Rainbow Pre-School and Out of School Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are eager to enter the pre-school to begin their day. On arrival, they confidently know the routines. For example, they know that they need to hang their coats and wellies up outside. Staff prepare a stimulating range of activities to help children achieve the next step in their learning. Staff are skilled in knowing what support children need to become confident learners.

Children relish spending time in the well-resourced outside area. For example, they use their physical skills to create self-made assault courses safely, using a range of natural resources. Children thrive in the creative area and are encouraged to be independent. For instance, they select the resources they need and are taught how to use the paint decanters. As a result, children are able to access the paint on their own and proudly share their creations with adults. Children behave very well. They are considerate of others' needs when exploring bugs outside and move so others can have a turn.

Staff support children's speech and language development well. They model language and introduce new words to children during their play. For instance, staff introduce words such as 'splodge' during creative activities.

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

• Staff support children to develop their knowledge of the world around them. For example, they encourage children to use non-fiction books to find out more about insects after finding one in the garden.
• Staff regularly meet with parents to discuss the progress children are making and their future learning. They provide parents with ideas on how they can support their children's learning at home. As a result, children have opportunities to practise their newly learned skills.
• Children are given ample opportunities to embed and extend their knowledge. For example, when building with the train track, children could name the turntable and spoke about what the signals meant. This then allowed staff to extend on children's learning about how trains work and move.
• Children grow their own fruit and vegetables, which they eat at snack times. This helps staff in teaching children about healthy choices and where food comes from.
• Some daily routines are not used well enough to support children's learning and development. For example, during tidy-up and lunchtime routines children spend long periods in group activities, which not all children want to take part in. This has an impact on the way children behave and engage.
• Leaders regularly gather feedback from parents, staff and children about how they can improve and develop the pre-school. However, there are no focused plans for ongoing improvement.
• A well-established key-person system helps children to form strong attachments to the adults in the setting. Parents are aware of who their child's key person is, and they feel that any questions they have are dealt with swiftly.
• Children enjoy looking at the photos that staff have taken of them at the pre-school. Staff value the experiences children wish to share from home. This encourages children to talk about life outside of the setting.
• Staff provide mark-making resources for children across the whole provision. This encourages children to use mark making to support their play. For example, children building and constructing were encouraged to write their ideas down.
• Staff have time to talk to leaders one-to-one. This provides staff with opportunities to discuss their practice and performance. As a result, staff feel well supported in sourcing further training opportunities.
• Care routines are dealt with sensitively. Children are supported in all stages of toileting. For example, children have brought in potties from home. As a result, children are learning the skills needed to become independent and confident in toileting routines.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to achieve. Staff have plans in place that have been created with other professionals. This ensures that all children make good progress.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• review the organisation of some routines to ensure that all children are engaged in meaningful learning, particularly during transition periods
• improve the way feedback is used to inform how the pre-school can develop further.