Rainbow Nursery

Inspection of Rainbow Nursery St Marks Hall, Birling Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5LX

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children settle well and thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. They have access to a well-planned curriculum which keeps them motivated to learn and develop new skills. Children immediately settle into their chosen activities. For example, they share stories, build with bricks and are curious to explore with natural materials. Babies confidently move around their environment, exploring a variety of activities on offer to help develop their physical skills. For example, they have space and opportunity to crawl, pull themselves up and walk alongside furniture. Furthermore, babies relish experimenting with different textures.

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The provision is good

Children develop a good understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They engage in purposeful discussions at mealtimes about healthy foods. Children of all ages take part in additional activities, such as music, dance and sports to help build on their large-muscle skills and coordination. Furthermore, children have ongoing access to the well-resourced outdoor area where they use their skills well to navigate obstacle courses. Children behave well across the nursery, sharing and taking turns with their friends.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff have worked hard to address the weakness raised at the last inspection. Staff have undertaken relevant training, which has given them the secure knowledge to identify and raise concerns about children's welfare. The manager has a clear vision and strong desire for continuous improvement. She values regular feedback from staff, children and parents to continue to raise the quality of the nursery. n The manager and staff create a nurturing, home-from-home environment. They gain detailed information from parents about children's care routines and learning needs before they start at the nursery. This enables the key person to develop good attachments with children, which helps to support their emotional well-being. Staff carefully use their good knowledge of key children to identify any gaps in their learning and promptly seek early professional help, when needed. This helps to ensure children make good progress in their development.

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need to do better?

n Staff effectively support children's physical skills. For example, they develop their balance, control and coordination as they walk across steppingstones, balancing beams and move around the space on wheeled toys. Children have ample opportunity to develop and practise their fine-muscle skills. Children manipulate dough and use a variety of tools to strengthen their hand muscles in readiness for early writing. n Children take part in thought-provoking activities to develop their problem- solving skills and perseverance. For example, children work together to help each other and negotiate how to connect tubes together for water to travel from

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need to do better?

21 September 2022 the top to the bottom. Children demonstrate delightful social skills as they help each other, share ideas and encourage each other to have a go. n Overall, staff support children's emerging language skills well. Staff working with young children use books, songs and repeat familiar words to help increase their developing language. Staff support older children's communication skills through asking questions, introducing new ideas and engaging children in conversations about their own interests. However, at times, staff are not consistent in their approach to fully engage all children in activities to help extend their learning at every opportunity. n Staff give priority to children's personal, social and emotional well-being. For example, a gradual settling-in process helps children to feel safe and secure in the nursery environment. Children learn to put on their coats and dressing-up

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need to do better?

outfits. Staff promote children's health well. Children learn about the importance of healthy eating and good oral hygiene. Children are very independent in their self-care and have a good understanding of why it is important to wash their hands before eating. n The manager prioritises staff's well-being and staff say they feel well supported. She observes staff's practice and offers constructive feedback on what they do well and identifies targeted training to help increase staff's skills even further. Staff comment that recent training helped to increase their confidence in planning 'in the moment' to enhance children's learning through their own curiosities. Furthermore, staff feel recent safeguarding training has given them a secure understanding of what action to take to raise concerns. n Parents comment positively about the nursery and how their children are happy and settled. Parents are regularly updated about their children's routines via an

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need to do better?

electronic app. However, parents do not regularly receive updates regarding their child's developmental progress. This does not fully support continued learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures all staff have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding. Staff attend regular training and the manager frequently questions them on child protection and safeguarding issues, to ensure they are confident in the procedures to follow to raise concerns about children's welfare. The managers and staff carry out thorough risk assessments, to help minimise potential hazards and create a safe environment indoors, outdoors and when taking children on outings in the local community. Recruitment and vetting procedures are robust to ensure all staff are suitable and remain suitable to work with children.

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should:

21 September 2022 n encourage staff to enhance their practice to help all children to become fully engaged and consistently challenged in activities n enhance communication with parents even further to share information about their children's learning and developmental progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127486 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10242889 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 79 Name of registered person Rainbow Nursery Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01892 516677 Date of previous inspection 1 April 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Rainbow Nursery registered in 1991 and is situated in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It is open Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There are 15 members of staff, 13 of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. This includes 12 staff with qualifications at level 3 or above. One member of staff has early years teacher status. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children, to find out about their time at the setting. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact of this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager of an activity. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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 September 2022 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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