Busy Bees Day Nursery at Welwyn Garden City

Busy Bees Day Nursery at Welwyn Garden City Kestral Way, Shire Park, WELWYN GARDEN CITY, Hertfordshire, AL7 1TN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/09/2013 24/03/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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 arrive happy and eagerly join in nursery activities. They are welcomed by knowledgeable staff who present exciting and imaginative resources and experiences.  Staff and children risk assess the environment, which successfully minimises potential hazards and teaches children to understand and gauge safety for themselves.  Extremely secure bonds and attachments between the staff and the children give children a strong base from which they rapidly develop their independence and confidence.  Exceptional partnerships with parents ensure that children's care and learning is consistently supported at home, and in the nursery.  Thorough and regular monitoring of the first-rate practice enables children to make good progress in relation to their starting points.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The revised procedures for gaining parental permission for outings is yet to be fully monitored to ensure it is consistently applied.  There is scope to enhance the good partnerships with the other settings children attend to further support their smooth transitions to school.

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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 staff and children engaging in activities in the six base rooms and in the outside play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the managers, talked to staff and key persons and carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager, of a planned adult-led activity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents, including policies and procedures, children's records, evidence of the suitability of staff and safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Busy Bees Nursery was registered in 2004 on the Early Years Register. The nursery is situated in a purpose built facility in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, and is managed by Busy Bees Nurseries Limited. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from five base rooms and there are enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 28 members of staff. Of these, three hold a foundation degree, 19 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, two at level 2 and four are unqualified. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round with the exception of public holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 97 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

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Information about the setting

with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 monitor the implementation of the revised procedures for obtaining parental consent for children to go on outings

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

 build on the excellent support for children who are moving on to schools and other settings by continuing to strengthen systems for partnership working with other providers

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who attend

Children are eager to attend this exciting nursery. Children display high levels of confidence and self-esteem as they enter their age-appropriate room, and are instantly attracted by the creatively set out toys and equipment. Shiny items in the water play attract babies' attention and they are eager to explore. Soft toys carefully positioned by staff invite older children to try the musical instruments that the toys are holding. Staff display enthusiasm and show that they have an excellent understanding of how children learn. The well-organised, warm and inviting environment stimulates children's natural curiosity and staff expertly use resources to support children's excellent learning.

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who attend

Older children show that they work very well together as a group, when they sit quietly while exploring a range of animals from a visiting zoo. They show sensitivity to the animals as they stroke the rat and snake. They show interest and curiosity as they ask questions and extend their understanding about nature. Children are supported by highly skilled staff, who sensitively encourage children to talk about and be curious about how the animals move and how many legs they have, if any. Staff prioritise children's communication. Every child and parent is greeted by name, babies are sung to and staff encourage children to voice their ideas and questions. Communication is also extremely well supported in a variety of different languages. In addition, staff and children communicate effectively through using sign language, gestures and expressions. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are also very well supported in their

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who attend

communication. Photographs and pictorial clues are used very effectively to communicate with children. This results in all children being confident communicators.

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who attend

Children's personal, social and emotional development is outstanding. Babies respond positively to the sensitivity and gentle encouragement of staff. They show their rapidly developing independence as they competently feed themselves. Mobile babies follow their curiosity outdoors and inside. They shuffle and crawl on safe surfaces both indoors and outdoors, curiously exploring the environment. Toddlers show that they can capably put on and take off their dressing-up clothes, only asking for help after they have attempted to do it themselves. Staff expertly hold back, giving children encouragement, time and praise to try for themselves.

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who attend

All children freely flow between indoor and the outdoor play areas. Safety surfaces and artificial grass enable children to be physically active and have first-hand experiences of the weather and different seasons. Children are rapidly developing their large muscle control and coordination as they run, climb slide and balance. Toddlers gain confidence in walking and running as they have safety surfaces to protect them if they tumble. Older children are challenged physically, using the climbing wall to hone their strength and confidence.

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who attend

Key persons work closely with parents to gain an accurate and detailed insight into each child's abilities, likes, dislikes, family background and interests as soon as children start. Daily observations and communication between home and nursery ensure that any children who are, or could possibly fall below developmental expectations for their age are identified quickly. Staff and parents work together to provide appropriate intervention when necessary. The clear, precise and sharply focused assessment on every child clearly shows that any gaps in children's learning are narrowing and closing. Key persons use a successful system for tracking and analysing children's learning and progress. This gives staff clear targets for children to achieve. Because staff know the children well, they create exciting, individually tailored experiences and challenges for children. Children are excited, interested and are making outstanding progress in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

Parents and carers are fully involved in extending their children's learning at home. Information boards, daily diaries, learning journeys and daily conversations ensure that parents know what their children are doing. Children and their parents regularly talk about and look at their learning journey. Parents, together with the key person, plan the next steps in children's learning and development. Older children show their readiness for school through high levels of confidence, curiosity and an enthusiasm for learning.

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

Babies and toddlers confidently reach out to their key person as soon as they arrive in the morning. Big smiles and cheery greetings make this a very happy atmosphere. Older children freely cuddle members of staff and crawl onto their lap, forming strong bonds and attachments. Key persons have a detailed understanding of the individual needs of each of the children in their care. They are warm and nurturing, which reassures parents and enables children to feel content. Children settle very quickly, showing that they are happy and eager to explore.

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

Children are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Parents and children visit and plan settling in periods. Staff ensure that they provide familiar and favourite toys, books and photographs of family and home to help children feel a sense of belonging. Children move on to the next age-appropriate room within the nursery at their own pace. Key persons and parents decide when the move is permanent. 'Friendship buddies' from the older group help introduce children to the room and resources, which helps new children build relationships quickly. Children move on to schools across a wide catchment area, which means that it is sometimes difficult to establish the highest quality links with these setting. However, the nursery recognises the importance of these links and is very proactive in attempting to set strong working partnerships in place, so that all children benefit fully. Parents are highly complimentary about the level of involvement,

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

care and positive relationships between the staff, the children and their families. They say that they are well informed and involved in all areas of their children's care, learning and development. Parents say that they are really happy that their children are eager to go to nursery and eat breakfast with their friends. They say that staff value their views and action suggestions as displayed on the 'you said, we did' board.

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

Children of all ages behave extremely well. This is because of the clear and consistent messages given by all members of staff. They display very good awareness of their personal safety because staff carefully explain the consequence of children's actions. This is evident as children show kindness and consideration for each other. Children routinely adopt good hygiene practices. They display excellent independence and very good social skills as they help each other prepare the fruit for their snack and hand out plates, cups and cutlery at mealtimes. Children are provided with a healthy choice of meal and snack menus. Robust procedures ensure that all children are provided with meals containing appropriate ingredients that meet their individual dietary requirements. Babies who are breast fed have the extra support of a cosy feeding area for parents. Staff and parents work extremely closely to ensure that children benefit from continuity of their dietary

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

needs and routines. Activities, such as 'Wake and Shake', teach toddlers about the effects and benefits of exercise on their bodies. They enjoy free flow activities outside where they get lots of fresh air and exercise. Children have quiet areas in each room if they want a quiet rest and comfortable sleep areas for those children who want a nap during the day.

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

Well-established partnerships between all adults and professionals in the children's lives significantly contribute to children's well-being. This results in children who are healthy, happy and enthusiastic about new challenges.

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provision

The inspection was brought forward following two notifications correctly made from the provider about an incident at the setting and procedures on outings. Ofsted conducted an investigation for the first notification and found that, although there were no concerns about the incident, the provider had not reported the incident to the local authority designated officer immediately. Ofsted issued a notice to improve to ensure all staff understand the safeguarding policy and procedures and are able to fully implement these at all times. At this inspection it was identified that all staff reviewed the safeguarding policies and training and each member of staff has a detailed knowledge of the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child in future. The second notification was about failure to obtain permission to take a child on an outing. The managers immediately took action to investigate and reassess their procedures. The managers have

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provision

introduced clearer permissions forms and have added the additional procedure of telephoning parents before all outings. This has resulted in much improved procedures, which ensure that the incident will not be repeated and this is being monitored.

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provision

All members of staff have a detailed understanding and commitment to ensuring that children's safeguarding and welfare are of high quality. Robust procedures, daily risk assessments and staff vigilance ensure that children are protected as much as possible. Staff swiftly take positive action to deal with any accidents, incidents, possible risks and any complaints received. For example, a full investigation was carried out when an incident occurred involving a child with a pulled elbow. Staff were interviewed and close circuit television was scrutinised to observe what happened. All findings were reported and recorded in detail. Each member of staff has a detailed knowledge of the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child. All staff members demonstrate a clear understanding about their fundamental role and responsibility to protect children. They take swift action to minimise any potential hazards ensuring children are safe in the

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provision

Highly robust procedures for employing staff and checking their suitability to work with children are in place. All members of staff receive regular monitoring and observations of their practice. This enables the managers to ensure that staff practice is of high quality at all times. Staff are rewarded for outstanding practice with an employee of the month award. Managers further support their professional development through training and high quality systems for professional supervision. Regular supervision meetings and staff appraisals ensure that managers identify the strengths and areas for development in staff practice.

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provision

Very effective partnerships and links between the nursery, parents and external agencies ensure that children's needs are quickly identified and are fully met. The confidential sharing of clear and accurate information about the children and the collaborative response from all adults is successful in supporting all children to achieve.

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provision

The managers and staff are consistently reflecting and monitoring the outstanding implementation of the learning and development requirements. This ensures that every child receives high quality learning and makes rapid progress based on their starting points. The high quality self-evaluation process, which values the views of all staff, parents and children, is very effective. All information, comments and suggestions are meticulously organised into clear action plans. These are then actioned and evaluated, which continues the nurseries strong drive and ambition for excellence.

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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 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 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 EY308307 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 934013

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 74 Number of children on roll 97 Name of provider Busy Bees Day Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 24/03/2009 Telephone number 01707 393380

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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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