how well their children settle when they start. They can notice the progress their children are making and know what staff are supporting them with. They enjoy being involved and being welcomed into the nursery for special events and reading stories.
• Leaders and managers are reflective on the strengths of the nursery and what it needs to do to improve. They are ambitious in their plans and dedicated to ensuring children achieve the best outcomes. They support staff's knowledge and practice with regular supervisions and training. They prioritise parent partnerships and ensure a focus on supporting staff with their well-being and workload.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• continue to adapt the planning and routines for younger children so the experiences are appropriate and effective for all age groups
• plan even more opportunities for children to learn and practise gross motor skills and improve their overall physical development.