Busy Bees Day Nursery at Birmingham Longbridge

Busy Bees at Longbridge Tessall Lane, Longbridge, Birmingham, West Midlands, B31 2SF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/12/2014 12/12/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 3 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Children are not suitably safeguarded because the management does not follow the correct safeguarding procedures, particularly in relation to allegations being made against members of staff.  Children are put at risk of harm because staff knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures is not embedded in their practice. In addition, the procedure for dealing with complaints does not ensure that appropriate action is always taken.  Staff performance and practice are not effectively monitored to address areas for improvement because the system for performance management is weak.  Children's needs are not always met because staff do not always organise themselves well enough to ensure that suitable equipment and resources are available.

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It has the following strengths

 Children learn while they play because staff provide them with a range of activities and experiences that they enjoy and a stimulating environment.

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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 all indoor areas used by children and the outdoor play areas, and carried out joint observations with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to representatives from the provider organisation, staff and children throughout the inspection and took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of records and policies relating to children's welfare, health and safety.

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Information about the setting

Busy Bees at Longbridge has been open since 1996 and is on the Early Years Register. It is one of a large chain of nurseries in the Busy Bees group and operates from a single- storey building in Longbridge, Birmingham. Children have access to enclosed outdoor areas. There are currently 90 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery provides funded education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. It is open each weekday for 51 weeks of the year, from 7am to 6pm. There are 28 staff currently employed. Of these, 16 hold early years qualifications at level 3, and four hold level 2. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 implement safeguarding policies and procedures correctly at all times, including taking the correct action in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff

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must:

 improve staff's knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures so that they all have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children from harm

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must:

 monitor staff performance effectively and put in place support, coaching and mentoring so that all staff have the knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles successfully

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must:

 ensure that staff are well organised so that they have the equipment and resources required to meet children's individual needs; with particular regard to taking babies and young children outside

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must:

 maintain a written record of the outcome of complaints, including notifying complainants of investigations, and make all records regarding these matters available to Ofsted.

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who attend

Children are making progress towards the early learning goals during their time at the nursery. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. All children's progress is monitored to ensure that individual next steps for learning are identified. Information about children's starting points is recorded and ongoing assessment is carried out and information shared with parents. Staff plan a range of activities that take into account children's likes and preferences. Generally, the planning system ensures that children access activities and resources that support all areas of learning. However, on occasions staff in the baby room are not always well prepared to carry out planned activities. This is because they do not always ensure that they have enough equipment to fully support all children's learning. For example, during a creative activity using paint, brushes and cars to roll through the

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who attend

paint, staff are unable to pick up cars when they roll off the table because they have another child on their lap. Also, they only provide one paintbrush for the activity that involves four children, which limits children's ability to take part fully. Nevertheless, the children enjoy what they are doing and show interest in the marks that they make, which supports their physical development and pre-writing skills.

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who attend

Teaching generally supports children's development because staff interact with them and provide activities that children are interested in. Pre-school children enthusiastically join in when they are told a well-loved story about looking for bears. Staff provide interactive experiences for the children, who splash through water, trample over leaves and walk through the mud on the way to find the bear in a cave. The children recall and join in with parts of the story and show awareness of what is going to happen next. This helps foster children's interest in books and stories, and this type of teaching stimulates their learning because they can fully engage in the theme and events that occur. Children are well prepared in readiness for school because they gain key skills in literacy, communication and language. All children have an individual learning journey file, which contains observations and assessments. Staff use this information to track children's progress, and

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who attend

routine assessments, such as the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, are carried out appropriately. Parents are invited to view their children's files and have individual time with key persons. This means that information about children's ongoing learning at home is exchanged. Likewise, information is exchanged with the other settings that children also attend, who are invited to make comments in a shared setting diary.

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who attend

The nursery provides a balanced programme of events that supports children to understand about their similarities and differences. This includes learning about children's different cultures and beliefs by celebrating festivals. All aspects of the nursery are inclusive and there is a positive atmosphere amongst staff, who support all children to take part in activities. Key-person information books, which are displayed in all rooms, ensure that important information with regard to children's different needs or preferences is known by all staff, which promotes continuity in care and education.

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

Children appear to enjoy attending the nursery and positive attachments with staff are evident. The key-person system is embedded and parents report how happy they are with the nursery. Consequently, children's emotional well-being is supported because they feel safe and settled. However, because staff's safeguarding practice is weak, these feelings of safety and security are misguided. In addition, staff compromise children's good health and welfare because they do not always consider the individual needs of children. For example, when babies and toddlers are taken outside when it is wet and cold, they are not dressed suitably because some do not have shoes or suitable outdoor clothes on. When they are put onto the floor, their socks and trousers become wet and their bodies cold. Staff do attempt to dry equipment and to lay out some mats, but are unable to do this safely because they are also trying to hold non-mobile children. This shows a lack of

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

thorough planning and organisation to ensure that the environment outside is suitably prepared.

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

Children benefit from spending time in this well-resourced environment where they have many opportunities to make choices about what they would like to do. In general, they can easily access toys and equipment that are suited to their needs. Staff are attentive and the key-person system ensures that all children have an adult who knows them well. Detailed information about children's individual needs is obtained before they start and parents are invited to stay for settling-in sessions. Staff in all rooms are attentive to children and they respond to them with care and affection. Children approach staff and other children with confidence, which shows that they feel safe and cared for. Children's behaviour is good because they have many different opportunities to play together during the day. Children have many opportunities to develop skills that support their increasing independence. For example, they serve part of their own meals, get their own drinks and

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

are encouraged with their toilet training when they are ready. Staff prepare older children for the move to school by talking to them about what is going to happen. A recent graduation evening was held to celebrate this important time. Parents are regularly invited to join in with social events, which helps to promote a family ethos within the nursery.

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

The nursery provides children with a daily routine, which includes regular exercise and eating healthy meals. All food and meals are freshly prepared on site and individual needs or preferences are catered for. Children show awareness of the daily routine because they settle quickly to rest and sleep when they are tired. Staff in the baby room endeavour to provide continuity by implementing babies' usual routines from home, so, for example, they can sleep and eat depending on their own needs. Likewise, staff in all rooms ensure that children who do not want to join in with group activities are able express their own preferences. Staff carry out safety checks in each base room to identify and remove any hazards. A high proportion of staff have attended the required training, which means that they can safely administer first aid. All accidents are recorded and parents are given information by phone if necessary and then asked to sign to say that they have been

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

informed. Medication is handled appropriately and parents give written consent before and after it is administered. Staff help children to learn about keeping themselves safe. For example, they show children how to use tools correctly as they enjoy gardening activities. All children have regular access to an outdoor environment, which means that they can play in the fresh air and explore a greater range of experiences that challenge them physically. This supports their all-round well-being and development.

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provision

The provider has not made effective progress in improving the provision to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. Although some actions that were identified at the previous inspection have been met, weak management of the nursery has impacted on the children's overall welfare and safety. The nursery has all required policies and procedures in regard to safeguarding children and is supported by an extensive network of additional senior staff from the group's management. However, the lead persons with responsibility for safeguarding have not followed the correct procedures in working practice. Likewise, despite safeguarding training being part of ongoing training for all staff, they also have not identified the role they play in ensuring children's welfare and safety. When a complaint was raised with regard to children's well-being, this was not dealt with appropriately. The managers carried out an internal investigation without notifying the

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provision

appropriate agencies when an allegation was made about a member of staff. Furthermore, documents have not been maintained that clearly record this event. In addition, the performance management system has not yet successfully addressed or monitored weaknesses in practice to ensure that all staff have the skills and knowledge to fulfil the requirements of their roles. These breaches in requirements compromise children's welfare and safety. The system for the recruitment of staff includes obtaining the required Disclosure and Barring Service checks and obtaining suitable references. Until these checks have been verified, all new staff have specific restrictions and work under the supervision of others. An induction process involves discussing some of their roles and responsibilities. Staff are able to explain how they would monitor any concerns about children with regard to child protection. Many staff have attended training, which supports

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provision

them in identifying the signs and symptoms of abuse.

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provision

Staff attend training that helps strengthen their work with children and a balanced educational programme supports children's learning and development. Some monitoring of the educational programme takes place and this ensures that the assessment and observation process is embedded in all rooms and that staff complete routine assessments to ensure that children's strengths and weaknesses are identified. Although the quality of teaching is variable, children are, on the whole, supported to make progress in their learning and development. Partnership work with the other settings that children also attend has been established through the use of shared setting diaries. Staff complete transition documents for children who are leaving or moving to school, so that all required information is exchanged.

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provision

Areas of improvement are evident since the last inspection, which shows that methods of self-evaluation have had a positive impact. For example, a recent review of the entrance area where visitors and parents access the nursery has ensured that suitable systems are in place to prevent unauthorised access. Staff check the identity of all persons seeking to enter and visitors are asked to sign in and out. However, although the nursery has an array of suitable resources and equipment, staff do not always give enough consideration to preparing the environment in advance to ensure that all children's needs are always well met. Furthermore, although mangers carry out some observations of staff, weaknesses in their practice are not always identified, which means that the programme of staff development does not fully ensure that training is well targeted to improve outcomes for children. However, all rooms are laid out with exciting and stimulating toys

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provision

and equipment that children show interest in. Information for parents about the activities and the experiences that children have at nursery is displayed for them to see. This helps to create a bright and welcoming environment where children appear happy and settled.

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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 509451 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 998505

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 90 Name of provider Busy Bees Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 12/12/2013 Telephone number 0121 477 8777

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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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