Rainbow Day Nursery Langdon Road

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children receive consistent levels of support and reassurance from this committed and motivated staff team. Children who are new to the setting, or those who have recently moved rooms, build warm and affectionate bonds with staff, who manage their individual needs well. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure to express how they feel to others, including unfamiliar adults. Children show high levels of confidence and are eager to share their achievements. Their successes are quickly acknowledged by staff.

Older children use a broad range of accessible resources to carry out their ideas. They demonstrate good hand control and communicate well. For example, children draw maps during discussions with staff about pirates and islands. Children use their imaginations well. For example, girls go on to explain they are 'digging for treasure chests' in large sand pits. Boys carry around gold chains as they look for treasure with their friends. Children receive encouragement from staff to work things out for themselves. For example, children work collaboratively to create a den out of long sticks and parachute fabric. Babies develop their sensory skills well. They are coaxed to use their hands to 'wash' the dolls and enjoy the experience of 'sticky' foam. They hear new words and descriptive language as they play, closely supervised by staff. Toddlers enjoy splashing their feet in puddles. They show determination, for example when they attempt to climb up wooden pallets.

Children have good opportunities to build on what they know and practise their skills in a range of ways. They enjoy their learning experiences. Children develop the knowledge and attitudes that they need for success in their future learning.

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

• Leaders are ambitious for children and families. They work together well with the stable staff team to minimise any potential impact on children's learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, when the nursery closed, staff organised remote learning activities for children, including song and story sessions.
• Staff implement consistent strategies to encourage positive behaviour in children. For instance, adults hold up their arms and children immediately respond. Children become quiet and still, mimic the action, listen and follow the instructions given by staff. They quickly learn how to regulate their behaviour.
• Leaders work confidently with external advisers and professionals. For example, the special educational needs coordinator persists in her attempts to get children the help that they need. Potential gaps in children's learning and development are identified and addressed by staff at an early stage, with the close involvement of parents. This helps children to make sustained progress from their starting points in learning.
• Staff frequently sing songs and rhymes, share stories with children and introduce new words during activities. Less-confident speakers respond well to the strategies that staff use to encourage their interactions with others. Children who speak an additional language at home acquire good English speaking skills. However, some children have fewer opportunities to recognise, value or share the languages that they speak or hear at home.
• Older children shriek with delight as they clamber over tyre mountains and jump from height. Girls lift heavy pumpkins that they go on to measure and compare. Staff assist babies to balance and practise their pre-walking skills, and help the oldest children to practise their physical skills in challenging ways. However, planned outdoor activities for the youngest children are less effective.
• Staff implement the curriculum and sequence children's learning well. For example, they plan activities that help strengthen the small hand muscles children need for later writing, from an early stage. Babies push keypads on wall-mounted telephones. Older children safely use knives to cut fruit and eagerly attempt to peel skin off citrus fruit.
• Staff make good use of community resources to extend children's learning experiences. For example, children took part in forest school sessions and enjoyed their visits to older people in a nearby residential home. Staff help children to understand some well-known religious festivals and celebrations, with parental support.
• Staff provide effective care for babies and know the children well. They implement personal care routines that mirror those from home. Babies show that they feel safe and secure, as they snuggle into staff's laps ready for shared reading.
• Parents speak highly about the caring, welcoming and inclusive staff team. They value the links that were maintained with their children when the nursery closed. Parents greatly appreciate the support they receive to maintain children's good health and emotional well-being during periods of change. They comment positively about the responsiveness of staff and the high levels of support and advice that they receive.
• Children develop an understanding of the importance of keeping healthy. They enjoy a wide range of nutritious snacks and meals that support their physical well-being.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• extend opportunities for children to value and share their own language, culture and traditions
• enhance the teaching support for staff, so that they better consider the development needs of babies when implementing outdoor activities.