Busy Bees Day Nursery at Darlington

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Darlington 19 Newton Lane, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 9EX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/11/2013 09/08/2013

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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

 Teaching is good overall because staff have a secure understanding of children's capabilities and provide a range of activities that they know children enjoy. Planning is firmly based around children's interests. As a result, children are very happy and secure and make good progress in their learning and development.  Children's health needs are well supported. They especially enjoy spending time outdoors in the fresh air where they take part in exciting and stimulating activities.  Priority is given to working in partnership with parents and keeping them very well informed of children's ongoing achievements. This benefits children's care and learning.  Children are effectively safeguarded because robust systems are in place to ensure all staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures, which ensures they act appropriately to safeguard children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff deployment at the beginning of the day does not always fully consider the emotional impact on children when their key person is absent for any reason.  There is scope to develop further staff's understanding of how to extend and provide support for children to acquire new skills, in order to ensure consistently high quality learning experiences; with particular regard to modelling the use of tools.

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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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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities throughout the nursery in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records, observation and assessment files, planning documentation and a selection of policies.  The inspector spoke to the manager, staff and children throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views through discussion and information from the setting's self-evaluation.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Darlington was re-registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in Cockerton West, Darlington, and is owned and managed Busy Bees Holdings Ltd. The nursery operates from seven activity rooms in a single-storey, purpose-built unit. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens five days a week from 7.30am until 6pm all year round, except Bank Holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 119 children on roll, 114 of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

There are 21 members of staff working with children, all of whom have an appropriate early years qualification. Three staff have Early Years Professional Status.

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

 review staff deployment at the beginning of the day to ensure that key persons are available to consistently support children, especially those who are new to the nursery

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

 enhance further staff's understanding of how to extend and provide support for children to acquire new skills, by modelling the use of tools, such as scissors.

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who attend

Throughout the nursery, children make good progress because staff use their good knowledge and understanding of how children learn to effectively support and promote their development through activities that reflect their interests. Observations and the assessment of children's learning help monitor learning in depth. Through this, staff skilfully identify children's interests and use this knowledge to plan activities to suit individual needs. Staff observations of learning inform 'learning journey' books. Consequently, children, including those with special educational needs/and or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress towards the early learning goals. Parents are kept well informed about their children's achievements as there are daily opportunities for discussions with the key persons. They also have access to their children's 'learning journey', and have regular discussions with staff about their

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who attend

children's progress and how they intend to meet their child's learning priorities. Staff have completed with parents the progress check at age two. This is effective in highlighting any gaps in learning and also enables them to secure early intervention to ensure that no child gets left behind in their development.

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who attend

Pre-school children are keen to join in activities and often sustain their interest in the work they are doing. They are effectively taught to be independent when registering their names at the start of the day, and confidently follow established routines. They know, for example, to put on their coat before going outside when the weather is wet and cold, and to put on an apron before painting. Staff foster children's pleasure in stories and books. They encourage them to listen carefully and join in with familiar rhymes and repeating out loud the parts of stories they can remember. Staff challenge the children as they read stories, ensuring that all are fully involved by asking follow-up questions that require more detailed answers. Some children are beginning to use and link sounds, as staff begin to naturally thread sounds in their everyday language. Children enjoy learning through a wide variety of activities at the nursery. For example, they learn to create pictures of

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who attend

dinosaurs using printing stencils and mixing their paint to create different colours. This is achieved because staff set up resources successfully and children can use these when they choose to, effectively promoting independent learning. Children's understanding of diversity and difference is promoted as they celebrate festivals and special events from around the world. They access resources that reflect positive images of people from different cultures and with physical disabilities. This ensures that children learn to value aspects of their own lives and the diverse society in which they live.

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who attend

Staff working with toddlers competently support their free play through the provision of a selection of resources. They ask children about their preferences as they help them to put on aprons before starting play. They supervise closely while children use controlled movements to make marks on paper and confidently roll out play dough. Staff teach mathematical language, such as 'backward' and 'forward', modelling the action as they use the rolling pin, thereby providing opportunities for the growth in their vocabulary. As children play at the water tray, filling and emptying buckets, they demonstrate well- developed hand-eye coordination. A high majority of the children are able to explore, experiment and gain new skills because staff plan experiences that are tailored to their needs and interests. However, on rare occasions interactions are sometimes too brief and staff move on too quickly. For example, a child was having difficulty with scissors. A

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who attend

member of staff briefly spoke to him to offer some support, but did not model how to use the scissors and was not successful in helping him achieve his goal. As a result, the child still could not snip the paper, and so lost interest in what he was doing; therefore learning was not fully maximised. On other occasions teaching is very good because staff use practical activities to help children learn key skills. For example, children learn to roll hoops because they are given clear instructions on how to hold it and then push it. Staff focus well on children's personal skills. As a result, children learn to do things for themselves and this helps them to remember what they have learned. For instance, one child tries hard to put on his coat, and staff give him time to try his own ideas out and then help him sensitively when he gets stuck. Staff caring for the babies create a nurturing and caring environment where they respond warmly to their babbling, which promotes their

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who attend

communication skills and reinforces their confidence and self-value. Throughout the nursery staff plan plenty of activities in the outdoor spaces, which effectively promotes children's physical development so that they make strong gains. For example, they enjoy climbing on apparatus, using wheeled toys, making marks and digging.

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

Children are happy and eager to attend this welcoming nursery. Close bonds are established between each child, their allocated key person and other staff members. This means that children's sense of security is fostered well. However, due to staff absence a key member of staff was asked to carry out the school run. As a result, she was not available for one of her key children who had recently started the nursery and was upset. This meant that on this occasion the support generally provided for all children was not consistent enough to fully support the emotional need of the child. Parents provide valuable information about their children's background, interests and abilities when they first start to attend. This enables staff to quickly identify each child's starting points and begin to tailor learning experiences to the interests and abilities of individual children. The play areas are child orientated, with low-level labelled storage which helps children to

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

become independent learners. Staff work effectively with parents and colleagues to support children's smooth transitions when moving to a new base room in the nursery. Children are also well prepared for the next stage in their learning because staff give careful consideration to preparing them for school. For example, children are becoming increasingly independent as they manage their personal care, serve themselves at mealtimes and dress themselves for outdoor play.

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

All children are provided with experiences and support which help them to develop a positive sense of themselves and others. For example, they can see photographs of themselves and their artwork is valued and displayed around the nursery. Children's enthusiasm for learning and their ability to share, take turns and be polite help them to behave well. Of particular value is the well-organised arrangement during lunchtime. The children sit in small groups with staff and develop good social skills. This is seen in their unprompted use of 'please' and 'thank you' when someone helps them or asks them something and in their good use of cutlery and enjoyment of healthy meals. Staff give them plenty of encouragement and praise for their efforts. This helps to raise their self- esteem and increase their enthusiasm so that they try even harder.

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

The staff ensure that health and hygiene is prioritised during daily routines and activities. For example, in preparation for snack and lunchtime the children wash their own hands. As children become increasingly aware of safety, make friends and learn self-care skills, they gain essential skills and attitudes to support their future move to other settings or to school. Children gain an understanding of their own and other people's safety. This is achieved due to the consistent way staff provide them with simple explanations as to why their actions may not appropriate. For instance, a member of staff explains that if they throw the soil it may go into their friend's eyes. Children show that they feel safe and secure in the setting and learn about the procedures for evacuating the premises in an emergency. They interact well with their peers and confidently talk to practitioners and visitors to the setting.

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provision

The manager has a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements, which ensures children are effectively protected. All staff are confident in their understanding of child protection policies and procedures and are adept at identifying the signs and symptoms of abuse. A comprehensive and detailed range of policies and procedures, understood and consistently implemented by staff, are used to inform practice and promote the welfare of the children who attend. This includes the procedure to follow should they have concerns about the safety of children in their care. All staff are thoroughly checked and appropriately qualified to make sure that they are suitable. Regular appraisals and supervision of staff help to identify any training needs and ensure they are clear about their roles. This, combined with effective recording systems for medication administration, accidents and allergies, which are monitored, ensures children

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provision

are well protected. Overall, staff deployment is good. However, it does not always fully consider the emotional impact on children where their key person is absent for any reason. While there is a 'buddy' system in place, this does not work sufficiently well for all children.

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provision

The management team have a good understanding of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager takes very effective steps to narrow achievement gaps for children by assessing them regularly, analysing data and ensuring staff plan activities to address any issues raised. For example, recent data collected highlighted communication and language as an area that required further intervention. As a result, an audit has been carried out and training needs evaluated and an action plan put in place to address this. Regular supervision and appraisals enable staff to identify their own strengths in practice, and a rolling programme for training and development ensures key training is accessed and tailored to suit the individual needs. This means that staff continue to develop their skills as early years practitioner. The nursery works very successfully with parents and carers. They are actively encouraged to become involved in

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provision

their children's learning. For example, they can borrow home reading bags which are used to promote children's communication and literacy skills. Parents share with the key person what their children know and can do, which assists in making firm foundations for ongoing progress. The nursery values parents' comments and seeks their views through questionnaires and ongoing dialogue. Parents also have ready access to their children's learning journals and are encouraged to include their own comments and contributions. This, combined with the daily diaries, means parents are kept well informed of their children's progress. Parents appreciate the helpfulness of staff and the opportunities their children have to learn at the nursery. They say their children make good progress in all areas of learning and become more confident. One parent states that she 'could not recommend the nursery highly enough'. Links with other agencies, such as the local

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provision

authority, health professionals and portage workers, are established and ensure the best possible support to further enhance all children's learning and personal well-being.

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provision

All staff are enthusiastic about their work in the nursery. Leadership of the manager is good, and she is supported well by her staff. They work as a successful team and they think carefully about what could be done to improve the nursery for children. All staff are involved in the self-evaluation process, and have completed a very detailed evaluation of the nursery and drawn up a very clear and achievable action plan. The management team routinely make effective use of a wide range of monitoring systems relating to the provision and outcomes for children, with the annual 'quality assurance audit' being a well- established evaluation tool to maintain continuous improvement. The manager is not complacent. This is demonstrated through her willingness to review the registration process, regarding the depth of information gained from parents and other professionals, to ensure they collate sufficient and relevant detail to meet children's specific needs. In

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provision

addition, the manager has made good progress addressing the recommendation made at the last inspection. For example, she has looked more thoroughly at the specific training needs of the staff team and has sourced an outside training adviser to support her in tailoring training to staffs individual needs.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met

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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 301131 Local authority Darlington Inspection number 941960

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 89 Number of children on roll 119 Name of provider Just Learning Ltd Date of previous inspection 09/08/2013 Telephone number 01325 460440

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Type of provision

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

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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