Rainbows at Redriff

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy, confident and settled in the care of nurturing, attentive staff who create a safe and welcoming environment. Their security is evident in how freely they explore, interact with visitors and choose activities independently. Staff organise age-appropriate learning spaces, allowing them to provide targeted support based on each child's developmental needs and next steps. The curriculum is planned around what children need to learn next, with a strong focus on child-led play and developing communication skills. Staff use a running commentary, introduce ambitious vocabulary, such as 'cocoon', and respond positively to all attempts at communication, helping children to become confident communicators.

Children behave well, listening to instructions and following clear, age-appropriate expectations. Staff actively support the development of social skills, such as sharing and turn-taking. Children show pride in their achievements; for example, they enjoy building houses with wooden blocks, inspired by a book they explored during story time. They demonstrate persistence and problem-solving as they rebuild structures that fall. Parents speak highly of the setting, praising the staff's warm, caring approach and the wide range of experiences offered. Staff plan many opportunities for children to learn about the world, fostering curiosity and a strong foundation for future learning.

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

• Managers provide effective supervision and coaching, supporting staff to carry out confident observations and accurate assessments. They offer tailored training opportunities that promote professional development and help staff plan a curriculum that builds progressively on children's existing skills. Staff feel valued, as their input is actively sought and considered when reviewing the setting's effectiveness. This collaborative approach leads to purposeful planning and ensures positive outcomes for all children.
• Managers and staff support children effectively in managing their feelings and behaviour. Using core texts, they teach children to recognise emotions and develop appropriate strategies. As a result, children show greater emotional awareness, empathy and self-regulation, contributing to a calm and respectful learning environment.
• Managers integrate core texts into the curriculum to deepen understanding and expand vocabulary. During mealtimes, staff encourage children to revisit and retell these stories, boosting recall, language skills and confidence. This consistent approach reinforces learning throughout the day, promoting deeper engagement and sustained progress.
• Staff support children's mathematical development by embedding mathematics into daily routines and activities. Through shape hunts and measuring capacity while making tea, children explore key concepts in real-life contexts, building confidence and deepening understanding.
• Staff plan outings to local woodlands and wetlands plus gardening activities like watering plants. These hands-on experiences promote physical development and environmental awareness and help children build responsibility, observation and care.
• Staff support children's early understanding of healthy lifestyles through regular discussions about healthy and unhealthy foods. They reinforce this learning with engaging activities such as the lunch box game, where children identify foods, name them and classify them as healthy or unhealthy. This approach builds children's knowledge, encourages healthy choices and promotes lifelong positive habits.
• Staff promote inclusion by embedding cultural representation in play spaces and planning activities that explore heritage and religion. They also collaborate with parents to support children who speak English as an additional language, learning key phrases to enhance communication. This ensures all children feel valued and supported.
• Staff support children's physical development by providing a variety of resources, such as balance bikes, scooters and differently sized chalks, to strengthen core muscles, improve coordination and enhance fine motor skills.
• Staff support children effectively in developing their independence. They encourage choice-making during play and exploration of activities. Younger children confidently explore different areas to select what interests them. Older children manage self-care, such as washing hands after using the toilet. They also take on responsibilities, such as carrying water bottles to the lunch table.
• Partnerships with parents and the link school are exceptionally strong. Parents praise their children's exceptional progress across the curriculum. Managers and staff keep families well informed and provide practical guidance to support learning at home, enhancing children's development and confidence.