Rainbow Pre-School

Inclusion: Expected standard

On the whole, leaders and staff create an inclusive environment where they identify and support children's individual needs. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who may face various other barriers to their learning. As a result, children demonstrate a positive sense of belonging at the pre-school. Generally, staff adapt activities and routine times to ensure children can join in. For example, staff provide fidget toys to support some children's engagement and attention during group times.

Those with lead responsibility for inclusion benefit from ongoing training to ensure their knowledge remains up to date. This also helps them provide ongoing support and guidance to other staff when they recognise any gaps in children's development. As a result, children receive timely support to implement targeted strategies or seek any additional support from external specialists as needed. All staff understand the importance of working together with children's families, as well as any external professionals. Children who need some extra support benefit from targeted plans and smart targets to prioritise areas of learning and support they need most. This enables these children to make progress and reduce any gaps in their learning.

Leaders are knowledgeable about additional funding that can be claimed. They talk to parents and the children's key person to consider how these funds are best spent to benefit individual children. Leaders have recently implemented a monitoring system to be assured additional funding is having the desired impact.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders generally demonstrate an accurate view of their curriculum and the quality of their teaching. They spend time with staff and children to identify areas for continuous improvement. For instance, leaders support staff to continually build on children's immediate curiosities. This helps staff to extend and build on all children's learning. Although this is not yet fully embedded the support in place is having a positive impact. Staff typically recognise opportunities to extend children's learning, skills, and thinking as they play. As a result, all children typically have access to a broad curriculum that supports their development in all areas of learning.

Staff get to know children well. They know their starting points and carry out ongoing assessments to ensure they make progress. This enables staff to plan a range of activities and play experiences that capture children's own interests as well as promote their personalised next steps in learning. Generally, children benefit from purposeful experiences that build on their communication and physical skills, as well as their personal, social and emotional development. For instance, staff model how to use large handheld scoops to catch balls. Staff provide encouragement and narrate their actions when some children find this challenging. Children watch, practice and persist until they achieve. They delight in shared celebrations with staff who provide positive praise which builds their self-confidence and growing resilience as they learn new skills.

On some occasions, staff do not always recognise when some children need further support to engage in activities. During these times, this impacts some children's levels of engagement and the quality of interactions they receive. Overall, children's communication and language are well promoted. Staff adapt their interactions based on children's own stages of development. They label and clearly pronounce words and support children to develop conversational skills. Staff skilfully weave early mathematical language into play and routines. For instance, staff model words during water exploration, such as 'lots', 'more' and 'empty'. These opportunities help children to broaden their own vocabulary.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to their learning, or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make steady progress from their starting points. They demonstrate interest in learning through their play and are generally motivated during activities and routine times. Children's progress across all areas of their learning is well considered. Staff support children to grow in confidence as they learn to do things for themselves. For instance, children get themselves ready for the outdoors, and are self-sufficient during mealtimes, such as self-serving their own snacks and pouring their own drinks. This supports children's growing independence and helps them develop life skills.

Children become increasingly confident communicators, which is generally supported by the interactions they receive. Children typically join in interactive group times, sharing their own thoughts and ideas, and show enjoyment as they listen to stories. Children use a range of words and are increasingly confident to speak to adults as well as other children as they are supported to develop early friendships. These skills help children to be prepared for their next stage of learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

All staff have high but appropriate expectations for children's behaviour. Staff are positive role models and provide consistent messages to children when teaching them about behavioural expectations. For instance, during morning register time, staff remind children about the pre-school rules and help them to recall why these are important. This helps children to learn right from wrong and how to keep themselves safe. All staff are aware of children who need additional help to understand their growing emotions. This helps children receive consistency in their support. Any minor conflicts between children are swiftly resolved with support from staff, helping children begin to learn the needs of others as well as themselves. Children typically play alongside and with others well, developing age-appropriate friendships.

The routines of the pre-school are generally well planned and typically promote children's engagement. On some occasions, staff do not always recognise when some children need support to engage and focus. This does not promote all children's positive attitudes to learning as fully as it could. Staff make adaptations to aid some children to join in routine times, such as group times. This helps all children to be included, as well as meeting their individual needs.

Leaders have processes in place to promote and monitor children's attendance. This helps parents to understand the importance of regular attendance and ultimately supports families in preparation for their transition to school.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Staff prioritise building warm, trusting relationships with all children, including those who face various barriers to their learning. Staff promote children's wellbeing and sense of belonging within safe and stimulating play spaces and through the effective key person arrangements in place. All children have a sense of belonging and are supported to express their emotions, particularly those who staff recognise need additional support to understand or manage their growing feelings. The daily routines of the pre-school are generally well considered and support children's individual needs.

Leaders use nutritional guidance to ensure children receive age-appropriate portion sizes and they offer healthy snacks. Children have regular access to the outdoor provision where they can be physically active, which they delight in. Staff support children as they learn to be safe, such as when using physical play equipment. This helps children learn to keep themselves safe as they become increasingly aware of their physical development. Leaders educate parents on the expectations of healthy lunch boxes and give advice on oral health, as well as carrying out activities to promote tooth brushing to children. Leaders recognise children have access to regular screen time outside of the setting and provide guidance to parents about online safety. They have not yet fully considered how to teach children about healthy screen time and internet safety, in an age-appropriate way.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are reflective and understand their roles and responsibilities. They generally identify priorities for continuous improvement and support staff to implement these, improving their own personal effectiveness. In addition, leaders have taken action to strengthen their safeguarding arrangements. They ensure all staff, including those who have lead responsibility for safeguarding, have sufficient knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities. They have reviewed and strengthened processes for information sharing both internally and with any external professionals as needed. This ensures an open culture of safeguarding to keep all children safe.

Leaders work closely with their staff team. They ensure workloads are manageable and provide ongoing support and guidance for staff. All staff receive regular supervision sessions and have access to a variety of training opportunities to support their ongoing professional development. Staff are encouraged and supported to achieve appropriate early years qualifications. The continued upskilling of staff ultimately supports positive outcomes for children. Staff report enjoyment in their roles and talk positively about the leadership team, who they report are approachable and supportive.

Leaders are ambitious for all children, including those who face barriers to their learning. They understand the importance of building positive relationships with anyone supporting a child's early life and education, including their parents and other professionals. Parents comment positively on the care and learning their children receive.