Busy Bees Day Nursery at Bishops Stortford St Michaels Mead

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Bishops Stortford Turners Crescent, St Michaels Mead, BISHOPS STORTFORD, Hertfordshire, CM23 4FZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/02/2014 04/04/2013

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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

 Children engage in worthwhile activities, developed from their interests and ideas. This promotes learning across all seven areas of the curriculum.  Practitioners support children's learning and progress towards the early learning goals because they use a variety of effective teaching methods.  Partnerships with parents are successful ensuring children feel supported and emotionally secure.  Children are safeguarded because practitioners are well-trained and understand their responsibility to record and report concerns about well-being.  The recently embedded tracking system and the regular audits are effective in highlighting gaps in the provision, which are being tackled more rapidly to secure improvements for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to extend the opportunities to promote children's communication and concentration by limiting the use of background music.  Some activities lack the necessary suitable protective clothing to keep children dry and this lessens their enjoyment and willingness to participate.

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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 observed activities in each of the six base rooms and conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector, practitioners and children had wide ranging discussions at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation related to the management of the setting, children's progress and self-evaluation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through short discussions.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children.

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Information about the setting

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Bishops Stortford was registered in 1999 and is on the Early Years Register. It is situated in purpose built premises in the St Michael's Mead area of Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, and is managed by Busy Bees Day Nurseries Limited. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from six rooms and there is are four enclosed areas available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 26 members of childcare staff. Of these, 20 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 and 4. Three staff are currently training for qualifications. The childcare team are supported by an administrative assistant and a chef. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 130 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four- year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special needs and/or disabilities

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

 enhance children's learning experience by ensuring music is used appropriately to support children's communication and that practitioners can always listen carefully to all of children's responses so they can make the most of the potential for further learning

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

 expand the range of resources to support children's messy play, in particular water play, ensuring the protective aprons are robust enough to keep children dry.

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who attend

Children enjoy a broad range of activities that support them in learning through play. Practitioners use effective teaching methods to support learning. They make sure they are at the child's level to aid communication and language development. With the very youngest children, practitioners spend their time sitting on the floor helping children to explore and investigate the toys. The close physical contact and frequent eye contact supports learning well. On some occasions, music plays in the background as children learn. However, this sometimes inhibits children's concentration and communication because it is distracting and contributes to higher noise levels during some activities. This means practitioners cannot always listen carefully enough to children's responses and occasionally miss opportunities to extend children's learning. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported effectively in gaining spoken English. Practitioners

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who attend

value children's home language by including it in displays and learning key phrases to aid communication and their understanding of the child.

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who attend

Children benefit from the many creative and messy play activities. They explore the texture and properties of corn flour mixed with water, pressing it down, pouring and dripping it. Practitioners provide lots of language to support children's communication and thinking as well as using questioning to develop children's knowledge. The younger children use single words and simple sentences in their play as they look for the animals in the shredded paper. Practitioners encourage the children to find animals and to look for pairs. They help children to develop their mathematical understanding by counting items and looking for one more. Books feature prominently in all the base rooms. Children share stories in small and large groups with practitioners. The oldest children choose to look at picture books on their own and with their friends. Children's understanding of letters and sounds is developing well because practitioners take every opportunity to promote this. As

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who attend

a result, the oldest children show considerable skill in this aspect of their learning. Children are imaginative and creative. Practitioners use this effectively to support learning across the curriculum. They include learning about the natural world, using children's previous experiences and their curiosity to further learning.

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who attend

Practitioners use precise observation and assessment to determine children's progress. They plan well for children's individual needs, setting appropriate next steps in learning. There is an appropriate focus on the prime and specific areas of learning according to children's age and stage of development. The regular tracking across the seven areas of learning helps practitioners to identify gaps in learning. Where children's starting points are below expectation, practitioners focus their efforts on helping children to narrow the gap between them and their peers. This means all children, including children with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported in making good progress towards the early learning goals ready for school. Parents engage well with children's learning in the nursery and at home. They comment positively on children's progress and assessments saying 'I like the learning journey book.'

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who attend

'My child is making great progress'. Parents share observations from home and this helps practitioners to get a more rounded view of the child.

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

Practitioners prioritise children's emotional well-being throughout the nursery. They work with parents from the outset to establish relationships and develop children's trust and sense of security. Babies respond to practitioners with giggles and smiles as they play and toddlers and older children seek the support and comfort of their key person. This demonstrates the strong relationships between children and the practitioners. When children move to a new base room, carefully thought out plans ensure children continue to feel confident, secure and supported. Parents and practitioners work together to ensure the receiving key person has a clear understanding of the individual needs of the child. They work with families to keep them involved and informed. This means children's moves are generally smooth. Where children have felt unsure, parents say 'it took a week and a half but the key person worked with me and my child is so happy now.'

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

Children lead an active life in the nursery. Practitioners plan regular energetic activities using the soft play area in the entrance hall and try to use the outdoor spaces each day. Children dress-up in coats and boots during the winter to ensure they are warm and dry. In the fine weather, practitioners make good use of the outdoors as an extension of the indoor learning environment. The nursery has lots of resources and equipment to support learning. They have purchased and adapted resources to support individual children's needs. However, practitioners do not always use the most appropriate protective aprons for some activities leaving children wet and others not wanting to put wet aprons on. This lessens their enjoyment and makes some children reluctant to join in. Children throughout the nursery follow hygiene routines that help them to develop good habits that promote their health. Practitioners use direct teaching to support this. As a result, children

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

understand why they wash their hands before eating. Mealtimes are sociable and children eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Menu planning takes account of children's specific dietary needs and practitioners are very careful to ensure children's needs and parents' wishes are consistently met.

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

Children behave well in the nursery. Parents and practitioners work together on strategies to ensure consistent messages support children. The oldest children have taken to the recently introduced reward counters with gusto. All of the children are keen to earn rewards for exceptional kindness, supporting other children, sharing and making a tremendous effort to achieve. Practitioners are good role models demonstrating politeness, good manners, sharing and cooperation. This means children are surrounded by positive messages that assist them in developing their abilities to work with others, make friends and learn about acceptable behaviour. Children learn about their own safety as they explore their environment. Practitioners provide support and guidance to help children to take risks in trying something new, but are always on hand to ensure children's safety. Children learn to carry their plate at lunch time from the serving table to their

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

place at the table. They pour drinks and use cutlery, utensils and scissors with care. Children's independence develops well as they progress through the nursery, gradually taking greater responsibility for their actions, their belongings and small tasks, such as tidying up ready for lunch. This means children are confident and capable of managing things for themselves and this contributes to their ability to cope in a larger group-learning environment.

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provision

The leadership and management of the day nursery ensures children are safeguarded. The robust recruitment process ensures practitioners are suitable to work with young children. The managers who support practitioners through induction and continuing supervision during the year carry out observations of practice to ensure ongoing suitability. The managers have established effective teams in the base rooms making sure practitioners' skills complement one another. Checks on the safety and security of the premises through thorough risk assessments ensure hazards are identified and are quickly dealt with to reduce the likelihood of an accident. The nursery uses an audit to review accidents and injuries. This helps to identify patterns and, as with the risk assessments, steps are taken to prevent further occurrences. Practitioners have secure knowledge of safeguarding children. The designated person is clear about the role and supports other

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provision

practitioners. Through training, practitioners understand the possible signs that children are at risk of harm. They are confident in following agreed procedures for recording and reporting any possible concerns and this protects children. There nursery management ensure there are sufficient practitioners on duty throughout the day to meet the legal requirements of the framework. Practitioners are deployed well to ensure children are properly supervised and their needs are met.

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provision

Managers use a range of audits and tracking tools to monitor practice and children's progress in the nursery. They observe practitioners as they work and provide constructive feedback. This helps practitioners to improve the quality of teaching. Practitioners reflect on their own practice to help them develop their skills and identify training needs. The rolling programme of training available through the company and through the local authority helps practitioners to keep up-to-date and to develop new knowledge and skills. The process of cascading training through the team has been successful. A recent session on behaviour management, as part of an induction programme, has had a very positive impact on the oldest children. This is because the practitioner was able to share some new ideas that inspired others in the team and they are using some new strategies to good effect. Sharing practice helps practitioners learn from one another and this contributes to

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provision

raising the standards of teaching. Continuous professional development is embedded in practice at the nursery. This means all practitioners engage in training and coaching to improve the provision for the children. Action plans to secure improvement are developed through reflection by practitioners, using the children's voice and getting feedback from parents. The managers are working on implementing improvements more rapidly so that practitioners, children and parents can see the results in a short space of time. Since the last inspection, practitioners have been working on using the outdoor spaces more effectively to support learning across the curriculum. Several practitioners have attended training as a result, the team have come up with plans for further enhancements. The growing patch has been successful and practitioners and children are currently digging a new patch ready for spring planting.

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provision

Practitioners work well with parents. This means parents are fully involved in children's learning and engage in discussions about progress and the next steps in learning. The nursery has developed effective relationships with a greater number of local schools. This has improved joint working where children attend the school nursery class. It has also helped practitioners to understand what is required of children when they begin school and to prepare them effectively for this. The nursery practitioners work with the local authority to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The links with the area special educational needs coordinator and the local children's centre ensure families have access to high quality advice and support services.

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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 125064 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 950790

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 130 Name of provider Busy Bees Day Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 04/04/2013 Telephone number 01279 755522

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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

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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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