Rainbow Pre-School

Rainbow Pre-School Chelmer Village Hall, Chelmer Village, CHELMSFORD, Essex, CM2 6RF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 February 2015 27 February 2012

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Staff have a confident understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Teaching is effective as staff successfully use their knowledge of children's individual interests and capabilities to provide activities that encourage children to learn new things.  Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress because they are carefully nurtured and guided by experienced staff.  Children behave well and feel emotionally secure because the staff provide a caring and supportive environment and are calm role models.  There is a strong partnership with parents and well-established links exist with local schools to promote continuity in children's learning and development.  The manager and staff have a good knowledge of how to keep the children safe and secure and they take their safeguarding role seriously. This ensures that the children

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This provision is good

remain safe within their care.  The manager efficiently monitors the pre-school provision and effectively supports the staff team's professional development, which in turn, benefits all children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not use the outdoor environment to the maximum potential by consistently planning vibrant and highly stimulating learning opportunities, that are available to children all year round.  Children have fewer opportunities to develop their independence and self-help skills during snack times, in contrast to other times of the day.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 extend children's learning in the outdoor environment throughout the year, for example, by providing a wider range of resources that promote their exploration and investigation, to enhance children's all-round development  increase opportunities for children to further develop personal independence, for example, by encouraging them to serve their food and pour their drinks at snack times.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor learning environments and looked around the premises.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held discussions with the nominated person, manager, staff and children.  The inspector viewed a sample of the children's development records.  The inspector saw evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the staff, self- evaluation, risk assessment and policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and from their responses to surveys carried out by pre-school.

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who attend. This is good

Children are well prepared for their future learning, including developing the skills they need in readiness for starting school. They listen attentively, become enthralled by stories and confidently use their imagination as they act out role-play scenarios. Children also develop their mathematical skills during practical experiences and can talk about shapes and patterns. Staff effectively interact alongside children as they play, talking with them and teaching them new skills. They skilfully judge when to give children time to practise and explore an activity on their own, and when to join in and help. This gives children independence and suits children who are quiet, as well as more active learners. Children are highly engaged in their play and enjoy exploring and investigating in the indoor environment. Children also enjoy access to the outside area where they exercise and develop their physical skills in the fresh air. They go on some walks in the vicinity to

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who attend. This is good

develop their understanding of the natural world. However, during the winter months, there are fewer resources provided outdoors to promote children's all-round learning.

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good

Children joining the pre-school quickly develop secure emotional bonds due to the effective settling-in procedures and a well-embedded key-person system. The younger children have their own dedicated playroom, where they play in a smaller group. This means children feel safe and secure and enjoy their learning experiences. Children learn about healthy lifestyles as they learn to manage their own hygiene needs. At snack times, they sit together and talk with staff about the food that is good for them. This also teaches them how to behave in social situations. However, staff do not include children in achievable and routine roles, such as serving the food or pouring drinks to further develop their independence.

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provision is good

The manager and staff clearly understand how to implement the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Recruitment and selection procedures are robust as the necessary background checks take place before staff have unsupervised access to children. All staff complete safeguarding training so they know exactly how to report and record any concerns they have about the welfare of a child. They also attend first-aid courses at regular intervals so they can deal with minor accidents and injuries. The manager and deputy oversee and monitor staff practice and the educational programme well. They meet with staff regularly to discuss children's achievements and future planning, which helps them to quickly identify and support gaps in the progress of both individuals and groups of children. Staff effectively liaise with parents using the website, newsletters and the wealth of information on display. Parents feel involved in their

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provision is good

children's learning because they meet regularly with staff to discuss their children's progress and ideas are shared to continue learning at home. Parents say they are very happy with the progress their children make in the pre-school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 508748 Local authority Essex Inspection number 869368

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 73 Name of provider Rainbow Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 27 February 2012

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Telephone number

Rainbow Pre-school was registered in 1982 and is run by a committee. The pre-school employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, one member of staff holds an early years degree and eight staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. The pre-school also employs two kitchen assistants. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during school term times. Sessions are from 9am to 12 noon and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. An optional lunch club operates from 12 noon to 12.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Telephone number

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Telephone number

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Telephone number

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Telephone number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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