Busy Bees Day Nursery at Birmingham Longbridge

Busy Bees at Longbridge Tessall Lane, Longbridge, Birmingham, West Midlands, B31 2SF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/11/2012 25/07/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The nursery provides a welcoming and well-resourced indoor and outdoor learning environment for children to enjoy, with easy access to a good range of resources to support all areas of learning.  Staff form an experienced and consistent team who have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop and show great satisfaction in seeing them make good progress and grow in confidence.  Partnership with parents is working very well and they comment on how approachable and supportive staff are. Effective systems are used to keep parents well informed and fully involved in their children's progress.  Children move around the setting with great confidence and have daily access to an exciting and well-resourced outdoor area. They initiate their own play choices, show independence, curiosity and engage well with staff.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Not all opportunities to engage children's interest and maximise learning experiences are used in toddler rooms.  Practitioners are not always responsive to the needs of individual children who are settling after transition between rooms.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the different rooms, mealtimes and an outdoor play session.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff during the inspection and met with the nursery manager and a representative from the company.  The inspector took account of the views of three parents spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's daily diaries and assessment records, evidence of the suitability of practitioners working within the setting, the nursery's self- evaluation form and a range of other documentation.

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Information about the setting

Busy Bees at Longbridge has been open since 1996. The nursery is part of the Busy Bees nursery group. It operates from four rooms in a purpose-built, single-storey building, located adjacent to Longbridge railway station in south Birmingham. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor area. The nursery serves the local and the wider community. The nursery has African giant land snails. The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and there are currently 83 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery is currently in receipt of funding for the provision of free early years education for three- and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open each weekday for 51 weeks of the year from 7am to 6pm. There are 19 staff employed to work with the children. Of these, all but three hold an appropriate early years qualification and two are working towards one. One holds a qualification at level 4 and is working towards her Early Years Professional status. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 review transition procedures between rooms to ensure practitioners offer appropriate support to children in new situations

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 extend further the opportunities to maximise children's interest and learning through the use of skilful questions and effective challenges by staff.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop and most use opportunities to make learning fun and extend children's interest well. They have updated their knowledge in line with the new framework and are now focusing on the prime areas of learning and adapting their recording systems to correspond to this. Staff are very aware of the need to gain as much knowledge about the child before they start and as they settle. They then complete five settling-in observations which they evaluate to give them a clear understanding of each child's needs. Regular spontaneous records and photographic observations are taken to identify their progress, which is tracked using the guidance document, Development matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff know their individual children well and use their observations to identify and plan for each child's next steps. There is a good balance of child-led play and adult involvement and in

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who attend

pre-school there are daily key group sessions which are planned to support individual children with regard to literacy and numeracy. Regular discussions and room meetings ensure that all staff are involved in supporting children's development. Throughout the day children are extending their communication skills as they engage with staff. Babies and children of all ages respond well to music and rhymes, whether it is a lullaby to send a young child to sleep or exciting action songs to keep their attention while they sit and await their lunch. A wide range of books support their interest in the written and spoken word and children mark make with a variety of utensils. Children have a wide variety of creative and imaginative opportunities as they role play in the play kitchen, dress up in the outfits or explore different textures as they play with dough. They make number prints of their ages or create pumpkin and firework designs. Numbers, shapes and

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who attend

colours are part of the everyday routine and those specifically chosen each week are displayed. Children excitedly identify and look for shapes around the room, form these shapes in the air and then search for them in the story book. They can identify rectangles, triangles and circles and some spontaneously link the shape of a diamond to a kite or know that a circle has no sides. Children have good space to move around in and confidently access different parts of the room. Babies are encouraged in crawling and early walking skills and all enjoy regular outdoor play where a wide range of resources and physical equipment encourage their coordination and physical skills. Children's experiences are widened as they enjoy visits from the Bhangra man and the football coach or view with the interest the variety of animals which the Zoolab bring.

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who attend

Children in the main are happy, engaged and eager to learn, with older ones showing concentration and interest in the task at hand. As a result, children are acquiring the attitudes and dispositions they need to be ready for school or the next stage of learning. The indoor and outdoor learning environment is bright and welcoming with a wide range of different resources for children to access to support their independent play choices. For example, they play in the sand, use the chalk boards or try and balance the different shapes to form a tower. They eagerly put on plastic gloves to hold the land snails and watch them crawl along, identifying their different sizes. Attractive displays of children's work, accessible resources and enthusiastic staff encourage children to confidently initiate their own play. Most staff engage well with the children to inspire their learning, using effective questions and prompts to encourage children to enquire and explore further.

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who attend

However, not all opportunities are routinely used to maximise children's learning through effective engagement. The day is planned to provide a continuous learning environment where children can initiate their own play as well as engaging in a variety of adult-led activities. Most of these are planned around children's interests and children are encouraged to pursue their own lines of exploration. Staff have clear routines for observing and recording children's progress which form the basis for evaluating and supporting their next steps. A summative report is produced to share with parents during their meetings when they decide how to work together to support the children's overall development. Staff encourage parents to carry out home observations to add to their journals and the new practice of homework activities has further consolidated the links between the nursery and home.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children make warm and positive relationships with staff which help them develop their confidence to initiate their own play and develop their independence. The key person links are well established so that valuable information is shared about children's individual needs, routines and interests. This produces a very supportive and flexible settling-in period which enables parents and children to feel more secure. Staff in the baby room are fully aware of the need to be flexible and sensitive to the needs of individual babies and these routines are followed until they naturally adjust to the nursery routine in their own time. Staff in the baby room are very responsive to the needs of the babies, providing them with a happy and interesting environment to explore and lots of attention to ensure their needs are met. For example, individual children are rocked to sleep while others who do not want to rest are supported by staff as they explore the floor toys or try and

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

practise their early crawling and walking skills. Staff create family photograph albums of familiar faces for the children, to reassure them and start to develop their sense of identity. Children and staff sit together on the floor as they are encouraged to reach out and explore toys set out for them, such as musical toys and treasure baskets or move the coloured balls around the rings.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children respond well to the routines, with staff often giving clear guidelines of what is going to happen so they are prepared in advance. They sit on the carpet when coming in from outdoor play and begin to take off their outdoor clothes and shoes. Children in the pre-school eagerly volunteer for the role as helper to complete certain daily tasks and confidently line up to receive their dinner from the lunch trolley. Staff recognise the importance of developing children's social skills in readiness for school and therefore concentrate on, for example, manners, listening and sharing and taking turns. Children's contributions are valued and they are given regular praise and encouragement from staff which develops their self-esteem and gives them the confidence to initiate their own play. Staff are aware that transition between rooms is also an important time and liaise with parents for this move and have several introductory sessions to reassure children.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

However, not all staff are always fully alert to the insecurity children may experience at times such as this.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children's health is very well supported by a well-balanced menu of nutritious meals and healthy snacks and access to drinking stations at all times. Children have opportunities to grow their own food in the garden which they can harvest and eat, such as tomatoes, which help towards their understanding of healthy life styles. Gloves and aprons are worn by those serving food in order to effectively promote children's good health. Children learn how to handle the giant snails carefully, using plastic gloves to protect them from any germs.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children move around with confidence inside and out and are generally reminded about keeping themselves safe. Regular fire drills and visits from the health and safety person, when they also excitedly dress up in jackets and safety helmets, help them to develop their safety awareness. Children are learning to handle various tools and equipment safely and confidently and to ensure items are correctly put away to prevent tripping hazards.

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provision

Leadership and management of the nursery are strong and set high standards for quality. Regular monitoring of the daily organisation and the educational programme along with the use of reflective practice ensures that staff focus on continuous improvement and embedding the new framework. Monitoring is carried out regularly by the manager and monthly audits by the company provide ongoing support for staff. Robust recruitment and selection procedures and an informed induction ensure the suitability of those who work with the children. Management recognises the importance of keeping staff informed and involved and therefore there is a good commitment to a strong team ethos and ongoing training. There are weekly meetings within the rooms and for senior management and monthly staff meetings. These ensure all information and any new initiatives and practice are raised and discussed with staff. The manager provides a supportive presence and an

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provision

'open-door policy' and is always available to offer advice as well as monitoring the daily routines and staff practice. There is a well-established system for supervision and appraisal to give staff a voice and the opportunity to evaluate their own practice so that any development issues or training needs are recognised and addressed.

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provision

Partnership with parents is a very strong aspect of this nursery and parents are kept well informed and involved from the start. Parents comment on the great benefits of the consistent staff group and their approachability. They value the support they receive and are confident about raising issues and talking with any staff member about their child. A wide range of information is displayed on the notice boards and parents receive regular newsletters. Discussion and the sharing of the daily written record keep parents informed about their child's day. They are invited to make comments on their children's progress and to look through their learning journeys. Twice yearly parent evenings are held for a more formal discussion of children's progress and their next steps. The recent establishment of the parent liaison group seeks to further develop these links and encourage parents' voices.

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provision

Staff work very effectively with other professionals such as the speech and language therapists and the special needs coordinator, to support children's individual needs. The manager has been proactive in encouraging links with schools to prepare children well for these transitions. For example, cameras have been sent to individual schools so they can take photographs of the main aspects of the school to share and discuss with children in nursery.

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provision

Children are well safeguarded as staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities and the need to pass on concerns appropriately. Safeguarding is discussed carefully at induction and is a regular item at staff meetings. All daily records are well maintained and any changes in policies and procedures are shared with parents and staff. There are daily risk assessment records to document checks to all areas inside and out. Staff are, in the main, fully aware of hazards to children and take appropriate action. For example, they use a choke tester to identify any small items which may be dangerous to children. All procedures, such as safe collection, are rigorously carried out.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted 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.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 509451 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 889790

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 68 Number of children on roll 83 Name of provider Busy Bees Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 25/07/2011 Telephone number 0121 477 8777

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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