Rainbows End Pre-school

Rainbows End Pre-school Chells Community Association, Mobbsbury Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 0HT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20 October 2016 3 October 2012

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Partnerships with parents are good. The ongoing sharing of information successfully involves parents in every aspect of their children's care and learning. Staff provide them with a wealth of ideas to support their children's learning at home. For example, they invite them to attend workshops and encourage them to borrow home-learning packs.  Effective settling-in procedures support children to settle quickly as they begin at the pre-school. One way this is achieved is by offering their parents a book containing photographs of the pre-school and staff to share with their children. Children's individual key persons continue to share this during settling-in sessions.  The well-qualified team of staff receives regular supervision meetings and good training opportunities to consistently update their knowledge and skills. Staff regularly reflect on each other's practice and have recently achieved a recognised local authority

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This provision is good

accreditation award.  Staff plan stimulating activities to promote children's individual developmental needs and respond well to their curiosity. One of the ways they do this is by enabling children to explore the texture of salt and flour with their hands.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasion, staff do not fully promote children's attention and listening skills during planned group activities.  Staff have not yet achieved highly effective partnerships with providers of all other settings that children attend to provide excellent continuity of learning.

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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

 review the organisation of planned group activities in order to better promote the development of children's listening and attention skills  strengthen the partnerships with all other early years providers where children attend, to support their continuity of learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and also held a meeting with her.  The inspector looked at the pre-school's self-evaluation process and relevant documentation, such as the evidence of the suitability of staff and the evidence available of the suitability of some committee members.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of identifying any children who may be at risk of harm from extreme behaviours and views. They know the action to take if they have concerns about a child's welfare. The manager actively seeks the views of parents and children to help her reflect on the service the pre-school provides. She thoroughly monitors children's progress, including specific groups of children. Swift action is taken to address any gaps in children's learning. Staff work in partnership with other professionals to support children who have special educational needs and disabilities.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

All children are motivated and inquisitive learners; they engage in challenging activities with enthusiasm in this welcoming and vibrant pre-school. Children make predictions to help them solve mathematical problems. As they make dough they work out, through trial and error, how many more cups of flour are required to achieve a good consistency. Staff promote children's language skills well. They introduce children to descriptive words, such as sloppy and sticky, as children mix the dough ingredients. Children create shapes from their finished dough using a range of tools and cutters. They use their vivid imagination to pretend the shapes they cut out are people and add intricate details using their fingertips. Children count and match shapes and colours as they join construction bricks together to make structures. Staff seek key words from parents, which is one of the ways they support children who speak English as an additional language. They also use visual aids to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

help children express themselves. Children develop good control and coordination of their hands. They concentrate and persevere when transferring pebbles and dried pasta into a pot using different types of tongs.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff talk to the children in a calm and respectful manner. This helps children to understand how to manage their own behaviour and to make friends. Children are confident as they explore the spacious environment and the thoughtful arrangement of good quality toys and activities. Staff support children to understand the importance of maintaining a good hygiene routine. Children know to blow their nose at the 'blow your nose' station. Visits by players from a football academy help children develop good physical skills and stamina. Children also perfect their balancing skills, for example, as they jump along stepping stones.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress from their individual starting points. This includes children who speak English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs or disabilities. Children are able to recognise their own name. They independently manage their own personal needs and demonstrate a clear awareness of how to keep themselves safe. These skills help to prepare them well for their next stage of learning and their eventual move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 146443 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1059406 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 3 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Chells Community Association Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 3 October 2012 Telephone number 01438 355458

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reference number

Rainbows End Pre-school was registered in 1997 and is managed by a voluntary committee. The pre-school employs nine members of staff. Of these, seven hold qualifications at level 2 or above, including three who hold a qualification at level 6. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3.30pm, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Sessions on Tuesday and Friday are from 9am until midday. The pre-school provides funded early education for two- and three-year-old children. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children who have special educational needs or disabilities.

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

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