Rainbow Nursery @ Little Forest Children’s Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are very happy and settled in this bright and stimulating nursery.

Children and staff are delighted to see each other and settle in quickly after the long summer holiday. Managers and staff research and consider deeply how children learn. They work tirelessly to provide a rich and homely learning environment where children can become fully involved in their play.

Resources are real. They represent the range of experiences of the children. For example, the home corner has pictures of families in frames on the wall.

Parents say that they value the time that the staff take to get to know them and their c...hildren as individuals. Children's behaviour and attitudes are exemplary. Staff support children to quickly develop confidence to manage social situations.

Children learn to play cooperatively and share resources. This is demonstrated as very young children react with humour when their younger friends demand to share their toys. Children show that they feel safe as they lean into the staff for comfort and cuddles.

Occasionally, staff miss opportunities to fully extend children's learning through their play. Staff do not fully support parents to extend their children's learning at home.

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

Leaders plan and develop a curriculum that helps children build on what they know and to explore ideas fully.

Staff provide experiences in all areas of the nursery that support children to develop the skills that they need to be ready to move to the next stage of their learning. For example, they give children ample opportunities to fully explore the sensory qualities of paint so that they understand how to use it in their creative activities.Children approach all activities with enthusiasm and determination.

For instance, they run, jump, climb, build and explore in the well-resourced outdoor environment. Children play exceptionally well together. They know all the routines and are keen to have a go at the activities provided.

They enthusiastically join in with singing and action rhymes, and are eager to help to prepare and lay the tables at lunchtime.Caring and nurturing staff skilfully support babies' personal development. They respond sensitively to young children's body language.

For example, they immediately start to sing favourite rhymes when prompted by a baby rocking the rocker. Staff encourage children's early communication well. For instance, they take time to learn key words for children who are learning to speak English as an additional language and introduce simple words into their interactions that build children's vocabulary.

Leaders and managers know their staff well. They offer them good support. For example, leaders allocate a mentor to all new members of staff.

They have weekly meetings to discuss their progress. Leaders and managers ensure that all staff have regular access to training that develops their practice. They are encouraged to share what they learn with the rest of the team.

Staff say that they feel valued and well supported.Staff offer exceptional support to help children develop the skills that they need to manage their own behaviour. For instance, staff calmly support children who are learning how to engage with a new activity.

They expertly support them to learn where the pieces go and discuss how to use the toy properly. When children are disruptive, staff take the time to engage with them. They gently explain how the behaviour is stopping other children from playing.

Staff are interested playmates for the children. They listen carefully and respond appropriately. Sometimes, staff miss opportunities to further develop children's learning.

For example, children are not always supported to count or use mathematical language in their play.Parents report that they receive excellent information about what their children do at nursery. They value opportunities to meet with staff both daily and at planned parents' evenings.

However, parents are not clearly supported to understand how they can build on what children learn in the nursery.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Managers implement robust recruitment arrangements to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

They review staff suitability regularly. Staff complete annual safeguarding training. Managers check what staff have learned.

For example, they provide regular opportunities for staff to discuss safeguarding scenarios and give them safeguarding quizzes. Staff know how to raise a concern with their safeguarding lead and who to go to if they need to take issues further. They know how to raise concerns about adults who work with children.

Leaders and managers monitor children's attendance. They take prompt action if children do not arrive for their sessions.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: build on the good parent partnerships to develop more frequent and effective ways to help parents extend their children's learning at home develop further practitioners' skills and confidence so that they can take every opportunity to extend children's learning as they engage with them in their play.

Also at this postcode