Rainbow Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily and are ready to play and learn. They benefit from the welcoming environment and share warm and close relationships with staff and one another. Children are eager to explore, whether they are playing with conkers or finding out what happens when they use water and brushes to paint the wall outside. Children enjoy a wide range of interesting activities and experience a broad curriculum. Children's behaviour is good. They take it in turns to climb a step ladder to play in the playhouse or use the slide. They patiently wait their turn for the swing. Parents are very complimentary about the staff and what they provide at the nursery. They appreciate the good communication and comment that their children are making good progress and have grown in confidence.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursery has remained open. Managers and leaders maintained good contact with the families of those children not attending. They provided seeds for the families and had a growing competition. They had a 'bake off', where parents posted pictures of the bakes they had made at home with their children. They provided videos of the staff reading stories to help children feel included.

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

• Staff know the children well and have high expectations for their learning. Younger children receive cuddles and reassurance after waking from their sleep. Older children confidently interact with staff and demonstrate their good knowledge. For example, they name birds which are familiar to them, including the owl, who they describe as 'king of the birds'.
• Children have many opportunities to develop good physical skills. They learn to climb a ladder and skilfully jump onto a rope swing. They learn to ride bicycles and play circle games to help them engage with other children.
• Staff encourage children's communication skills well. They use words such as 'full' and 'empty' as older children fill pots and containers with different materials and loose parts. Younger children use signs and words saying 'please' and 'thank you' as they pour their drinks at snack times and mealtimes.
• Children learn about shape and size as they draw pictures and make marks with chalk on boards outside and in the sand. However, children do not have many opportunities to count and use numbers, particularly during routine activities such as snack time.
• Children enjoy a good balance of child-initiated play and adult-led activities. However, staff do not consistently organise adult-led group activities as effectively as they could, to support all children to participate fully and focus for longer periods.
• Leaders and managers are committed to providing good-quality provision. They proactively evaluate the provision to target areas for development. For instance, they have introduced 'in the moment' planning to support children's development. They have adopted the 'curiosity approach', to build children's confidence and promote children's creativity and imagination.
• Staff are positive role models and help children to understand the expectations. Children behave well. They listen to and follow staff's instructions, and often use good manners without prompting.
• The manager, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, and the deputy manager who assists her are committed to ensuring that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the very best possible support at the earliest opportunity. They work closely with staff and external agencies to implement accurate and effective plans. Staff have a clear understanding of the importance of good partnership working and the positive impact this has on children's progress and future learning.
• Children of all ages show a good understanding of the need to follow thorough hygiene practices. Staff talk with the children about the importance of handwashing before meals and after playing outside. They encourage children to eat savoury items from their lunch boxes first and talk to them about healthy foods.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• provide more opportunities for children to count and use numbers, particularly in everyday routines
• support staff to develop further strategies to engage children more consistently in adult-led group activities.