Busy Bees Day Nursery at Chislehurst

Busy Bees at Farringtons

Inspection report for early years provision

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Busy Bees at Farringtons

Unique Reference Number EY308484 Inspection date 28 March 2006 Inspector Beverly Hallett

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Busy Bees at Farringtons

Setting Address Farringtons School, Perry Street, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 6LR

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E-mail

Registered person Busy Bees Nurseries Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Busy Bees at Farringtons is one of several nurseries run by Busy Bees Childcare LTD. It opened in 2005 and operates from eight rooms, in a purpose-built two storey building. It is situated in the grounds of Farringtons School in Chislehurst, Bromley. A maximum of 94 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday, from 07.30 to 18.30, for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 There are currently 134 children, aged from 3 months to under 5 years, on roll. Of these, 14 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local community. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs. It also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 16 staff. Thirteen of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. Three staff are working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy playing in a very clean, hygienic environment. Staff show good awareness of children's individual health and are quick to identify possible illness, following good procedures to ensure children are well cared for. Children's individual hygiene needs are well taken care of, as children are encouraged to use the bathroom at frequent intervals and babies nappies are changed regularly, throughout the day. Children enjoy an extensive and well thought out menu, based on healthy eating guidelines. However, individual choice about what to eat is limited, as some meals are served by the staff. As a result, children have missed opportunities to experience meal times as social and learning occasions, and to develop independence and self help skills. Children are encouraged to learn about their bodies through planned topics. Children move confidently outside, using large equipment such as Little Tykes slides,

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Helping children to be healthy

cars and trikes. They respond well to staff initiated music and movement sessions, joining in with action songs, such as 'The Oke Cokey', showing good control of their bodies. Under three's emotional well being is well fostered, as children enjoy close relationships with calm, knowledgeable staff, who interpret their needs effectively. Their expressions of feelings, hunger and tiredness are promptly responded to by caring staff, who know individual children well. Under threes play outside with staff with enthusiasm, competently using trikes and showing an awareness of space, good coordination and balance. Under threes enjoy eating nutritious food. They develop good independence and self help skills, sitting in high chairs and feeding themselves, as well as having staff feeding them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children benefit from a very warm and welcoming physical environment. They arrive happily and settle well, playing in a small but suitably organised environment, which allows them to move around and play safely. A good range of toys and equipment is available, which is in very good condition and covers most learning areas, although older children's access to a wide range of activities is limited and opportunities to experience and explore a stimulating environment are reduced. There are effective procedures in place for the safe arrival and departure of children, which include electronic entry systems and parents signing children out, as they leave the setting. Staff are well deployed and vigilant, ensuring the safety of the children at all times. Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and know what action to

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

take, if they have concerns about a child in their care. This ensures staff can act in the child’s best interest.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy to be at the setting and enjoy their time exploring the activities on offer. They separate positively from their carers, showing they are confident and have made trusting relationships outside the family environment. Children are occupied throughout the day, as activities and experiences suitably cover the areas of learning. They have the option to play with a satisfactory range of activities. These are set out and changed by staff at regular intervals throughout the day, enabling children to make some independent choices about their play. Birth to Three Matters. Staff are developing their use of the Birth to Three Matters framework, to observe and develop the progress of younger children and babies. Babies and young children benefit from good relationships with staff and from encouragement and conversations with adults, throughout the day. The under three’s environment is stimulating and well thought out, to provide a good

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

variety of play and learning opportunities, which promotes good development across all areas of learning. Babies enjoy feeding themselves and exploring foods at meal times. They have secure bonds with their carers, which increases their sense of wellbeing. Younger children benefit from routines which are consistent with their experiences at home. Nursery education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum, and children are making steady progress in their learning. Observations inform staff of children's progress, enabling them to plan for

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 the next stage of development. Children play with a small variety of equipment that promotes learning in all areas of development, and staff plan a suitable selection of topics to cover the main areas of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. However, the lack of a rich, stimulating environment for older children, limits free access to a wide range of facilities and reduces their opportunities for autonomous learning. Throughout the day, children are focused and engaged in play, as staff are clear about their roles and engage children in the small variety of activities available. However, the organisation of the daily routine allows insufficient time for children to develop detailed and extended play and learning situations. Play sessions are interrupted by snack and then outside time, and all toys are put away. As a result,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children's flow of play and concentration is interrupted and their time is not well used to fully promote learning. Children make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development, as they show positive attitudes towards learning. They are curious and eager to explore the environment, and are forming good relationships with staff and other children. Children are well behaved and staff manage behaviour consistently, helping children to learn boundaries. Staff plan themes for children to follow, which are supported by related activities, and children are involved in contributing artwork for wall displays. One wall contains children's own art work, others are created by adults who have cut out shapes, rather than letting children develop their own creative ideas. Staff also sit with children during such activities, to offer support and guidance in how to complete the work, limiting children's problem solving and creativity. Children have little opportunity to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

create freely, as only a chalk easel and the home area is available throughout the day. Children use language for thinking and are confident speakers, engaging in conversation with adults and each other. Children enjoy listening to stories; they join in with repetitive phrases and discuss what happens next. Children often use the comfortable book area, where they choose from a selection of books to look at independently with an adult. Children learn about other cultures through celebrations of festivals, such as St Patrick's Day and Easter. Children also have access to the large school grounds, to help them learn about the environment and this is used regularly for exercise and fresh air.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children show a sense of belonging when they share their experiences about their family and friends. They are introduced to a small variety of cultural traditions, which helps to develop a positive attitude and respect for others through topic work. However, children have limited opportunities to see positive images of today's diverse society within the environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children's self-esteem is fostered when staff praise them and recognise their achievements, for example when they tidy up or complete a task. Children are very well behaved and work harmoniously with each other, in response to the realistic boundaries and expectations of staff. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Children benefit from the positive partnership staff have developed with parents. This ensures children settle well and their individual needs are met. They experience consistent care, due to effective communication systems between parents and staff, such as the daily record sheets, which give detailed information on the child's day and which areas the children have played in. Children build good relationships with

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Helping children make a positive contribution

staff and are very happy and secure in their environment. The partnership with parents of children who receive nursery funding is good. Staff regularly share information about their child's progress through parent evenings, daily contacts and by sending children's work home. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning, for example, extending topic work, which reinforces what children are learning about within the nursery. Children under three are developing high levels of self assurance, as they help to tidy up, make choices from a small selection of toys and take care of their own needs, for example feeding themselves. Adults in the setting respond well to babies' actions, expressions and gestures, building on babies' non-verbal communications, to extend their learning and develop positive relationships.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Children are cared for by suitably qualified staff, who have been appropriately vetted, due to effective recruitment procedures. Induction training, policies and procedures work well in practice, ensuring the efficient and safe management of the nursery. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child development, which enables them to meet children's individual needs well. Leadership and management of the nursery education are satisfactory. There is a commitment to develop the provision and the management have clear aims for the future. Staff are competent within their roles and have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and how to use it in practice, to support children's development. Staff are supported in their work and ongoing training is actively encouraged. Parents are kept up-to-date about their child's progress, through daily contacts with

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Organisation

staff and regular meetings. The range and quality of activities provided for children ensures they make steady progress. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Birth to three matters framework and are using

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 it effectively to inform good practice in caring for babies.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • increase toys and resources which contribute to providing an environment rich in positive images of diversity of race, culture and ability

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • look at ways of making a wider variety of materials available to children, providing more opportunities for self-chosen activities, autonomous learning and creative exploration • develop the daily routine to offer longer sections of seamless play to support children in developing detailed and extended play and learning situations

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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