Rainbow Lodge Day Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children form strong attachments with their key person, strongly supporting their well-being and self-esteem. They demonstrate, through their good behaviour, that they feel safe and happy in the nursery.

Staff closely monitor any children who are less confident or have recently started. They are quick to support and reassure children, when needed. They plan times during the day for children to talk about their feelings.

Children learn to confidently express themselves and begin to understand how others feel. Children develop the skills and knowledge that help them build friendships and cooperate with others. Children a...re captivated as they listen to familiar and new stories.

Staff teach children how stories are structured and introduce new vocabulary. Children talk about their favourite characters, and enthusiastically recall events and use story language. Staff ensure that stories provide opportunities for children to develop their understanding of the world.

When listening to a story about bees, children discover that they make honey by collecting nectar from flowers. They learn that some bees live in a special home called a 'beehive'. Staff encourage children to take care of all living things.

When children find a bug on the ground, staff talk to them about carefully moving it to a safe place.

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

Nursery leaders plan the curriculum, so it builds on what children already know and can do. They make sure the resources support children's development over the seven areas of learning.

Adult-led activities are well planned and engage children. Children make good progress over time.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported, so they can continue to be successful learners.

Staff identify when children are not making expected progress in some areas of learning. They work with other professionals such as health visitors and those from the speech and language service. This helps to identify what additional support is appropriate to meet individual children's needs.

Staff support children's mathematical development effectively. They incorporate counting into everyday activities. Children are encouraged to count the number of legs as they paint pictures of an octopus.

They estimate how many toy fish are in a jar. Children gain a secure understanding of numbers to five and then beyond. They then confidently apply their knowledge in different contexts.

Nursery leaders had to make changes to usual arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included the processes where children were getting ready to move from the nursery into school. They have worked with the host school and other schools to reintroduce the previously successful arrangements.

This means that schools are well prepared to meet the needs of new children, right from the start.Children master skills that will help them as they learn to read. Staff play games with them that help them identify words that have the same initial sound.

Children listen carefully at register time and are quick to respond when staff say the initial sound of their name. When children are ready, staff plan activities that encourage children to recognise some letters and name them.Nursery leaders have invested in online training opportunities for staff's professional development.

There is currently less focus on identifying opportunities to develop staff's teaching skills, to raise the consistently good levels of teaching to outstanding.Parents speak about the nursery positively. They are confident their children are happy and safe.

They value the opportunities for their children to make friends and develop their social skills. Parents praise the friendly and committed staff team. They say they are kept well informed about their child's interests and achievements.

The staff team work well together and have created a nurturing nursery ethos. Nursery leaders place a high priority on the well-being of staff. They plan regular supervision sessions when staff can discuss all aspects of their roles.

Staff report that they are well supported by nursery leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff supervise children well and ensure that the indoor and outdoor areas are well maintained, and that risks are minimised.

They have a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding and the possible impact upon children. Staff know the signs that would cause them to be concerned about a child's welfare. They understand their responsibilities to report any concerns immediately to the nursery safeguarding lead or appropriate services.

Nursery leaders ensure that new staff are suitable to work with children. They have robust arrangements in place to check the continued suitability of staff.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: focus professional development opportunities for staff to develop existing knowledge and enhance the quality of teaching to the highest level.

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