The Rainbow Centre (Marham)

The Rainbow Centre (Marham)
Unique reference number (URN): EY383623
Address: Elm Road, Upper Marham, KING'S LYNN, Norfolk, PE33 9NF
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 25/02/2009
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: The Rainbow Centre (Marham)
Inspection report: 18 June 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Expected standard
Achievement Expected standard
Children are suitably prepared for starting school. They are curious learners, for example,
older children ask insightful questions that improve their knowledge and understanding.
They have a deep understanding of past learning. For example, when exploring books,
children recall the story, name authors and recall specific sentences from their favourite
books. Children engage in acting out stories in the garden, confidently recounting, 'We are
going on a bear hunt' with their friends. Children hear and engage enthusiastically in stories,
singing and rhymes throughout the day. These experiences help to develop their
communication and language skills. Babies smile and sway to familiar songs, such as 'Row,
row, row the boat', demonstrating their enjoyment.
Children confidently move through the nursery towards the next stage of their development.
They are supported by a clear transition process during each room move. Children develop
secure emotional wellbeing. They are kind and are beginning to build positive social skills
through play. They develop problem-solving skills and independence through everyday
routines, including managing their own care needs. Children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities are making more rapid progress in their communication and language
through recently implemented targeted approaches and generally achieve well.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard
Children throughout the nursery are fully engaged and busy in their learning. This
contributes greatly to the generally high levels of positive behaviour that children display.
Older children listen intently at group times and follow instructions well. For example, at tidy
up time. or to line up ready to move to the lunch hall. Any minor incidents are handled
positively by staff, who speak calmly to children and support them to understand how they
can regulate their emotions. Staff consistently praise children for their efforts and
achievements, helping to build their self-worth and confidence.
Leaders and staff manage routines well overall, ensuring that these are typically used as
opportunities to develop independence. Children are familiar with routines and confidently
queue, wash their hands and take care of their own personal care needs. Children who may
face barriers to their learning participate fully, and group activities support their learning and
development. Staff work well as a team to ensure that routines flow and children are well
cared for. Behaviour management of staff is generally monitored by leaders to ensure
consistency across the nursery. This includes teaching kindness and good manners through
effective role modelling as staff help to prepare children for later life.
Leaders promote attendance and punctuality well. They discuss the importance of this with
parents and help parents overcome any barriers to attendance as they arise. This ensures
that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those
known to social care, and others who may face barriers to learning are supported to
maintain routines and learning experiences.

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard
Leaders provide an environment, where children continually feel safe and secure. Staff are
warm and responsive to all children and their families. They quickly build very secure
attachments with babies, helping those new to the nursery to settle easily. Babies gesture
for cuddles and smile when staff approach them. They explore their environment with
increasing confidence, showing enjoyment when staff sing to them or help them engage in
sensory play, such as crunching dry cereal with their hands. Babies excitedly copy the
actions of familiar rhymes.
Across the nursery, mealtimes are encouraged to be social occasions. This helps children
develop positive relationships with other children and staff. Children eat well, access water
regularly throughout the day and follow familiar sleep routines that supports their health and
wellbeing. Staff follow personalised feeding and weaning routines for babies that meets their
individual needs. Staff have carefully considered and implemented the new regulations
around safer eating and sleeping to ensure children are continually kept safe from harm.
Staff embed positive hygiene practices, such as handwashing. Nappy changing and toilet
areas afford children their privacy. All children, including those facing additional barriers to
their learning, access care that supports their wellbeing and development. At the end of
each day, parents receive a comprehensive breakdown of their children's day, including care
routines and activities they have participated in. Parents comment that they welcome the
communication and support they receive.
Curriculum and teaching Expected standard
The curriculum is well thought out and led well. Leaders and staff have an insightful
understanding of child development and promote sequenced learning that provides the skills
children need to develop before starting school. Staff understand the intended learning of
the planned activities and how these experiences will develop children's individual learning
needs. Staff make suitable adaptations, often in the moment, and adapt their approach
depending on the age and stage of children's development. They ensure activities are an
appropriate length, engaging and fun. Children who face barriers to their learning benefit
from learning in smaller, targeted groups, which supports their development and learning
well.
Staff place great emphasis on supporting and developing children's social and emotional
skills, communication and language and physical development right from babies. Staff
consistently provide babies with resources and support to help strengthen the muscles
needed for standing and walking and to be able to climb and balance. For example, babies
learn to climb steps and crawl up and down a short ramp.
Leaders are developing how they monitor and support staff practice more regularly. Mostly,
staff's interactions with children are purposeful and supports their ongoing development.
Occasionally, children's independence is not supported in at way that meets leaders'
expectations of consistently high-quality teaching and learning. For example, at mealtimes,
some staff tend to carry out tasks for the children.

Inclusion Expected standard
Leaders and staff consistently prioritise children's emotional security. They form warm and
secure bonds with all children and get to know them and their individual needs quickly to
build trust and help them settle. The nursery special educational needs coordinator is
passionate and dedicated to the role. Despite, only taking on the role in recent months, she
has implemented a more specific and targeted approach to identifying and monitoring
children's needs. This is continuing to be embedded across the nursery to help develop a
more consistent approach among staff. Staff have become more knowledgeable about
strategies that can be used to further promote and develop learning for children with special
educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), children known to social care and those who
face other barriers to their learning. For example, staff regularly plan structured physical
activities that help children focus and self-regulate. Staff understand and use simple sign
language as another means of communication. These types of strategies are helping
children to become confident and engaged learners.
Leaders work alongside external agencies to provide targeted support for children and
families. They meet regularly with families of children with SEND to discuss progress and
ensure their children receive enjoyable learning experiences, achieve well and close gaps in
their learning. Leaders are aware of those children in receipt of additional funding. They use
these funds to target support, such as resources that promote communication and language
based on children's interests and learning needs.
Leadership and governance Expected standard
Leaders are reflective of the provision and have ensured that there is a continuing positive
culture of safeguarding throughout the nursery. The newly configured management team
has worked hard to ensure that both the team and staff are continuing to meet high
standards of care and learning after an unsettling period for the nursery. Leaders are aware
that there are still some improvements to be made. Some teaching practice does not always
meet expectations and leaders realise that staff may benefit from more consistent
monitoring of practice and coaching to consistently provide the highest quality teaching. A
new system for effective supervision of staff is still in its infancy and not embedded enough
to drive improvements in quality or clearly focus on the professional development needs of
staff. Leaders continue to be positive and proactive about the future and are committed to
working closely alongside families and other professionals to ensure they continue to meet
the needs of all children and their families.
Leaders consistently promote a positive working culture. Staff share that they feel extremely
well supported and their wellbeing is given high priority. Leaders conduct regular check-ins,
have an open-door approach and opportunities for team development. Morale among staff is
high and they are passionate about providing children with an enjoyable and motivating
childcare experience. Overall, this all contributes to a cohesive and supportive staff team.
There is regular engagement with parents and other professionals to ensure that children's
needs are consistently met and leaders plan to further develop parent engagement through
activities, such as home story sacks and attending nursery lunches.

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Children and their families are warmly welcomed by familiar staff who come out to the
entrance foyer to greet them personally. Babies confidently wave at staff and visitors who
enter the room. Children are well cared for by staff who know the children very well and
value their individuality. They have a clear understanding of family backgrounds and what
makes them unique. Children benefit from rich-learning experiences, and staff make
learning fun and exciting. For example, children dance excitedly to their favourite disco
music. Children's skills and knowledge are extended over time as activities help them to

Inspectors:
Carly Mooney
Julie Meredith-Jenkins
Tracy Joyce
About this setting
build on what they know and already can do. Children who face barriers to their learning
receive specific, tailored support that enables them to thrive.
Children are well prepared for starting school. They make friendships and show kindness
towards their friends. For example, they make space so they can sit in the circle at group
time. Children confidently learn the behaviours expected of them, such as sitting upright and
crossing legs to listen to a story. Children learn that it is beneficial to work as a team for
some tasks and learn the skills needed to do so. Room mascots, such as 'Gerald the Giraffe'
are used well to support children's emotional wellbeing and communication. On the day of
the inspection, children were excited to receive a letter, a magnet and pictures of the giraffes
from the local zoo, after they wrote to them about Gerald. Children begin to use early
mathematical skills, such as counting and recognising quantity. Children learn to enjoy
books and reading from babies. For example, through regular story times, both as a group
and individually.
Next steps
Leaders should develop and embed a more effective system to monitor staff practice that
helps to ensure teaching meets leaders' expectations more consistently.
Leaders should continue to embed a program of supervisions that provides effective
coaching of staff and helps them ensure that professional learning and expertise
opportunities are of high quality and precisely matched to improvement priorities.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator,
and parents and carers during the inspection.
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.

Unique reference number (URN): EY383623
Address:
Elm Road
Upper Marham
KING'S LYNN
Norfolk
PE33 9NF
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 25/02/2009
Registered person: The Rainbow Centre (Marham)
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00
Local authority: Norfolk
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 18 June 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
0 to 11
Total number of places
186
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard
The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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