Rainbow Nursery School - The Pavilion

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff take pride in understanding the community they serve. This enables them to provide meaningful learning experiences for all children. For instance, staff recognise that many children are active learners, so they plan activities that encourage exercise and time spent outdoors. Children demonstrate strong coordination and balance skills, particularly when using ride-on toys in the outdoor environment. Staff have effective care practices in place. They reinforce good hygiene routines and explain to children, such as the importance of regular hand washing. This helps children develop healthy lifestyle habits that contribute to their well-being.

Staff are approachable and nurturing. They welcome children warmly, which helps children to settle in quickly and engage in play. Children feel safe and secure from the moment they arrive. Staff facilitate children's imaginative play, such as when they show an interest in baby dolls. In addition, children explore malleable materials together, such as jelly slime, sand and soil. They express their excitement with comments such as, 'Look at this!' when they discover acorns and conkers. Staff supervise children effectively, indoors and outdoors. They actively promote good behaviour, resulting in children of all genders and ages playing together harmoniously. Children are happy and show high levels of curiosity.

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

• The management team builds a strong partnership with their community. They work closely with other professionals and local schools to design an ambitious and balanced curriculum. This aims to prepare children well for their future education and lives.
• Partnership with parents is a key strength of the nursery. Staff work hard to build strong relationships with parents and carers, which positively influences children's attitudes towards the nursery and their learning experiences. For example, they gather a wealth of relevant information from parents to facilitate smoother transitions between home and nursery. Parents praise staff for their excellent communication. They highlight the outdoor space as a notable feature of the curriculum, noting its positive impact on their children's social skills and confidence. Many parents remark that their children often do not want to leave the nursery, which indicates their enjoyment.
• The management team engages in regular training sessions to enhance their knowledge of early years. Recently, one session focused on improving their ability to support children's sensory and exploratory skills. Children are more involved in a variety of activities that capture their interest, leading to increased engagement in their learning. Staff report receiving strong support from the management team, along with regular one-on-one supervisory sessions to help evaluate and develop their teaching performance.
• Staff observe and assess children's learning rigorously, which helps children to make good progress from their starting points. For instance, they know that children enjoy drawing and writing, so they support their experimentation with various mark-making tools. Children take pleasure in expressing their thoughts and ideas through pictures. They demonstrate strong finger muscles, which are essential for developing early literacy skills.
• Staff plan regular group times to develop children's existing skills, such as their language skills. They invite children to participate in 'show and tell' sessions where they can discuss items that hold significance for them. Additionally, staff engage children by singing songs, reading stories and practising counting. However, there are times when staff do not check children's understanding before moving on to the next learning activity. This approach does not fully consolidate and secure children's knowledge.
• Staff serve as positive role models for children. They encourage sharing and taking turns. Children behave well and show a strong motivation to learn.
• The management team has good oversight of the nursery. They always set high expectations for staff and children's learning. Since the last inspection, they have evaluated the layout of the indoor environment. As a result of this change, children can access toys and belongings more easily, which enhances their independence skills. Additionally, the management team is reviewing daily routines to minimise disruptions to children's play.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff in checking children's understanding before moving on to the next activity to ensure their knowledge is secure.