The Rainbow Centre (Marham)

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff consistently prioritise children's emotional security. They form warm and secure bonds with all children and get to know them and their individual needs quickly to build trust and help them settle. The nursery special educational needs coordinator is passionate and dedicated to the role. Despite, only taking on the role in recent months, she has implemented a more specific and targeted approach to identifying and monitoring children's needs. This is continuing to be embedded across the nursery to help develop a more consistent approach among staff. Staff have become more knowledgeable about strategies that can be used to further promote and develop learning for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), children known to social care and those who face other barriers to their learning. For example, staff regularly plan structured physical activities that help children focus and self-regulate. Staff understand and use simple sign language as another means of communication. These types of strategies are helping children to become confident and engaged learners.

Leaders work alongside external agencies to provide targeted support for children and families. They meet regularly with families of children with SEND to discuss progress and ensure their children receive enjoyable learning experiences, achieve well and close gaps in their learning. Leaders are aware of those children in receipt of additional funding. They use these funds to target support, such as resources that promote communication and language based on children's interests and learning needs.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

The curriculum is well thought out and led well. Leaders and staff have an insightful understanding of child development and promote sequenced learning that provides the skills children need to develop before starting school. Staff understand the intended learning of the planned activities and how these experiences will develop children's individual learning needs. Staff make suitable adaptations, often in the moment, and adapt their approach depending on the age and stage of children's development. They ensure activities are an appropriate length, engaging and fun. Children who face barriers to their learning benefit from learning in smaller, targeted groups, which supports their development and learning well.

Staff place great emphasis on supporting and developing children's social and emotional skills, communication and language and physical development right from babies. Staff consistently provide babies with resources and support to help strengthen the muscles needed for standing and walking and to be able to climb and balance. For example, babies learn to climb steps and crawl up and down a short ramp.

Leaders are developing how they monitor and support staff practice more regularly. Mostly, staff's interactions with children are purposeful and supports their ongoing development. Occasionally, children's independence is not supported in at way that meets leaders' expectations of consistently high-quality teaching and learning. For example, at mealtimes, some staff tend to carry out tasks for the children.

Achievement: Expected standard

Children are suitably prepared for starting school. They are curious learners, for example, older children ask insightful questions that improve their knowledge and understanding. They have a deep understanding of past learning. For example, when exploring books, children recall the story, name authors and recall specific sentences from their favourite books. Children engage in acting out stories in the garden, confidently recounting, 'We are going on a bear hunt' with their friends. Children hear and engage enthusiastically in stories, singing and rhymes throughout the day. These experiences help to develop their communication and language skills. Babies smile and sway to familiar songs, such as 'Row, row, row the boat', demonstrating their enjoyment.

Children confidently move through the nursery towards the next stage of their development. They are supported by a clear transition process during each room move. Children develop secure emotional wellbeing. They are kind and are beginning to build positive social skills through play. They develop problem-solving skills and independence through everyday routines, including managing their own care needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are making more rapid progress in their communication and language through recently implemented targeted approaches and generally achieve well.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Children throughout the nursery are fully engaged and busy in their learning. This contributes greatly to the generally high levels of positive behaviour that children display. Older children listen intently at group times and follow instructions well. For example, at tidy up time. or to line up ready to move to the lunch hall. Any minor incidents are handled positively by staff, who speak calmly to children and support them to understand how they can regulate their emotions. Staff consistently praise children for their efforts and achievements, helping to build their self-worth and confidence.

Leaders and staff manage routines well overall, ensuring that these are typically used as opportunities to develop independence. Children are familiar with routines and confidently queue, wash their hands and take care of their own personal care needs. Children who may face barriers to their learning participate fully, and group activities support their learning and development. Staff work well as a team to ensure that routines flow and children are well cared for. Behaviour management of staff is generally monitored by leaders to ensure consistency across the nursery. This includes teaching kindness and good manners through effective role modelling as staff help to prepare children for later life.

Leaders promote attendance and punctuality well. They discuss the importance of this with parents and help parents overcome any barriers to attendance as they arise. This ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known to social care, and others who may face barriers to learning are supported to maintain routines and learning experiences.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders provide an environment, where children continually feel safe and secure. Staff are warm and responsive to all children and their families. They quickly build very secure attachments with babies, helping those new to the nursery to settle easily. Babies gesture for cuddles and smile when staff approach them. They explore their environment with increasing confidence, showing enjoyment when staff sing to them or help them engage in sensory play, such as crunching dry cereal with their hands. Babies excitedly copy the actions of familiar rhymes.

Across the nursery, mealtimes are encouraged to be social occasions. This helps children develop positive relationships with other children and staff. Children eat well, access water regularly throughout the day and follow familiar sleep routines that supports their health and wellbeing. Staff follow personalised feeding and weaning routines for babies that meets their individual needs. Staff have carefully considered and implemented the new regulations around safer eating and sleeping to ensure children are continually kept safe from harm. Staff embed positive hygiene practices, such as handwashing. Nappy changing and toilet areas afford children their privacy. All children, including those facing additional barriers to their learning, access care that supports their wellbeing and development. At the end of each day, parents receive a comprehensive breakdown of their children's day, including care routines and activities they have participated in. Parents comment that they welcome the communication and support they receive.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders are reflective of the provision and have ensured that there is a continuing positive culture of safeguarding throughout the nursery. The newly configured management team has worked hard to ensure that both the team and staff are continuing to meet high standards of care and learning after an unsettling period for the nursery. Leaders are aware that there are still some improvements to be made. Some teaching practice does not always meet expectations and leaders realise that staff may benefit from more consistent monitoring of practice and coaching to consistently provide the highest quality teaching. A new system for effective supervision of staff is still in its infancy and not embedded enough to drive improvements in quality or clearly focus on the professional development needs of staff. Leaders continue to be positive and proactive about the future and are committed to working closely alongside families and other professionals to ensure they continue to meet the needs of all children and their families.

Leaders consistently promote a positive working culture. Staff share that they feel extremely well supported and their wellbeing is given high priority. Leaders conduct regular check-ins, have an open-door approach and opportunities for team development. Morale among staff is high and they are passionate about providing children with an enjoyable and motivating childcare experience. Overall, this all contributes to a cohesive and supportive staff team. There is regular engagement with parents and other professionals to ensure that children's needs are consistently met and leaders plan to further develop parent engagement through activities, such as home story sacks and attending nursery lunches.