BUSY BEE NURSERY SCHOOL

BUSY BEE NURSERY SCHOOL A 11 Monks Orchard, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 2JJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/11/2013 11/11/2009

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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

 Children are happy, secure and motivated to learn. Staff provide a variety of stimulating activities to encourage children to extend their own learning and develop new skills.  There are very positive relationships between staff, children and parents. This enhances children's learning, development and well-being.  Staff are caring role models, reminding children to be kind to one another, to be polite and to find ways to resolve conflict when disagreements occur.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The processes for self-evaluation and staff supervision are not clear enough to identify long-term training needs.  Although children practise their early writing skills, there are fewer opportunities for older children to write independently.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 was accompanied by an HMI for quality assurance purposes.  The inspector spoke to staff, children and parents.  The inspector observed a variety of activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector sampled documentation.  The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation.

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Information about the setting

Busy Bee Nursery School registered in 2000. It is privately owned and situated in a self- contained extension of the owner's detached house. It is situated in a residential area on the outskirts of Petersfield. Children have access to the enclosed garden. The nursery is open Monday to Thursday from 8.45am to 3.30pm and Friday from 8.45am to 12 noon. An optional packed lunch session runs from Monday to Thursday from 12.15pm.

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Information about the setting

Children attend for a variety of sessions during school term times only. The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 12 children in the early years age group, none of these may be under two years old. There are currently 29 children on roll. The nursery uses the Montessori teaching method and provides funded early education sessions for three- and four-year-old children. The staff support children with special educational needs.

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Information about the setting

There are six members of staff including the owner. All hold relevant qualifications including three who have qualified teacher status. One member of staff is studying for a further qualification. There are twice-weekly sessions for both music and French, delivered by peripatetic teachers.

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

 strengthen processes for self-evaluation and staff supervision to fully clarify future training needs to enhance outcomes for children

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

 provide more opportunities for older children to explore and develop their writing skills independently.

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who attend

Staff enable all children to make good progress in their learning. They provide a variety of stimulating activities and they have an in depth knowledge of the children in their care. They are therefore able to extend each child's learning according to their level of development and individual needs. They are highly skilled when supporting children during play activities, extending children's thinking and introducing new ideas and vocabulary.

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who attend

Children are well motivated to participate in the activities provided and learn from their experiences. There is a good balance of adult led and child initiated experiences both indoors and outdoors where children can learn and practise new skills. For example, in the garden they practise throwing balls into nets, counting and estimating. Staff ask appropriate questions which enable children to solve problems and find solutions, for example in their creative work by asking them how to make a model stronger. Children are encouraged to keep trying when they find something difficult and then are praised when they experience success.

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who attend

Adults take every opportunity to develop children's experience and vocabulary, for example by introducing the words 'cylinder' and 'tube' when model making with the two- year-olds. Children's vocabulary is further extended during story and circle time when they are told about a badger set and the way in which badgers tunnel with their paws. There is good use of rhyme during story times and circle times with the children being encouraged to supply a familiar rhyming word.

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who attend

Children have access to a wide range of books and they are taught that print carries meaning. Staff place labels and pictures at a low level so that children can find resources easily. They are encouraged to match their name cards when they arrive which also gives a sense of belonging in addition to developing their early reading skills. Younger children enjoy practising early writing skills with a variety of materials such as paint, crayon chalk and charcoal. Older children write their names to label their pictures. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to experiment with writing skills in their play, for example, by making lists or taking 'food orders' during pretend play. In addition, staff are not regularly seen writing, to demonstrate to children the value of writing for a variety of purposes.

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who attend

Music is enjoyed on a daily basis, singing and music played to children. In addition, a music teacher visits the nursery school twice a week for sessions with the children. Staff encourage children to be creative and to design their own models, acknowledging that creativity is a learning process and not always about the end result. There are plenty of opportunities for pretend play, to enable children to use their imaginations. For instance, children make choices from menus and enjoy serving or eating food such as pizzas in the caf. They exchange money and therefore become familiar with coins, using a calculator and a cash register. Numbers and counting are included in many of the learning activities to promote children's early interest in mathematics.

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who attend

Children are given experiences of different cultures though pictures, books and activities such as Chinese New Year. They enjoy fun activities in French on a weekly basis, learning new words in pretend play such as going on a train or a bus. This enables them to have a wider experience of language and to appreciate that the world is wider than their own community.

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who attend

Staff observe and assess all children regularly, plan next steps and update individual developmental folders, which are shared with parents. Parents report that they have daily updates on their children, both verbally and/or through a contact book so that they can share information and know what their child has done during the session. They are therefore confident that they are involved in their child's learning and are fully informed of their progress. They feel that their children are taught the skills they will need when they start school.

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

Staff prioritise health and safety. They have very high regard for the well-being of the children in their care. The key person system, where each child is allocated to a member of staff, is effective as staff know children very well. As the group is a very small one, all members of staff know the children well and children form secure attachments. As a result, children have a strong sense of belonging.

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

Behaviour in the nursery is good. Staff try to ensure that the children are well settled and happy. They are positive role models, gently reminding children of how to behave, giving examples of how to solve conflict and encouraging them to be polite and kind to one another. For example, a child is upset when a younger one wants to join him hammering shapes. Staff sensitively encourage him to show the other child how to do it properly. This increases his self-esteem and confidence and encourages cooperative play.

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

Children enjoy daily fresh air, exercise and further learning in the well-equipped outside area. There are swings, a slide and wheeled toys. Adults encourage them to pedal tricycles and use the push along toys to develop physical skills and coordination. Staff make every effort to take activities outside whenever possible, as they are aware of the benefits of outdoor learning. A good range of resources is easily available for children to use, both inside and out, to promote children's learning.

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

The care practices are well established and children are familiar with the daily routines, which helps them to feel secure. Staff encourage children to try new skills such washing and drying their hands independently, putting on aprons, pouring their own drinks and segmenting the apples at snack time. Staff praise children for their efforts, who are therefore keen to experiment. They are taught to take care with tools and equipment and to treat the equipment with respect, for example by putting things away tidily and looking for lost pieces of puzzles. Children gain confidence in themselves and in their abilities in preparation for the next stage in their learning.

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

When reaching school age children attend a number of different schools in the area. In preparation for this, the nursery staff send on records and liaise with local teachers, some of whom visit children in the setting. Preparation is further supported by discussion and stories so that children become familiar with the idea of transferring to school. This increases their confidence in being able to adjust to the new situation.

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provision

The owner/manager is highly dedicated to the children in her care and to extending their learning. She is aware of the needs of all the children. She monitors the learning and development programmes regularly and ensures that staff are up to date with training. The staff team are also very committed to providing the best experiences for the children and to preparing them for school.

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provision

Keeping the children safe is a high priority in the nursery. Checks are carried out daily by the staff to ensure that the premises are secure and that there are no hazards. Procedures such as fire, accident and kitchen hygiene are clearly defined and displayed for all to refer to. Staff understand the need to protect children from harm and are alert to signs which may indicate that a child is at risk. Having attended child protection training recently they are all aware of the procedures to follow, should the need arise.

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provision

The team meets regularly to review provision and to plan. Recommendations from previous inspections have been implemented and policies are reviewed and updated on a regular basis. Staff act on feedback from parents, for instance there is now a more flexible drop off time in the morning to accommodate parents' needs. Parents can use a suggestion box if they prefer not to approach the staff directly.

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provision

The nursery supports children with additional needs very well. When a child is experiencing difficulties in their learning, development or well-being the manager ensures that staff use effective strategies to help the child. If they require more skills in order to do this, they seek advice, and sometimes additional training, from other professionals. Recent examples are training to be able to deal rapidly with an allergic reaction, and also for staff to learn signing in order to help children communicate.

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provision

It is clear that the team are keen to enhance their practice and they incorporate advice from the Local Authority. However, the current systems for self-evaluation do not include detailed plans for development. It is also very evident that staff are given regular opportunities to develop their practice, skills and qualifications. However, training is often in response to immediate need, rather than considering long-term goals to enhance the provider's capacity for continuous improvement.

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provision

The team at Busy Bee has established excellent partnerships with parents, who speak highly of the caring nursery staff. They readily give examples of how staff have worked with them on areas such as potty training, helping a child to become less boisterous, to develop concentration, or to learn colours. They comment that they are very happy with the provision and that 'it is a special place' due to the small number of children on roll. Parents also state that they are confident that their children are taught the skills they will require for school and that their children are making good progress.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 109875 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 845969 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 29 Name of provider JACKIE PIPE Date of previous inspection 11/11/2009 Telephone number 01730 264776

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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

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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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