Rainbow Pre-School

Inspection of Rainbow Pre-School Chelmer Village Hall, Chelmer Village, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 6RF

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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The provision is inadequate

Children are not motivated or challenged in their learning. The educational programme and curriculum fail to excite or engage them. Children are unable to make consistent progress in their learning. Staff do not provide enough challenge for some children, particularly the older ones, who find their own amusement running or wandering around. Children's assessments and plans for what they need to learn next are not clear. Staff fail to link observations clearly to ongoing assessments, which means that planning is not precise enough to support children's progress.

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The provision is inadequate

Activities that staff provide are not always well thought out. Resources are not readily available to further extend children's learning. Staff miss many opportunities throughout the session to support children's interests and engage them further. For example, when children show interest in making play dough cupcakes, staff do not make the most of extending and encouraging their play further.

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The provision is inadequate

Children generally behave well. They wait for their friends to speak and take turns to wash their hands ready to have snack. Despite the weaknesses in the educational programme, children are happy and enjoy each other's company. Older children are respectful of the younger ones around them and happily allow them to play alongside their games. Children have good relationships with their key person. They are eager to see their special person when they arrive and share their thoughts during the session. Children enjoy reassuring cuddles and show concern when one of their friends becomes upset.

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need to do better?

n The manager has failed to ensure that the educational programmes and curriculum are built on what children already know and designed to give them the skills they need to succeed in their learning. Activities are not planned well enough. Staff do not make the most of every opportunity to build on children's learning. For example, children made a poster depicting a 'wanted' potato character after listening to the story. However, they were unaware of what was expected, as staff did not provide additional resources to help children to understand and learn from the activity. n The manager has failed to oversee and ensure that all children have initial assessments of what they know and can do when they first start to attend the pre-school. Staff record observations of children's achievements and use these to track their learning. However, these are not used effectively to plan for what children need to learn next. Consequently, staff are unable to consolidate and

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need to do better?

extend children's learning to enable them to make suitable progress. This hinders children's ability to develop all the skills they need to be ready for school

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need to do better?

21 June 2021 when the time comes. n Other activities are mundane, repetitive and do not sufficiently excite and engage children. For example, staff fail to consider the time it takes for a large block of ice with peas frozen inside to melt, which leaves children uninterested until the ice thaws and the peas fall out. n Parents have been unable to come into the pre-school since it reopened in June 2020. During the national COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic lockdown, staff read stories online and invited the children to join them for an online lunch. The manager regularly emailed parents and followed these up with text messages if parents did not make contact. This enabled staff to check that children and their families were coping with the restrictions. n Staff take time to listen to children's thoughts and ideas, and gently repeat back to them words which they mispronounce. Older children use their words to ask

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need to do better?

for drinks and when they need to use the toilet. Younger children are encouraged to use visual aids to help them to communicate. Children have good levels of self-confidence and understand the routines. n The manager provides staff with regular ongoing supervision and opportunities to complete additional online training. Staff are enthusiastic about courses they wish to attend to develop their professional knowledge and practice. n Parents are happy and share positive comments about the staff. They appreciate the support they receive from staff and feel able to approach them should they have any concerns. n The pre-school works in partnership with local schools and other settings that children attend. This helps to provide continuity in children's care and development as they move between settings and when the time comes to start school. Staff welcome advice from other professionals to help them support

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need to do better?

children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff complete regular safeguarding training. They have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms which may indicate a child is at risk of harm or abuse. Staff know who to go to should they have any concerns and what to do should they believe their concerns have not been acted on. Staff are clear about what to do if they have any concerns about a colleague's behaviour or practice. Robust risk assessments and clear procedures for when children arrive and leave the pre- school help to keep them safe.

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Due date

21 June 2021 ensure that educational programmes and the curriculum are ambitious and well designed to support all children's progress in relation to their starting points 06/09/2021

p.3

Due date

review and improve ongoing planning and assessment arrangements to ensure that activities are age appropriate and provide suitable levels of challenge to motivate and interest all children 06/09/2021

p.4

Due date

make better use of existing resources to encourage children's curiosity and develop their own ideas in their play. 06/09/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number 508748 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10127599 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Rainbow Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07901 886488 Date of previous inspection 3 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Rainbow Pre-School registered in 1999. The pre-school employs 13 members of staff, 11 of whom work directly with the children and hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am to 3.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the pre-school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the pre-school. n The inspector and the manager had a learning walk together to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n The inspector spoke to children, staff and the manager during the inspection. n Parents' comments in learning journals and their views gathered through telephone calls were taken account of by the inspector. n The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability and discussed with the manager how she supports staff's professional development. n The inspector observed children playing in their groups and outside.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

21 June 2021 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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