The Bees Knees Day Nursery

The Bees Knees Day Nursery Cambrian Way, Highfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5TD

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24 September 2015 19 February 2015

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

p.1

This provision is good

 The quality of teaching is good. Staff understand how to promote children's learning, including disabled children and those with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. Small-group times are planned well in the pre- school room to successfully incorporate children's next steps in learning into focused activities.  Children's safety and overall well-being is promoted well. Management use effective recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.  Staff promote children's personal, social and emotional development. They support children in building secure friendships and promote their well-being and independence. Close bonds between staff and babies are sensitive, stimulating and support them to become confident learners.  Staff use regular observations and assessments to monitor children's progress and plan challenging experiences that promote their development further.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always promote effective strategies to engage parents of very young children in their learning, both in the setting and at home.  Nursery managers do not yet check the progress made by different groups of children, in order to sharpen their identification of any gaps in learning that may be occurring.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 enhance opportunities for sharing ideas and activities with parents of very young children to further support their learning at home  use the information from assessments more effectively to check the progress made by different groups of children, so that those who need additional support to achieve well can make as much progress as possible.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the two nursery owners and the deputy manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery, supervision records, the nursery development plan and children's records.  The inspector observed a planned activity and jointly evaluated this with the nursery manager. Further observations of staff's practice were also carried out with the nursery manager.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents and took account of the views of other parents as provided in written questionnaires.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector reviewed the provider's self-evaluation record and discussed how the nursery staff and management plan, review and evaluate their setting.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff attend regular training to ensure that they are constantly aware of current legislation. They demonstrate a good understanding of how to protect children in their care and know the procedure to follow if they have concerns. The well-established and well-qualified staff team have made significant changes to improve the quality of teaching. Regular and improved supervision and appraisal meetings mean that staff are well supported and able to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Management have implemented effective monitoring of staff. This means that staff are confident to share their ideas, work together and introduce positive changes to the rooms they work in. Partnerships with parents are good. Staff ensure that they regularly inform parents of what their children are doing at nursery. Children in the pre-school room enjoy taking books and resources home to share with

p.3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

their parents. Also, they bring things from home that often link to current topics. However, staff do not always promote these opportunities for the younger children.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Management and staff implement the Early Years Foundation Stage well. They regularly observe children, identifying the characteristics of effective learning and use approved guidance to assess the progress they make. Children's speech and language development is good. Staff take time to listen to children. In group activities, such as registration time, all children are requested to listen to each other when talking. Staff introduce challenging next steps in learning for children of all ages when planning. They take into consideration individual needs and abilities and support children to acquire the skills they need for future learning.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The key-person system throughout the nursery is strong. Babies show genuine attachments as they giggle and cuddle into warm and friendly staff during story time. Older children develop bonds with their key person through well-planned small-group activities. Opportunities for children to develop their physical skills are very good. All children have freely chosen access to a stimulating and inviting outside area which is safe and well maintained. Young babies explore the feel of water and use wheeled toys as they learn to crawl and walk outside. Older children use water to estimate how fast it will run through a range of tubes and funnels. Their health and well-being are well promoted with a range of nutritious meals and snacks. Additionally, children learn about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and are very active, both inside and outside.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

Staff are aware of children's starting points and capabilities and they support them well. Planning focuses heavily on the prime areas of learning and incorporates all other areas to ensure that children make good progress. However, management have not yet begun to track the progress different groups of children make to help them to more clearly identify and narrow potential gaps in their learning.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 129334 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1007715 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 134 Name of provider Kathryn Hay Date of previous inspection 19 February 2015 Telephone number 01442 393341

p.4

Setting details

The Bees Knees Day Nursery was registered in 1996. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 17 at level 3, one at level 4 and one holds Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

Setting details

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.

p.4

Setting details

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

p.4

Setting details

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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Setting details

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.5