Little Rainbows

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children develop strong relationships with their key person. They settle quickly on arrival and are eager to play with the wide range of resources that interest and engage them.

Children are happy and confident, and staff have high expectations of all children.The caring and attentive staff are good role models. They gently encourage children to use good manners and think of others.

The atmosphere throughout the nursery is calm and nurturing. As a result, children's behaviour is very good. Children use a sand timer to give everyone a chance to play with popular toys, for example.

They confidently explain that ...when all the sand is gone, it will be their turn to ride a tricycle.Children benefit from daily fresh air and outdoor experiences, such as planting seeds. They enjoy regular visits to the local park, which reinforces their understanding of the natural world.

Access to a wider variety of resources for climbing and balancing helps to extend their physical skills.Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the staff and appreciate the good communication about children's learning and achievements.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have shared videos and home learning activities with parents. This has supported children's development and well-being. Children continue to make good progress.

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

Leaders and managers evaluate the provision accurately. They continually reflect and implement further ways to build on good practice. For example, after identifying mathematics as an area for improvement, they created a dedicated room where children enjoy exploring new resources.

Children concentrate well as they complete puzzles and develop good counting and sequencing skills.Leaders have a sound structure in place to provide staff with effective support to their well-being. They review staff workload and provide regular feedback about how they can improve their practice.

Staff show great enthusiasm for their work as they continue to develop their knowledge and skills. Their expertise has a positive impact on their work with the children and supports children's learning very effectively.Staff get to know children well and they are quick to notice when children need extra help.

Staff work in efficient partnership with the children's centre and other professionals to provide good support for children and families. They use any additional funding thoughtfully to provide extra staff and resources, for example. This helps all children to reach their full potential.

Staff know what children are capable of and identify precisely what they need to learn next. They plan interesting activities and join in with their play. Staff make suggestions and comments that help to keep children interested and engaged.

However, at times, they miss chances to encourage children to explore and explain their own ideas to extend their learning fully.Children are secure in their daily routines, such as washing their hands before eating. They enjoy sitting together for healthy snack times.

However, staff are sometimes busy preparing food and serving children. This means that staff are not able to focus fully on reinforcing learning and encouraging children to be even more independent. For example, they do not consistently sit with children to encourage them to help themselves and develop their social skills.

Throughout the setting, children become familiar with books that stimulate their imaginations. Staff in the toddler room are skilled at sharing stories with younger children. They expertly capture children's interest as they encourage them to join in.

Children thoroughly enjoy hearing stories and develop a love of books right from the start. In the pre-school room, staff use different voices to draw older children in as they read to them. Older children are eager to repeat familiar phrases, which develops their understanding of rhyming words and their good literacy skills.

Staff encourage older children to listen carefully to adults and follow simple instructions. Younger children learn new words and begin to make sentences with effective support. Staff skilfully and consistently use signing to help all children to communication well.

Children develop the skills they need to move on to their future learning with confidence and self-assurance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and managers ensure that all staff have a sound understanding of child protection matters.

Regular training keeps all staff up to date with any changes in legislation. Staff know the signs to look for that would lead them to be concerned about a child's welfare. They are clear about the correct procedures to follow to keep all children safe from harm.

The manager and staff provide a safe and secure environment for the children in their care. They encourage children to use toys and resources such as scissors safely and keep themselves safe as they play.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: develop staff's questioning skills further to encourage children to explore their own ideas and extend their learning nextend opportunities for children to carry out small tasks for themselves, to develop their independence and improve their social skills.

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