URN 322360 · Inspected 2026-09-08 · Published 2026-10-02 · Inspector: Anna Marshall
Rainbow House Nursery Unique reference number (URN): 322360 Address: Arnot Street, County Road, Walton, Liverpool, L4 4ED Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 09/01/1994 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Rainbow House Limited Inspection report: 8 September 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 typically make secure progress in their learning. They are able to focus on activities and pay attention for extended periods of time. Children have opportunities to revisit their learning through different activities. For example, children use scissors to cut paper with support from a practitioner. They continue to develop their control and coordination by cutting spaghetti independently and playing with sensory foam. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are disadvantaged receive the necessary support to reach their developmental milestones. For example, children build confidence to progress from communicating using visuals to speaking in short sentences. Children are suitably prepared for their next stage in learning. They are supported to build skills and knowledge to ensure they are successful. For example, children learn the skills involved in playing with others, such as taking turns and listening to others' ideas. Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance at nursery with parents and carers. They have clear expectations of positive behaviour. Practitioners acknowledge children's positive behaviour through intentional praise. They build positive relationships with children, and know their children well. Practitioners show respect and care in their interactions. For example, practitioners invite children to have their nappy changed and wait for children to respond. This means that children are settled, happy and have a secure sense of belonging. Practitioners model taking turns and how to play cooperatively with other children. This means that children have positive attitudes to learning and eagerly take part in the activities available. For example, babies play alongside each other while being supported by a responsive practitioner. However, practitioners do not fully engage children during changes in the routines. This results in children not being supported by practitioners during this time. Practitioners adapt their practices and routines based on the individual needs of the children. For example, practitioners recognise that some children with special educational needs and/or disabilities may want more space, and provide alternative activities to support their progress and development. Practitioners work with other agencies where needed to ensure that children receive the care and support that they need to develop and learn. Curriculum and teaching Expected standard Leaders and practitioners implement a curriculum that typically builds on what children know and can do. Practitioners use children's interests to engage them in learning activities. For example, practitioners support children to build relationships through the activity of building structures with linking cubes. Practitioners support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged to participate in an ambitious curriculum. They adapt the curriculum to meet children's individual needs. For example, practitioners use simple language and gestures to support children with English as an additional language to develop confidence in speaking. Leaders and practitioners support children's developing communication and language skills. Practitioners extend children's language as they respond to their verbal and nonverbal cues. They intentionally use language through all interactions. They promote a love of stories with children. For example, practitioners encourage children to choose a story and talk with children about the pictures of a dinosaur. Practitioners typically include maths through children's play and daily routines. For example, practitioners count with babies as they help them to put on aprons. They provide intentional activities that introduce mathematical concepts. For example, practitioners talk about shapes when children create faces in a collage. Practitioners ensure that children have regular access to the outdoors to support their physical development. They provide opportunities for children to run, jump and climb. Practitioners support children's learning in the outdoors with purposeful activities. They play alongside children, building large structures or exploring with animals in the sand. Inclusion Expected standard Leaders identify children's needs quickly and accurately. They assess and create appropriate support plans to meet children's individual needs. Practitioners provide targeted learning opportunities for children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Practitioners monitor children's progress; they adapt practices and update plans where needed. This ensures that children continue to make progress in relation to their identified learning needs. Practitioners intentionally engage children with SEND during small group activities. As a result, children with SEND build secure relationships with their peers and are fully included in daily activities. Leaders ensure that children who are disadvantaged or face barriers to their learning receive support so that they make secure progress. They thoughtfully interact with children who speak English as an additional language, to develop their communication skills. Practitioners use visual cards, gestures and simple sentences to support children's understanding of the English language. They work closely with parents by using key words or nursery rhymes from home. This provides children who speak English as an additional language with a sense of belonging. Leaders use early years pupil premium funding to support children who are disadvantaged or who face barriers to their learning. They provide experiences for children to explore the world around them through trips into the local community and intentional resourcing. For example, leaders have purchased sensory equipment, such as a spinning chair, to support children to regulate their emotions. Leadership and governance Expected standard Leaders have a clear understanding of the setting's context and areas for improvement. They are reflective and focus on meeting the needs of children and their parents and carers. Leaders support practitioners' understanding of the health and safety requirements. Needs attention Practitioners complete daily risk assessments to ensure children's safety and have strengthened their knowledge on reporting accidents and injuries. Leaders prioritise practitioners' wellbeing through managing their workloads and recognising their efforts and achievements. Leaders ensure that practitioners have access to relevant and tailored learning opportunities. They ensure that these learning opportunities enable practitioners to be successful in their roles. Leaders have established long-standing relationships with families. They ensure that parents are kept up to date with their children's learning, development and progress. However, leaders and practitioners do not consistently engage with all parents. This means that some children do not benefit from a consistent approach to their care and learning. Leaders and practitioners effectively support children and parents to settle into the setting. They take time to get to know children and parents, and tailor the settling-in process to meet the individual needs of each family. Leaders provide regular updates to parents during times of transition. This means that children feel safe and secure. Leaders work effectively with other agencies, including the local authority advisors and speech and language therapists. They provide regular opportunities for children to experience the wider community through trips to the local library and to visit places of interest in the city. Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention Leaders and practitioners do not always work effectively with parents to meet age- and stage-related developmental needs with regard to feeding. This means that practitioners do not always support children to develop in age- and stage-appropriate ways. Leaders generally ensure that policies and practices to support children's wellbeing and welfare are implemented across the setting. Practitioners ensure that children are placed down to sleep safely. They effectively supervise and monitor children while they are sleeping to keep them safe. Practitioners use mealtimes to create a social experience that supports children to develop healthy habits. They supervise children effectively to ensure their safety. Practitioners create a warm and welcoming space where children feel safe and secure. They have an effective key-person system in place that meets the needs of individual children, particularly children who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities. Practitioners build warm and trusting relationships with children through responsive interactions. This means that children are confident to express their thoughts and feelings. Practitioners support children to develop their independence in managing their personal hygiene needs. For example, practitioners encourage toddlers to wipe their nose and put the tissue in the bin. 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 What it's like to be a child at this setting Children achieve well from their starting points. They happily engage in a range of activities that support their learning and development. For example, children happily create with play dough, making faces to explore feelings or making hay bales for the tractor. Children show positive attitudes to learning. They persevere and engage with activities for extended periods of time. For example, children spend time learning how to hold and use scissors. Children show pride in their achievements, and practitioners celebrate their successes. As a result, children develop the skills and attitudes that will support them as they move on to the next stage of their learning. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who face barriers to learning are fully included in the daily activities at the setting. They receive tailored support to ensure that they reach their developmental milestones and continue to make progress in their learning. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported to feel comfortable by hearing nursery rhymes in their home languages. They are encouraged to make connections between languages with visual cards. Children and families are warmly welcomed into the setting. They build positive relationships with practitioners. However, leaders do not consistently engage with parents about age- and stage-appropriate development in relation to feeding. Children play well together. They take turns in activities and help each other when they build with blocks. Children are supported to build positive relationships with each other. They are confident and feel safe. Children have secure relationships with practitioners, who are responsive to their needs. They are supported to grow and develop. Their uniqueness is Inspector: Anna Marshall About this setting Unique reference number (URN): 322360 Address: Arnot Street County Road Walton Liverpool L4 4ED Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises celebrated. Children's attendance is promoted, and leaders work with parents to meet their childcare needs. Next steps To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following action by the assigned date: Action Completion Date ensure that ongoing discussions with parents and/or carers help children to move on to the next stage of weaning at a pace that is right for the child 30/10/2026 About this inspection The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children 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. Registration date: 09/01/1994 Registered person: Rainbow House Limited Register(s): EYR, CCR Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00 Local authority: Liverpool Facts and figures used on inspection This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection. This data is from 8 September 2026 Children numbers Age range of children at the time of inspection 0 to 4 Total number of places 50 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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