Rainbow Stars Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children confidently leave their parents as they settle into their chosen play. Staff gather information from parents, such as any additional languages children speak at home. This helps the multilingual staff team to plan individual settling-in sessions that are unique to the needs of the children. If children become a little upset, staff speak to children in their home languages. This helps children feel safe and secure.

Overall, leaders and staff plan an ambitious curriculum to support children's development. For instance, staff skilfully play alongside children as they confidently initiate their own ideas and express their imagination through role play, such as pretending to be doctors. Staff use these opportunities to help children broaden their vocabulary. They promote children's language skills well through daily singing and storytelling. Furthermore, staff use visual prompts to help children learn about their emotions. This helps children develop their understanding of how they may feel and others around them.

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They provide children with meaningful praise, which helps to foster kindness and helpful behaviours. As such, children learn to share and take turns with the resources as they play.

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

• Staff know the children and their families well. The key-person system is well embedded to help ensure that children receive the care, comfort and attention that they may require. Staff respond sensitively to children's individual care needs and provide cuddles and reassurance as children settle into the nursery.
• Leaders of this nursery are passionate about providing an inclusive setting for all. Overall, staff create an ambitious curriculum that supports children's curiosity and independence. Mostly, staff have a good understanding of what it is they want children to learn and how to plan activities based around these intentions. However, some activities are not implemented well enough to build on what younger children already know and can do. This means that some children lose interest and leave activities too quickly, and they do not always benefit from the intended learning.
• Staff support children to develop their independence through daily routines, such as tidying away their toys before mealtimes and pouring their own drinks. This helps children to become confident in their own abilities and helps them develop their independence.
• Mostly, children listen to staff well and follow instructions. For example, children take turns as they wash their hands for snack time. However, at times, the organisation of these routines, such as small-group times, interrupt children's play and distract them from their learning.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive targeted support. Staff work with other professionals to support children's development. For instance, they implement plans to help improve children's speech and language. Furthermore, staff provide good levels of support to children who speak English as an additional language. This helps all children make good progress from their starting points.
• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff regularly communicate with parents so they can continue their children's learning at home. Parents report that they are extremely pleased with the help given to them and their children. They particularly value how any additional support needed is sought as soon as possible. Staff communicate effectively with parents to best meet children's needs.
• Leaders place high priority on supporting staff's well-being. For instance, they review staff workloads regularly and provide time for staff who are training to complete their childcare qualifications. Staff state they are supported extremely well by the leadership team in their everyday practice. This helps staff to feel secure and confident in their roles.
• Leaders target training to support staff development. For example, staff have recently completed training on supporting children's communication and language. This helps staff consider strategies to develop children's language skills. As such, staff ensure that inventions are implemented, while children await support from other professionals.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement what they intend children to learn more precisely during planned activities, so that younger children remain engaged and focused
• review the organisation of routines to minimise interruptions to children's play and learning.