The Rainbow Tree Day Nursery

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are happy and settled at this welcoming nursery. They form close and trusting relationships with staff, who clearly enjoy caring for them. There is a well-established and effective key-person system and new children settle quickly into nursery routines. This helps support their emotional well-being. Children are developing good levels of independence and know how to keep themselves safe. They listen and follow instructions well. Children know how to put on coats and boots and talk about walking sensibly on the steps that lead to the outdoor play area.

Children's behaviour is good. They develop skills in sharing and taking turns and show respect to each other. Children learn about each other's families. They enjoy sharing homemade books that contain photos of their immediate and extended family. This helps children to learn about similarities and value difference. Children have good opportunities to play outside in the developing outdoor areas. Babies explore musical toys on their cosy veranda. Young children enjoy drawing with chalk. They draw faces to express how they are feeling and the reason for this. Older children enjoy the challenges of new climbing equipment. This helps children to develop small- and large-muscle skills. Children are supervised well and supported in their outdoor learning.

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

• Managers effectively review the nursery to make improvements. They use additional funding well, such as early years pupil premium. Managers have purchased carefully chosen equipment to support and develop children's physical development in the outdoor learning environments.
• Staff receive good guidance and support from management and complete all required training, such as child protection and paediatric first aid. Managers monitor staff performance to help identify their strengths and any areas for development. However, staff are not always given opportunities to participate in training that relates to the improvements currently being made at the nursery.
• Staff plan an exciting curriculum that builds on children's learning step-by-step. They adapt and change activities according to the individual needs of those children participating. The activities provided have a clear learning intention.
• Staff who support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have a clear understanding of their role. They use their knowledge to great effect and work well with external agencies to support each child. This ensures that each child has the appropriate support and that gaps in learning close as quickly as possible.
• Children have good opportunities to take a lead in their learning and concentrate well at their chosen play. They enjoy making snacks in the pretend play area and invite their friends to join them. Other children enjoy exploring foam and giggle as they try to scoop up foam to build a tower. Staff have high expectations of children and extend their learning by offering suggestions on how they might go about this.
• Children are developing a good knowledge of literacy. Staff have created a room which includes a tepee, comfy cushions, and a wide range of books for children to read independently or with their friends. Staff read to children in an engaging way and they listen intently. Older children predict what they think might happen next and confidently recall parts of the story line. This supports children's language and communication skills.
• Staff effectively incorporate mathematics into children's play in interesting ways. For example, younger children enjoy exploring the colourful raised textured of numbers on pebbles and older children have fun collecting, counting, and sorting conkers and leaves on woodland walks.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the nursery and are pleased with their children's progress. Parents were complimentary about the good key-person systems and children's transitions between rooms. They welcome the new online learning journal that informs them of their children's care needs and progress. However, parents do not receive sufficient information on how to support and guide their children's individual learning at home.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen the programme for professional development that staff receive, so that the nursery's vision for children's learning is well understood by the team
• provide parents with further information about how they can guide their children's learning at home.