Busy Bees (Marshalswick) LtdOfsted inspection, 17 May 2007

Busy Bees (Marshalswick) Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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EY343615 Unique Reference Number 17 May 2007 Inspection date Suman Willis Inspector

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Baptist Free Church, 4 Sherwood Avenue, ST. ALBANS, Hertfordshire, AL4 9QL

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Setting Address

07977 708464 Telephone number busybeesweb@hotmail.com E-mail Busy Bees (Marshalswick) Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Setting Address

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Busy Bees (Marshalswick) Ltd registered in 2006. The group had been previously registered as Busy Bees Pre-school and Nursery. The nursery operates from four rooms in the side building of Marshalswick Baptist Church in Marshalswick, St Albans. It is situated within a residential area of St. Albans, close to all local facilities. The group serves the local community. The setting is open Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 09.15 until 12.15 and in addition there is a lunch club from 12.15 to 13:00 each day. On Tuesdays and Fridays an extended day is provided from 09:15 to 15:00. Children from two years to rising five years can attend. Children have regular access to a fully enclosed outside play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 58 children may attend the nursery at any one time and there are currently 77 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 56 receive funding for early education. The nursery currently supports children with learning difficulties, and also supports children who have English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 16 members of staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications and four are working towards a qualification.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are offered a broad range of physical activities which promote children's large motor skills. They enjoy using a variety of ride on toys to demonstrate their pedalling abilities. Some children confidently use the scooter, manoeuvring it around the playground with competence. Children enjoy using hoops and rolling them to staff while others try and swing them around their waists. They are developing good coordination skills as they play with large balls, learning to kick, throw and catch. Younger children enjoy developing their spatial awareness as they crawl through tunnels, learn to climb up the climbing frame, and safely use the slide. Opportunities to participate in musical movements and parachute games are regularly planned into physical activities. Consequently, children are continuing to develop their large physical skills, and have regular fresh air to stay healthy. There is a cosy book corner for children to

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are given ample opportunities to participate in activities which develop their small manipulative skills. For example, children enjoy building with bricks; they also use different size paint brushes, stencils, felt-pens and crayons, and complete large and small jigsaw puzzles with ease. Children manipulate dough using rolling pins and cutters effectively to make different shapes. Therefore, children are keen to extend their fine motor skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

Documents to promote and monitor children's health are in place and effectively shared with parents. Most staff are trained in first aid and therefore, should the need arise, be able to administer emergency aid to ensure that children's health needs are met. There are procedures in place to enable children to manage their own personal hygiene; these are restricted due to the shape of the building, and children are escorted to the toilet for safety reasons.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and happily tuck into snacks such as pitta bread, cucumber slices, cheese and ham. Parents provide packed lunches for children staying for lunch club, and they are offered advice about healthy eating. Children's knowledge of healthy eating and exercise is extended through topic work; this promotes their understanding of staying healthy. Parents provide valuable information about individual dietary needs and parents are informed daily of snacks on offer, thus ensuring that children's specific dietary needs are effectively met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a warm, welcoming and secure environment. Procedures such as a daily risk assessment and effective staff deployment ensure that children stay safe. Evacuation procedures are regularly practised and recorded appropriately. All areas are well-organised to enable children to move around safely and without harm. This enables children to explore and learn in a safe environment. Children have access to a broad range of resources which are safe and suitable for all ages, and these are rotated to fit in with the themed activities. All resources effectively promote development in all areas and allow for children to make independent choices.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are developing a good understanding of safety. They have a clear understanding of boundaries, especially when playing outside. Children know that they must climb up the climbing frame one-by-one, and do this with ease. Staff use opportunities to extend children's knowledge

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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 of safety; for example, staff give clear explanation about sitting properly on a chair. Children develop a good understanding of road safety as they go on outings to the shops and visit the local schools. This is further extended through topic work.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded by staff who are dedicated to their safety. All staff have a very good understanding of the local child protection procedures. All visitors are signed in and monitored effectively, therefore children are protected.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled. They arrive excitedly and are eager to engage in their chosen activity with staff appropriately deployed to support them. Children use their own initiative as they select their own play materials and are busy in their play. Older children enjoy the company of their peer groups and staff, while younger children are developing their skills as they learn to play in groups. Children confidently exchange information such as what they did at the weekend or the previous evening with staff. Younger children are becoming confident to speak out in a group as staff use a soft toy 'Busy Lizzie' to encourage children to talk about what they had for breakfast; this helps to promote children's confidence and self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are provided with an interesting range of play opportunities which challenge their imagination and extend their creativity. For example, children enjoy playing in the 'Gruffalo Forest'. They practise their musical skills as they use a variety of musical instruments. Children listen with interest during small group time, and learn to count using their fingers. They join in happily to familiar rhymes and listen intently to the story 'The Selfish Crocodile'. Therefore, children are interested in learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage. Children are offered a wide range of interesting activities which are well planned and cover the six areas of learning. Key grouping of children enables staff to get to know the level the children are at and develop relationships which encourage children to extend their learning. Staff are well deployed to support the children in their learning. Staff interact very positively with the children; they encourage, support and challenge them appropriately. Children are fully engaged in the activities and enjoy exploring through a mix of free play and structured activities. Consequently children make good progress in all areas of their learning. However, opportunities to extend children's learning through their daily routine and play, such as using the snack time to challenge

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children's understanding of maths, being healthy are sometimes missed; therefore children are not always fully challenged.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very well behaved and are offered lots of praise and encouragement to promote their self-esteem. They feel valued and respected as they proudly show their stickers for bringing in items from home linked to the theme that day. Children are beginning to make firm friends as they play in their chosen groups; for example a group of boys play in the home corner and enjoy singing 'Happy Birthday' as they bring out the pretend birthday cake which they share out between them. Children happily clear up and sweep the floor. They show a strong sense of belonging as they select their own play materials, and are interested and eager to learn as they participate in group times.

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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 Children enjoy developing their language skills as they freely access a wide variety of books. They are confident communicators and express themselves fluently as they use their own words to tell a 'Pooh Bear' story from pictures. Some children are familiar with the letters in their names and eagerly select their name from a bowl to stick under their picture. Children enjoy sharing books with each other and participate enthusiastically during story time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given opportunities to extend their mathematical skills as they learn to use the weighing scales. They develop their understanding of problem solving as they calculate how to make the weights balance. Children are familiar with shapes as they confidently describe a rectangular shape. Children learn to count in small groups as they sing familiar rhymes and use their fingers to count up to five. Children use language such as 'smaller' and 'bigger' as they compare the size of animal paws.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing a good understanding of their local community as they visit the local school's environmental garden. Their knowledge is further extended as they learn about plants and mini-beasts through play and organised activities. Children are excited as they play in the home corner and use kitchen appliances. They have access to a broad range of electronic resources, and use the computer competently during organised activities. Children learn about other cultures and beliefs through topic work. Children are confident in French, and participate with enthusiasm in counting, and naming colours and parts of their body, thus extending their knowledge and understanding of other languages and cultures. They are beginning to understand the concept of time through their daily routine, and learn about days and weather during group register time. Staff promote children's knowledge of past, and present by recalling activities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they have carried out in the past which is well linked in with the theme of 'Pooh Bear'. Children are delighted as they recall how they previously used honey to make flapjacks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy being creative as they play a variety of instruments during group time, and enjoy free painting. They are excited as they mix paint to make different colours so that they can paint their pictures of flowers such as Freesias. Children use their imagination very well as they extend their play in the 'Pooh Bear' den, and in role play. Children enjoy singing familiar rhymes and learn to move their bodies rhythmically to music while pretending to be different animals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are warmly welcomed into the nursery by staff who are extremely well deployed to ensure that all children settle with ease and are able to play an active part in the setting. Parents share information informally on a daily basis to enable staff to be familiar with the children's daily routine; this ensures that all children's individual needs are fully met and that they feel a strong sense of belonging. Excellent procedures are in place to enable children with learning difficulties, and/or physical disabilities integrate into the setting. They also support children with English as an additional language. Staff are secure in their knowledge and work purposefully with parents and other agencies to ensure all children reach their full potential. Children strongly benefit from the strong links formed between the local schools and the community. Their knowledge and understanding of the wider world is fully extended through a variety of activities

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and free play. Children are delighted as they participate in the story about an African boy by playing African instruments and listening to African music. Consequently, children are becoming considerably aware of the diversity in culture and are learning to respect and value people as individuals.

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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 behaviour is exemplary. They are polite to their peers and adults as they say 'Please' and 'Thank you'. Staff are excellent role models as they provide a calm and busy environment, offering lots of praise and encouragement so that children may flourish. Children respond in a responsible manner while they wait patiently for their snacks. They negotiate turn-taking with ease as they use the climbing frame. Children have a positive attitude to tidying up and are fully supported in their tasks. Subsequently, children work harmoniously with their peer groups and adults.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of nursery education is outstanding. Children benefit strongly from the strong partnership developed between the parents and the staff. They are provided with valuable information about their children's achievements and their care. Children are delighted as they bring in items from home, and take books home to share with their parents. Photographs of children involved in a variety of activities are effectively displayed in the parents room. Relevant policies and the complaints procedure are purposefully displayed alongside poems of how children feel valued. Parents receive regular newsletters informing them of topic work. Staff value parent's input into their children's learning and are imaginative in providing opportunities to involve them in developing their planning around the six areas of learning; this promotes parents' understanding of the Foundation Stage. A high

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Helping children make a positive contribution

number of parents responded with positive comments about the nursery and commented on how committed the nursery is in involving parents to evaluate their practise. Therefore, children's learning and well-being is successfully supported by both parents and staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit greatly from the knowledge and experience staff have of working with children. The setting has good procedures in place to ensure that all staff are suitably vetted, and most staff hold a high level of qualification; this enables them to promote children's well-being. A high ratio of staff and an effective key group system enable children to leave their carer or parent with ease and the consistency in care leads to children feeling safe and secure. Therefore, children's care, learning and play is positively supported by staff. Staff are very well deployed, thus contributing to children's good health, safety, enjoyment and achievement and ability to take an active part in the setting. All policies and most procedures work in practice to promote children's health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. All members of staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities, and this underpins the smooth running of the group. All staff work very well as a team, and reported how supportive the management team are. Training needs are constantly reviewed at meetings and the training manual is available at all times. All staff are fully included in the planning of activities, and regular team meetings ensure that they are fully involved in any changes to policies and procedures. All staff cascade down any training they have attended to the rest of the team. The provision is proactive in monitoring and evaluating their practice.

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Improvements since the last inspection

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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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the registration there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaint 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 good.

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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): • make improvements as indicated in the nursery education section

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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): • develop planning to ensure that daily routine and activities are used to fully challenge children in all six areas of learning.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) 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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