Rainbow Nursery

Wooden planks became a shared building project in Rainbow Nursery's garden in February 2023: children moved them together, solved problems and turned their construction into imaginative play. That practical example captures the strongest thread in its nursery day at the time: learning by doing, with room for children to develop their own ideas.

At its February 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated Rainbow Nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found strong support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, alongside good progress across the curriculum. The improvement points concerned engagement during activities and teaching children about internet safety and screen time. Those qualifications matter alongside the positive judgement.

Rainbow Nursery is based at Crawley Hospital in Crawley and has capacity for 36 children aged 9 to 60 months. Its hospital address makes the setting easy to identify; the capacity describes the whole nursery, rather than the size of any one group.

In February 2023, the nursery occupied a detached, single-storey building within the hospital grounds. Changes to the environment had created more opportunities for children of different ages to play together. Mixed-age learning was part of the experience, although mixed-age group activities still needed adjustment to keep everyone involved.

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care: learning through play sits alongside support for communication, physical development and growing independence. In February 2023, children explored the relationship between materials by combining water with cornflour and moving the mixture between containers. This gave an everyday activity a clear learning purpose: experimenting and seeing what happened next.

Other play was more imaginative. Children shaped dough into pretend cakes, while brick construction developed into shared stories and turn-taking. They sustained their attention during activities they had chosen themselves. The contrast is useful for parents: children sustained their attention in chosen free play, while mixed-age group times needed refinement to keep them engaged.

Outside, the wooden-plank activity brought thinking and movement together. Children negotiated how to build, adjusted their ideas when difficulties arose and lifted materials around the garden. Their bodies were working as well as their imaginations. This was a concrete example of outdoor learning, rather than simply time spent outside.

In February 2023, children developed close relationships with their key person and other familiar adults. Daily routines also gave them responsibility: at meals, they poured water and took their own food to the table. Independence was practised in small, useful steps.

Support for individual needs included tracking children's development, recognising when extra help was needed and involving other professionals. Staff also worked individually with children on their next steps. These were practical mechanisms for tailoring support, rather than relying on the same activity to meet every child's needs.

Communication extended beyond the nursery day. In February 2023, families could borrow books and bags of home-learning resources, and parents spoke positively about updates on their children's development. Those lending arrangements gave families something tangible to use at home, connecting nursery learning with time together outside the setting.

Health messages included diet, dental care and hygiene. Staff also encouraged physical activity and responded to children's energy by directing them towards outdoor play. However, opportunities to explain safer internet use were being missed. Care for children's wellbeing therefore had a clear strength in everyday physical routines and a specific educational gap around screens.

The address is Rainbow Nursery, Crawley Hospital, West Green Drive, Crawley, RH11 7DH. Families can contact the nursery on 01293 227793 or use its application route. Its address and contact details identify the Crawley setting, which matters when making an enquiry.

Opening hours are 8am to 6pm from Monday to Thursday, with a 5.30pm finish on Friday. It operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and Christmas. The earlier Friday finish deserves attention when planning a working week: a routine that fits the other weekdays may need an adjustment then.

In February 2023, Rainbow received early-education funding for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated account of participation, rather than a promise about a family's present entitlement. Current prices should come in the nursery's written quotation.

• Group activities. In February 2023, mixed-age group times needed refinement to sustain children's attention. At a visit, ask how activities now accommodate children at different stages.
• Screens and safety. The February 2023 improvement points included teaching safer internet use and screen habits more consistently. Ask how these ideas are introduced to young children now.
• Your weekly pattern. Friday closes at 5.30pm, earlier than the other weekdays. Ask which booking arrangements fit your working week and how funded hours and any associated charges would apply to your child.

Rainbow merits consideration for families seeking childcare at Crawley Hospital who value practical play and opportunities for children to become more independent. Its February 2023 strengths were specific: collaborative construction, imaginative play, individual support and resources families could borrow for home learning.

The balance is equally specific. Engagement in group activities and education about screens needed attention, while the current Friday closing time has a direct bearing on family routines. Families whose week fits those hours have a clear practical starting point for considering the nursery.