Rainbows Village Preschool Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Staff are genuinely happy as they greet children when they arrive. This helps children to feel welcome, and they quickly immerse themselves in play and their chosen activity. The relationships between children and staff reflect a respectful and positive culture in the setting. The key-person system in place is effective and staff display in-depth knowledge of each child. This helps them to extend their learning and to effectively carry out their care routines. Children demonstrate a sense of trust in those that care for them and have positive attitudes towards learning. Their personal, social and emotional development are supported well.

Children relish being in the outdoor environment and run around freely with confidence and delight. Staff plan activities around children's curiosities, interests and desires. For instance, staff support children as they explore the newly developed construction area outside. They gently guide children as they carefully place foam bricks on top of one another with the purpose of building tall towers. Children laugh and clap their hands as the towers wobble and fall to the floor. Staff encourage them to persevere and try again. Children are developing good physical development skills as they crouch, balance and stretch their bodies. They learn to keep on trying and persist when challenges occur.

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

• Leadership and management are effective. Managers are passionate, committed and evaluate their provision well. They have a good understanding of the setting's strengths and areas where their focus is most needed. This supports continual improvement. Staff are well supported by managers that want them to grow and develop within the company. Managers offer staff opportunities to enhance their professional development through regular training that is bespoke to the setting. Children benefit from the skills that staff obtain and make good progress in all areas of development.
• The curriculum is sequenced well to help all children build on their skills in-line with their age and abilities. Managers and staff consider children's starting points and design the curriculum accordingly. They place a focus on school readiness and work with local schools to help prepare older children for their next stage of learning. For instance, children are supported to sit, listen and engage for extended periods of time, which helps them develop their concentration skills.
• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive tailored support to help them progress alongside their friends. Managers and staff adapt the environment and activities to ensure all children can access learning at their level. They work with parents and seek guidance from professionals, who offer support to shape individualised plans. Children with SEND benefit from the same opportunities as their friends.
• On the whole, staff are good role models and help children to understand the rules and boundaries in place. For instance, children are encouraged to help tidy toys away, use good manners and be kind to one another. However, at times, staff do not always communicate consistent messages to children regarding rules and behavioural expectations. As a result, the information children receive can lead to some confusion. On these occasions, children are not fully supported to learn right from wrong.
• Managers and staff recognise the importance of ensuring children have access to a wide range of books. Children enjoy being read to by enthusiastic staff and will look at books independently. They handle them with care and respect as they explore the text and visuals. With daily opportunities to listen to stories, children improve their communication and language and early literacy skills.
• Generally, parent partnerships are effective. Managers and staff value parent opinions and work hard at developing strong relationships. Although there is open communication through daily verbal discussions and online applications, information about individualised learning is not always made clear. This means not all parents are fully aware of how they can support learning at home to ensure consistency. Despite this, parents are extremely complimentary about the care and education that their children receive.
• Staff support children to become independent in their personal hygiene practices. Children are developing strong foundations for leading healthy lifestyles. For instance, staff talk to children about eating healthy foods, and they learn the importance of good oral hygiene. Children are becoming increasingly confident in their self-care skills as they learn to do things for themselves.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to implement consistent expectations for children so they increasingly learn to follow rules and boundaries
• strengthen information sharing with parents to effectively communicate children's individualised learning goals.