Rainbow House Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders identify children's needs quickly and accurately. They assess and create appropriate support plans to meet children's individual needs. Practitioners provide targeted learning opportunities for children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Practitioners monitor children's progress; they adapt practices and update plans where needed. This ensures that children continue to make progress in relation to their identified learning needs. Practitioners intentionally engage children with SEND during small group activities. As a result, children with SEND build secure relationships with their peers and are fully included in daily activities.

Leaders ensure that children who are disadvantaged or face barriers to their learning receive support so that they make secure progress. They thoughtfully interact with children who speak English as an additional language, to develop their communication skills. Practitioners use visual cards, gestures and simple sentences to support children's understanding of the English language. They work closely with parents by using key words or nursery rhymes from home. This provides children who speak English as an additional language with a sense of belonging.

Leaders use early years pupil premium funding to support children who are disadvantaged or who face barriers to their learning. They provide experiences for children to explore the world around them through trips into the local community and intentional resourcing. For example, leaders have purchased sensory equipment, such as a spinning chair, to support children to regulate their emotions.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders and practitioners implement a curriculum that typically builds on what children know and can do. Practitioners use children's interests to engage them in learning activities. For example, practitioners support children to build relationships through the activity of building structures with linking cubes. Practitioners support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged to participate in an ambitious curriculum. They adapt the curriculum to meet children's individual needs. For example, practitioners use simple language and gestures to support children with English as an additional language to develop confidence in speaking.

Leaders and practitioners support children's developing communication and language skills. Practitioners extend children's language as they respond to their verbal and nonverbal cues. They intentionally use language through all interactions. They promote a love of stories with children. For example, practitioners encourage children to choose a story and talk with children about the pictures of a dinosaur. Practitioners typically include maths through children's play and daily routines. For example, practitioners count with babies as they help them to put on aprons. They provide intentional activities that introduce mathematical concepts. For example, practitioners talk about shapes when children create faces in a collage.

Practitioners ensure that children have regular access to the outdoors to support their physical development. They provide opportunities for children to run, jump and climb. Practitioners support children's learning in the outdoors with purposeful activities. They play alongside children, building large structures or exploring with animals in the sand.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children typically make secure progress in their learning. They are able to focus on activities and pay attention for extended periods of time. Children have opportunities to revisit their learning through different activities. For example, children use scissors to cut paper with support from a practitioner. They continue to develop their control and coordination by cutting spaghetti independently and playing with sensory foam.

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are disadvantaged receive the necessary support to reach their developmental milestones. For example, children build confidence to progress from communicating using visuals to speaking in short sentences. Children are suitably prepared for their next stage in learning. They are supported to build skills and knowledge to ensure they are successful. For example, children learn the skills involved in playing with others, such as taking turns and listening to others' ideas.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance at nursery with parents and carers. They have clear expectations of positive behaviour. Practitioners acknowledge children's positive behaviour through intentional praise. They build positive relationships with children, and know their children well. Practitioners show respect and care in their interactions. For example, practitioners invite children to have their nappy changed and wait for children to respond. This means that children are settled, happy and have a secure sense of belonging. Practitioners model taking turns and how to play cooperatively with other children. This means that children have positive attitudes to learning and eagerly take part in the activities available. For example, babies play alongside each other while being supported by a responsive practitioner. However, practitioners do not fully engage children during changes in the routines. This results in children not being supported by practitioners during this time.

Practitioners adapt their practices and routines based on the individual needs of the children. For example, practitioners recognise that some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities may want more space, and provide alternative activities to support their progress and development. Practitioners work with other agencies where needed to ensure that children receive the care and support that they need to develop and learn.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Leaders and practitioners do not always work effectively with parents to meet age- and stage-related developmental needs with regard to feeding. This means that practitioners do not always support children to develop in age- and stage-appropriate ways. Leaders generally ensure that policies and practices to support children's wellbeing and welfare are implemented across the setting. Practitioners ensure that children are placed down to sleep safely. They effectively supervise and monitor children while they are sleeping to keep them safe. Practitioners use mealtimes to create a social experience that supports children to develop healthy habits. They supervise children effectively to ensure their safety.

Practitioners create a warm and welcoming space where children feel safe and secure. They have an effective key-person system in place that meets the needs of individual children, particularly children who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities. Practitioners build warm and trusting relationships with children through responsive interactions. This means that children are confident to express their thoughts and feelings. Practitioners support children to develop their independence in managing their personal hygiene needs. For example, practitioners encourage toddlers to wipe their nose and put the tissue in the bin.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's context and areas for improvement. They are reflective and focus on meeting the needs of children and their parents and carers. Leaders support practitioners' understanding of the health and safety requirements. Practitioners complete daily risk assessments to ensure children's safety and have strengthened their knowledge on reporting accidents and injuries.

Leaders prioritise practitioners' wellbeing through managing their workloads and recognising their efforts and achievements. Leaders ensure that practitioners have access to relevant and tailored learning opportunities. They ensure that these learning opportunities enable practitioners to be successful in their roles.

Leaders have established long-standing relationships with families. They ensure that parents are kept up to date with their children's learning, development and progress. However, leaders and practitioners do not consistently engage with all parents. This means that some children do not benefit from a consistent approach to their care and learning. Leaders and practitioners effectively support children and parents to settle into the setting. They take time to get to know children and parents, and tailor the settling-in process to meet the individual needs of each family. Leaders provide regular updates to parents during times of transition. This means that children feel safe and secure. Leaders work effectively with other agencies, including the local authority advisors and speech and language therapists. They provide regular opportunities for children to experience the wider community through trips to the local library and to visit places of interest in the city.