Bumble Bees Day Nursery

Bumble Bees Day Nursery Sir Mark Collet Pavilion, Heaverham Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 6NE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/07/2014 11/01/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff implement a well-established key-person approach so that children are kindly and sensitively helped to be independent and confident learners.  Staff teach children to manage their own risks effectively, and keep them safe in the nursery and when on outings.  Staff implement the behaviour management policy consistently. Children's behaviour is exemplary, with all ages learning happily and respectfully alongside each other.  Staff work closely with parents so children progress quickly and confidently in all aspects of self-care.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 On occasions, staff do not make best use of opportunities to enhance older children's learning in aspects of literacy, including providing an environment rich in print, and using writing materials to show older children the value of writing.  Staff do not take every opportunity to enhance children's imaginative and creative learning through making suggestions to extend play, and showing children how to do so.

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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 the staff interacting with the children inside and outside.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the owner/manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a discussion with the owner/manager, and talked with some parents, children, and staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked relevant documentation, including that relating to staff appointments, children's records and some policies.

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Information about the setting

Bumble Bees Day Nursery opened in 1989 and registered with Ofsted in 2001. The nursery is privately owned. The nursery operates from the Sir Mark Collet Pavilion in the village of Kemsing, near Sevenoaks, in Kent. The children use the main playroom, toilets, the upstairs room on occasions, the main hallway and a covered concrete area outside leading onto an additional grass area. There is a kitchen, and a smaller room used for children to sleep. The nursery operates for 47 weeks of the year. It is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register.

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Information about the setting

At present there are 32 children attending in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The nursery has a staff team of seven who all hold recognised early years qualifications to level 5, although a majority are at level 3 and below. The owner is also the nursery manager.

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

 raise teaching to a consistently very high quality across the staff team, for example, by strengthening opportunities to enhance children's learning through creative and pretend play, such as by both suggesting new ways of doing things, and showing children these

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

 enhance the programme for literacy by providing a rich learning environment to promote this area, for instance by displaying more examples of print, and showing children the value of being able to write, to help older and more able children be as well prepared as possible for the move to school.

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who attend

Staff know the children well through observations and from developing close relationships with parents. The well-resourced rooms and outside area reflect the interests and ages of all children. For example, there are plenty of chewy and sensory toys for the youngest babies, and puzzles to promote early mathematics for the older and more able children. This means each child finds something to interest them that aids their learning, so all make good progress from their abilities on entry. However, staff miss some opportunities to extend the older and more capable children's skills in readiness for school, so that they are as well prepared as possible. For example, they miss chances to enhance learning in aspects of literacy.

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who attend

Staff do not provide a highly stimulating environment that extends the skills of older children. For example, staff do not enrich the nursery environment with lots of print, such as through posters and labels, to encourage older and more capable children's understanding that print carries reading. Similarly, for these children staff do not make the most of opportunities to use writing themselves, to show children that this is a valuable skill as they prepare for the transfer to school.

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who attend

Staff make excellent use of the covered outside area for all areas of learning. Children make good use of this space, such as when taking part in physical activities on bikes, as well as for pretend play and art activities. Staff encourage children to think for themselves and to follow their own interests. For example, children pretended to be builders and used bricks and sand to build a wall, while others used bricks to create a convincing hospital bed. Resources are well looked after. Children know where things are kept so that they can help themselves and follow their own interests. This arrangement promotes their independence as learners, ready for the eventual move to school. Sometimes staff miss opportunities to enhance children's creative and imaginative play though pertinent questioning, or by showing children what to do. This shows teaching is not always of a consistently very high quality.

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who attend

Each child has a special key person who records the child's progress accurately. The owner/manager monitors this progress carefully and uses the information gained in the weekly planning. This approach helps children's learning progress. Staff keep parents fully involved in their children's learning, and up-to-date with their progress. Staff track children's progress electronically too, which helps check that any gaps in learning are identified and planned for, so areas of learning are fully covered and gaps closed.

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who attend

Staff help children develop their language and communication skills well. Staff use a range of teaching strategies to promote such skills. For example, they read stories well to engage children and widen their vocabularies. Children of all ages show great enjoyment in listening to stories. Older children demonstrate good listening skills. They answer questions and join in with songs, rhymes and actions confidently. Such skills are useful for children's next stage in learning. Planned and spontaneous singing throughout the day encourages children's language development, and shows a happy and relaxed learning environment.

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who attend

Staff use good questioning techniques to encourage children to think. Staff clearly know the children well and sometimes use this knowledge to fully engage children in an activity. For example, they ask useful questions about different transport such as, 'Who came here on a bike today?' or, 'Who is going on an aeroplane tomorrow?' These questions promote children's engagement and involvement in the story well. Younger children are welcomed to join in if they want to. The inclusive approach encourages the children to enjoy learning experiences together. It develops relationships and allows children to decide when they want to try something new, so works effectively to take learning forward. Regular outings ensure that children get to know their local environment well. These promote their understanding of the wider world successfully.

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who attend

Staff enrich children's problem solving abilities with real life activities, such as helping put up the outside fence. Children are very well motivated to persevere. Staff skilfully encourage children to work together. Children help each other and the staff, which promotes effective learning through purposeful play. Understanding of mathematical ideas is given real meaning, such as when staff ask children to create a 'semi-circle' with a fence. Such consistently good quality teaching helps children gain the skills, attitudes and dispositions they need for the eventual move to school.

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

Staff teach children effectively how to keep themselves safe when on outings, and in the nursery's outside area. For example, the nursery is located in an area well used by dog walkers, but staff teach children to stay with an adult and not to approach dogs. Children do as asked and ignore dogs. This action helps children stay safe.

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

The children show excellent behaviour at all times, owing to consistent teaching. Staff promote warm relationships well. Children of all ages learn and play alongside each other in a harmonious family atmosphere, which is highly valued by parents. Staff speak to children using kind, polite language. Children respond well by treating each other gently and respectfully. Staff encourage children to be helpful, such as by putting out resources and tidying up, which means children develop useful skills for the future. Staff are sensitive to children's needs. They readily give cuddles and praise so that children feel confident, relaxed and emotionally secure. This means they are ready to explore their environment confidently, and make the most of what it offers.

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

Staff have established effective partnerships with parents. Parents know their children's key persons well. Parents state they feel confident that they can talk to any staff member about their children in this small nursery. Parents report that they are extremely well supported in all aspects of their children's needs. Parents welcome advice on potty training, for example, and described staff as 'the experts'.

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

Staff respond quickly to children's individual needs. Planning for children's learning reflects information provided from families. For example, staff introduced toothbrushes into younger children's play following discussion with parents. Staff follow babies' individual sleep patterns and toileting routines so children settle in quickly. There is a supportive flow of information between the staff and home, so children's changing needs continue to be met effectively.

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

The staff provide a highly nurturing environment where children are actively encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles. Children follow good hygiene routines, knowing when they need to wash their hands. They put litter in bins. Staff make effective use of routines, such as mealtimes, to promote children's physical, personal, social and emotional development well, along with their good health. Children enjoy fruit at snack time, and learn to use knives safely to cut up it up and share with their friends. Staff have engaged well with parents who provide healthy packed lunches as a result. Children keep themselves active and busy because staff allow them to choose when to play outside. They enjoy exercise, and understand the need to wear sun-protection lotion and hats when outside. Staff organise regular walks and outings to promote a love of the outdoors and the local environment.

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

Staff make effective use of resources. For instance, a climbing frame in the upstairs room extends children's physical activities during bad weather.

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provision

The owner/manager has a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare, requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She implements these effectively. All staff undertake regular child protection and safeguarding training. An additional designated child-protection officer is training to support the owner/manager. This attention to children's welfare contributes well to keeping children safe. Staff review their practice and risk assessments regularly. This aspect of safety has improved since the previous inspection, and now contributes well to maintaining children's safety. The owner/manager has all required documentation effectively in place. There are robust systems for staff appointment, although many staff have been working in the nursery for a long time, so they have common expectations of how to support the children. This aids a consistent approach to teaching. All new staff have an induction period. Policies are

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provision

readily available for staff and parents, so all can understand procedures. Clear documentation for accidents and incidents contributes well to keeping children safe. Procedures are reviewed and parents are kept informed of any changes.

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provision

Staff work closely with parents to meet children's needs well. Key persons keep information and assessment on children up-to-date. These details are shared regularly with parents, so they know what their children do. The owner/manager meets the learning and development requirements well. She implements good monitoring systems, identifying and addressing gaps in learning effectively. This helps make sure that children have a broad range of experiences. Planning is adapted readily to reflect the immediate needs of children. For instance, staff use a whiteboard productively to share information about children and plan what they need to learn next, reflecting children's interests. Staff work well with other early years professionals, such as the teachers. Such two-way communication helps smooth the transfer when children start school.

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provision

Staff undertake training regularly. They share their new knowledge confidently with their colleagues in the small team. This approach promotes a consistent quality of teaching. The owner/manager is proactive in establishing partnerships to support the continued professional development of the team. Staff have regular appraisals. The owner/manager provides support for staff to gain further qualifications, although currently the majority are qualified at levels 2 and 3. The owner/manager uses self-evaluation to identify strengths and reflect on actions for improvement with staff. She has a realistic view of the provision, although not all aspects for development have been identified in regard to raising the quality of teaching to a consistently very high level. Recommendations from the previous inspection were addressed successfully. There is now a useful system to track children's progress and plan what they need to learn next, so learning builds on what has gone

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provision

before. These actions show that the owner/manager has the ability to drive improvement well.

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 127061 Local authority Kent Inspection number 840605 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Jennefer Dicker Date of previous inspection 11/01/2011 Telephone number 01892 525677

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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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