Rainbow Day Nursery Forest School Bromley

Inclusion: Strong standard

Leaders are proactive and passionate about providing an inclusive environment where every child, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), succeed. They reduce any barriers to learning by identifying emerging needs early and work closely with parents to put support in place. Leaders apply higher staff ratios across the provision so children can receive focus on their individual needs. Children with SEND show high engagement as they paint and engage in water play alongside their peers.

Leaders work closely with external professionals to create highly effective target plans for children. They use special interest toys from home alongside children's interests to further support learning. Staff continuously review the impact of strategies and refine them to ensure children make rapid progress.

Staff consistently and actively teach emotional regulation with all children. This is highly successful for children with any emerging needs. Staff use a range of tools to help children express how they are feeling, including the use of signing. This results in all children confidently communicating when they may be feeling frustrated or upset and how they can help themselves feel better. Children show emotional awareness, which contributes to a calm learning environment and promotes solid tools for later life.

Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard

Leaders have established a curriculum where teaching is thoughtful and ambitious. They use clear self-evaluation to monitor the delivery of the curriculum to ensure continuous improvement. Staff ensure they respond to children's developing interests daily and adapt planning to meet their needs. All children are given a high level of challenge across the curriculum, and the sequence of teaching is seamless. Staff ensure they reinforce children's prior learning to consolidate knowledge. For example, while children use a palm drill on conkers, they recall how to use it safely and use fine motor skills to thread.

Mathematics is interwoven through activities for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children test theories for sinking and floating during a highly engaged mud session. They count toy ducks, exploring cause and effect as they push them down a slope. Staff prioritise communication and language, they introduce new words and narrate children's play. The environment nurtures rich language, children read and listen with enthusiasm to a range of diverse books outside. Staff consistently praise children as they answer questions about stories, further enhancing their confidence in speaking.

Children are taught about sustainability through eco-friendly activities, such as using compost bins, recycling and collecting water from the stream. They grow their own fruit and vegetables to cook and make their own jam. This helps children respect the environment and develop an eco-conscious attitude.

Achievement: Strong standard

Leaders consistently monitor children's progress from their starting points to make sure every child is on track to achieve extremely well. Staff diligently focus on individual next steps, and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from tailored support. This helps to narrow any learning gaps quickly and ensure that children are high achievers.

Children are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Communication and language is a golden thread running through the curriculum where children are confident speakers. Children express their views and opinions and listen to others with respect. They are highly independent, resilient and negotiate solutions such as minor conflicts with ease. Children develop firm skills for when moving on to school.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Children have developed a secure understanding of why rules are in place. They articulate that 'rainbow ribbon boundaries' help to keep them safe, so that adults can see them in the forest. Children confidently reiterate emergency procedures and show high levels of respect as they take turns to speak and listen with intent. Staff are clear and consistent with their expectations for children, who behave extremely well. They display increasingly respectful attitudes, supporting them to make positive choices in the future. Staff ensure they monitor and promote children's attendance and punctuality with parents. This helps to further embed routines and ensure that children can access a broad and balanced curriculum.

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, over time have developed useful strategies to regulate their behaviour. The spaces and culture created by leaders encourage children to take reflection time which supports their overall wellbeing. Children actively demonstrate kind attitudes, by sharing with their friends and using good manners. They show close, warm attachments with their key person and all staff across the nursery. This contributes to a harmonious environment where children feel safe and develop a positive attitude to learning.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

The forest environment enables children to thrive in physical activity and benefit from fresh air throughout the day. This helps set children's health on a positive path. Staff encourage children to engage in healthy practices such as washing their hands and, overall, provide a healthy balanced menu. Staff role model well. They support children to recognise and express how they are feeling through discussions. This helps equip children with essential skills to manage their own wellbeing.

Generally, children are supported well to develop healthy lifestyle choices. At snack time, children choose from a range of healthy foods. However, there is further opportunity to offer children independent choices and help them understand the benefits of certain foods they eat through further discussion.

Children's care practices are supported well. The individual needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are thoughtfully considered as they experience an inclusive routine. Children independently use the well-designed outdoor toilets, and children who rest enjoy the benefits of sleeping outside in a teepee. Staff have carefully considered the safety of children, completing thorough checks in the environment to ensure that children can be fully immersed in the forest experience.

Leadership and governance: Strong standard

Leaders are passionate, experienced and highly skilled. They have a forward-thinking approach to their priorities for continuous improvement. They inspire their team and organise appropriate training and feedback. Leaders recognise and value their staff and use their own expertise to support staff professional development.

Leaders actively engage with professionals swiftly to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need to thrive. They work closely with a learning disability charity employing staff, further highlighting the commitment leaders have to providing an inclusive provision.

Leaders actively engage with families and partnerships extend beyond excellent communication. Parents speak exceptionally highly about staff, the education their children receive and the progress they are making. This includes the fantastic support that is in place for children with SEND.

Leaders are proactive in promoting a culture where everyone is celebrated. They provide opportunities for parents to be involved and are active within the local community. This further supports children to develop a growing sense of the wider world.