Rainbow Day Nursery

A personal starting point and regular progress updates give Rainbow Day Nursery a clear thread from home life to nursery learning. Parents complete My story when their child joins, and observations inform weekly planning, progress tracking and reports. That makes the child's individual development part of the routine, rather than something reserved for an occasional meeting.

At its 17 May 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall. Rainbow has 42 places in total for children from birth to five, with three rooms organised by age. It is based in Amington, Tamworth, and offers both full-day and sessional care.

Rooms and Ages

Three age-related rooms separate the nursery's different stages of childhood. This gives families an age-based structure from the outset, while the overall capacity of 42 describes the nursery as a whole rather than the size of any individual room.

In May 2023, the activities varied with children's stage of development: babies investigated a dripping mixture and filled containers, toddlers drew pictures of themselves, and preschool children used construction pieces to invent a birthday cake. These were concrete examples of children choosing, experimenting and turning their ideas into play. They also show why a nursery day cannot be judged simply by how many activities are listed on a timetable.

Learning and Activities

EYFS is the framework for learning and development here: children learn through play, relationships and opportunities to explore, with recognition that they develop at different rates. Weekly planning draws on observations of individuals and groups. A progress tracker is completed every eight weeks, alongside reports every three months, giving parents regular points at which to follow their child's development.

During May 2023, language work included adults introducing vocabulary, familiar stories for older children and a basket of objects that babies used to choose songs. Communication therefore ran through ordinary play as well as organised activities. The same visit identified a need for preschool staff to be more precise about the knowledge and skills children should acquire next, and for stronger staff coaching and mentoring. Child-led activity was a strength of the daily experience, but clearer adult intentions were the development priority.

Outdoor and Community Life

The garden gave children space for exercise and outdoor activity in May 2023. Preschool children made marks outdoors with water and brushes, while yoga sessions added another form of movement. These examples connect physical activity with exploration and quieter concentration; they belong to that dated picture of the nursery day.

Relationships and Communication

Each child has a keyworker, providing a particular adult connection within the wider staff team. My story is the starting document parents complete on joining, bringing information about the child into that relationship. Combined with the observation and reporting cycle, it gives care and learning a shared starting point.

In May 2023, babies turned to their key person for comfort when tired, toddlers sought reassurance, and preschool children expressed their preferences confidently. Parents received daily activity information and shared assessments. For families, those details show the value of both immediate communication about the day and longer-term discussion of development.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2023 inspection, Ofsted found that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities were supported well, children made good progress towards their next stage, and safeguarding arrangements were effective. These are dated judgements, rather than assurances about every child's experience today.

Food has its own practical emphasis. A trained cook prepares fresh meals during the day, using summer and winter menus. The nursery achieved Gold Level of the nurturing health award in September 2010, a scheme from the live well, be well Staffordshire partnership providing guidance on balanced diets and related health activities.

Sessions and Attendance

Full-day care and sessional care are both offered. Opening hours are 7.45am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. The opening window gives families the operating boundaries; the choice between a full day and sessional attendance determines how nursery fits into their week.

Getting There

The address is 7 Barlow Close, Amington, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B77 3ES. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01827 51281, by email at info@rainbow-tamworth.co.uk or through the contact form.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered through Think 2 and funding for children aged three to five. The 30-hour offer is for qualifying working parents with children aged three to five. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the entitlement and the cost of a family's chosen attendance should be considered separately.

• Preschool learning. In May 2023, staff needed clearer intentions for what preschool children should learn next, alongside stronger coaching and mentoring. At a visit, ask how these priorities now shape planning and staff support.
• Your attendance pattern. Full-day and sessional care serve different weekly routines, while the nursery closes for bank holidays and a Christmas week. Consider those closures alongside the pattern you need.
• Funded attendance and extras. Think 2 and the qualifying-working-parent offer make funding relevant to this choice. Ask for a written breakdown of how funded hours fit your attendance, including meals and non-food consumables.

Rainbow suits families seeking either full-day care or sessional attendance, with a keyworker relationship and a regular cycle of progress information. Its strongest practical thread is the connection between a child's starting information, observations and parent reports. The Good judgement from May 2023 supports that dated picture, while the preschool planning and staff-development priorities deserve attention when deciding whether the nursery meets your child's needs.