Busy Bees Nursery and Pre-school

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 29/11/2004 Inspector Name Susan Irene Tyler

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care, Sessional Day Care, Out of School Day Care Setting Name Busy Bees Nursery and Pre-school Setting Address The Beehive Clifford Hereford Herefordshire HR3 5HA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Busy Bees Nursery and Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Busy Bees Nursery and Pre-school Address The Bee Hive Hereford Herefordshire HR3 5HA

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Busy Bees Pre-School opened in 1998. It moved to new premises in 2003, which are located next to the village school. The premises consist of an entrance lobby, office, kitchen, two playrooms, store room, toilets and enclosed outdoor area. The group serves a very rural community on the Herefordshire Powys border. Busy Bees is registered to provide places for 24 children aged from birth to eight years. This includes funded three and four year olds. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. The group supports children with special needs. The group opens five days a week throughout the year. Sessions last from 08.00 to 18:00. Six members of staff work with the children, four of whom have an Early Years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Busy Bees Pre-School provides generally good quality nursery education, which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children are making very good progress in personal, social and emotional development and physical development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and have developed plans and assessments that relate directly to the stepping stones. The group is well resourced and a good variety of activities are attractively positioned around the room. However, many children have limited opportunities to explore these activities due to a lack of time in the daily programme. Many of the adult-directed and large group activities tend to over-run, resulting in many young children becoming restless. Personal, social and emotional development is given high priority. Staff are good role models and create a calm

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How effective is the nursery education?

atmosphere where children can settle quickly and flourish. Staff access regular training and are qualified. Children are making generally good progress, but would benefit from increased access to programmable toys and examples of numerals to support and extend their learning. The leadership and management of the setting is generally good. Staff work well together with help from parents. Everyone is clear about their roles and duties. The importance of training is recognised and staff access training courses. All staff are involved in planning and assessment. Regular staff meetings are held where all staff are encouraged to contribute new ideas to improve the provision. They evaluate daily sessions verbally and take part in staff appraisal. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents are provided with good quality written information and staff maintain a well displayed noticeboard. Parents find staff friendly, approachable and feel welcome to discuss their children.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Children's assessment records are accessible to parents.

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What is being done well?

• The provision for personal, social and emotional development is very good and given high priority. Children are supported to become independent and develop their self esteem. • Partnership with parents is very good Staff forge good relationships with parents, who are very supportive of the group. • The programme for physical development is very good. It is varied and children are confident users of a variety of small and large equipment.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • the balance between free-play and adult directed activities, which impacts on aspects of communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development • the grouping of children for some activities • children's accessibility to programmable toys to extend their learning • children's opportunities to see examples of written numerals.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Not applicable, as this is the group's first S122 inspection.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Three and four year olds are developing good independence skills, taking themselves to the toilet, pouring their own drinks and hanging up their coats. They talk confidently within the group and on a one to one basis with other children and adults. Most children sit still and listen well for short periods and enjoy taking part in group activities during circle-time. Older children are developing a sense of right and wrong and remind each other of the group's rules.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident speakers and enjoy sharing their thoughts and feelings. They talk in small and large groups with confidence and clearly enjoy conversing with each other and adults. They enjoy listening to stories but lack opportunities to select books for themselves or access the writing table due to time constraints within the daily programme. Three and four year olds are learning about sounds and letters and are beginning to recognise some letters and link them with the correct sound.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Three and four year olds know a good range of positional language and regularly refer to 'bigger, smaller and opposite' etc. Children are learning about the concept of more/less than as they take part in daily routine activities. Three and four year olds count regularly in familiar contexts, such as counting the number of children present during registration time. All children would benefit from seeing written numerals displayed around the room. Children know many colours and shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy exploration and show curiosity as they play with 'snow' (flour) in the snow tray and animals from cold countries. They are developing an awareness of time and place as they explore the seasons and look at the changing weather on a daily basis. Children would benefit from more access to programmable toys and time to construct with the many resources available. Children see many positive images of diversity throughout the nursery, in equipment and wall displays.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use the space around them with confidence and are aware of others whilst developing good control and co-ordination as they manoeuvre around on trikes and bounce on the trampet. They enjoy moving around to action songs and easily find sufficient space for themselves. Children use and have access to a range of small equipment and other materials that helps them to develop small movement, including the using of rolling pins, spoons, paint brushes and cutters.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy singing and moving their bodies in time to action songs. They show great pleasure as they play percussion instruments along with an adult playing a guitar. Three and four year olds have regular opportunities to explore texture and shape, but become restless during some structured activities due to the large grouping of children. They enjoy expressing themselves and playing imaginatively with the many resources available, but time is restricted by the adult-directed activities.

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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• improve the organisation of some group activities and increase opportunities for children to play imaginatively and explore activities of their choice • increase children's accessibility to programmable toys and examples of written numerals.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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