Rainbow Tree Nursery Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision requires improvement Children come into the nursery happy, and staff are on hand to offer a warm welcome.

Staff encourage children to be independent and, for example, to try to remove their outdoor clothes. Children settle quickly to their chosen activity after stowing away their coats and shoes. There are weaknesses in the planning of what leaders want children to learn next, the activities, and the organisation of certain times of the day.

This means that learning is not always planned for as effectively as possible. Contingency procedures when staff are unwell are not sufficient to always maintain ratios. However, there is a clear ethos of... encouraging children to develop strong bonds with staff and for them to feel safe and secure.

Children know to approach staff for reassurance, and staff give this willingly. Children learn to have a voice and that their opinions matter and staff value these.Children receive praise for their kindness and sharing.

For example, when children give toys to another friend, staff congratulate them for this action. This helps to build children's sense of achievement and awareness of others. Children enjoy sensory activities and develop their small-muscle skills.

For example, they manipulate play dough, showing how they roll this out and use cutters to make different shapes. Children enjoy singing with staff and these sessions entice children to join in and sing along. They show that they have learned the words and actions and that these are embedded in their knowledge.

Staff also introduce new songs that are reflective of the time of the year, and children listen with interest.

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

Leaders and staff are reflective practitioners who are realistic in their assessment of the quality of the provision. However, leaders do not ensure that there are clear procedures in place for contingency arrangements when staff are unable to work.

This means that they are not always able to maintain ratios. However, there are currently low numbers of children attending as the setting recently opened. Staff know the children and their families well, and children settle quickly and promptly engage in their play.

Staff know their key children's learning styles, interests and levels of development. They plan activities that they base around the areas of learning, although there is a strong reliance on creative activities. Staff understand the learning that children may gain from these experiences.

However, the activities are not always planned, purposeful or stem from what children need to learn next. Children enjoy these activities and develop their skills, although these do not provide additional challenge where needed.Leaders recognise children's different learning needs and styles.

They use this information to support all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, leaders occasionally place too much emphasis on children's writing skills in readiness for school. They have not further researched the skills that children need to have learned before they attend school.

However, staff do aspire for children to be kind, show empathy for others and to have a voice.The provider recently notified Ofsted of a significant event, showing their clear understanding of appropriate reporting to Ofsted. They improved their risk assessments when moving children to and from the adjacent play area.

Staff complete daily risk assessments of the indoor and outdoor environment, helping to ensure that they minimise hazards.Staff encourage children to persevere at their chosen activity, such as building the track for their trains. Children piece together the track, learning about turning the pieces around to enable them to slot together.

This shows a clear understanding of how things work and about persisting and succeeding.Staff do not always consider how they organise parts of the daily routine to make sure that children remain engaged in learning. For example, during story times, staff change children's nappies and ready them for outdoor play.

This interrupts their concentration and enjoyment of the story.Staff build effective relationships with parents and share information with them daily. Parents comment that staff are fully accommodating of children's individual needs and are supportive in their approach.

They report that they can already notice advances in their children's development, such as an increase in their levels of confidence.Leaders follow effective procedures for the safer recruitment of staff, which includes the induction process. Staff receive support for their ongoing professional development.

For example, they attend short courses. Staff attend regular meetings to discuss their practice and target aspects for improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date ensure that there are effective contingency plans for staffing, maintaining ratios and qualifications 10/12/2024 improve the planning of activities to make sure that they are purposeful and reflective of what children need to learn next.24/12/2024 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen the intention for the curriculum so that it is reflective of the desired skills that children need to acquire prior to moving on to school revise the organisation of times of the day to make sure that children remain engaged in learning.