Rainbow Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children and families are welcomed at the door by enthusiastic staff, who smile and invite them into this homely setting. Children benefit from a cosy environment. Staff plan interesting and motivating activities and opportunities for children based on their needs and interests. Children delight in exploring outside, looking for bugs together and talking about how to care for them. Staff are good role models. They encourage children to keep themselves safe. For example, children count their friends when they go outside and come back in. Staff praise children and celebrate their achievements. They display children's artwork and show genuine interest in what they say and do. Children show high levels of self-esteem, confidence and emotional well-being.

Children benefit from warm interactions with staff. Staff are kind and caring in their approach. Babies benefit from cuddles and comfort. Older children enjoy snuggling up to listen to a story. This supports their language and communication skills. Staff have high expectations for children. They successfully prioritise children's communication, physical and social skills following the COVID-19 pandemic. Children talk excitedly with staff when creating their own spider webs with creative materials. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and each other. Older children help their friends, holding doors open for them.

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

• Leaders and managers have a strong vision for the setting. They are passionate about providing good-quality care and education. They are reflective of their practice and provision. They have made effective changes to the environment to support children's learning and development, such as prioritising promoting children's curiosity and imagination.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff have made effective links with external agencies for advice and guidance. They have used funding effectively to develop the outdoor environment to support children who do not have access to outdoor spaces at home. This develops children's physical skills and interest in the natural world.
• Parents report that their children have made progress in their speech, independence and social skills. They say they appreciate the daily feedback they receive. They talk of the loving atmosphere provided by staff. They appreciate the ideas they get to help their children at home.
• Children's independence skills are well promoted. For example, children take a lead sweeping up before lunchtime. They help to mop the floors. This supports children's ownership of the environment. They are proud to help each other and adults. They wash their own hands and pour their own drinks from the water station. They serve their own meals and snacks.
• Staff report that they enjoy working at the setting. They say that they are well supported. They enjoy the opportunities to work with colleagues across their other settings, to develop their own knowledge and skills. For example, they undertake training to develop their knowledge of the curiosity approach. Leaders and managers prioritise staff well-being. Staff report that leaders and managers are approachable and friendly.
• Staff have good partnerships with the local authority, external agencies and other providers. They attend regular network meetings to share information and develop their practice. They focus on developing children's skills in the prime areas of learning to help them in the next stage of their education. They are proactive in developing partnerships with local providers. This helps children to settle quickly, and they are well supported.
• Generally, staff know their children well. They plan activities and experiences that they know their children will enjoy. Staff link these well to children's next steps. However, information about children's home languages is not always known. This impacts on the support that children receive to settle in.
• Babies are provided with a calm environment. Staff support them to explore toys and resources set out for them. Staff are affectionate and patient in their approach. However, not all staff have precise knowledge and understanding of babies, to support them most effectively in their learning and development. Staff do not have secure enough knowledge of their individual needs and interests. This impacts on them making the best possible progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• ensure staff use information about children's home languages to support children to settle in more effectively
• focus staff training more precisely on finding out about the needs and interests of babies to support them to make the best possible progress.